Game: Aberdeen FC Women v Hamilton Accies Women
Competition: SWPL 2
Date: Sunday 20th June 2021
Venue: Cormack Park
Kick Off: 1600

Aberdeen Women have been in very impressive form since they returned from their extended winter break due to covid.

They scored 10 goals in their first two matches back. But as the goals grabbed the headlines, goalkeeper Gail Gilmour added another two clean sheets to her growing collection.

“I think we’ve handled the break well and it doesn’t look like we’ve even had a break. It’s been months without a game but we’ve kept training consistently and I think that has shown in our performances since we started back”.

Contact training only began a few weeks before the season resumed and for the majority of the break, the players had to train alone.

“The team did Zoom calls and we were doing training on there so I think that helped because you were still training with the team and everyone could join in, even though we couldn’t be together. The motivation just came through from everyone and the fact that we kept doing it consistently when we couldn’t train meant we all kept each other going”.

Training sessions weren’t the only reason to get together online as the team kept in touch to keep each other’s spirits up.

“We stayed together over Zoom doing quizzes and having chats and that really helped keep everyone feeling together even though we couldn’t meet up. I think it was really important that we all stayed in contact”

Her two clean sheets after the restart made it five in a row without conceding for the leagues meanest defence.

“I make it my own standard that I try to get a clean sheet in every game. As the season gets towards the last few games I want to keep as many clen sheets as possible. I think it shows how good our team is that we’ve had so many clean sheets. Even in close games like the win over Hamilton away, the clean sheet was just as important as the goal in getting something from the game”.

As well as some very tight games, the team have scored five, six, seven, eight and nine goals in matches this season but Gilmour says that it is important that she stays focussed, even when she isn’t seeing so much of the action.

“If you switch of it can be really hard to switch back on so I think it’s important in that kind of game to keep communicating with the team just to stay focussed. We’ve had a few really close games as well and sometimes it can be easier when your needed to make saves more frequently”.

The teenager credits the defence that she plays behind for their great defensive record.

“It helps having experienced players like Kelly Forrest and Loren Campbell in defence in front of me as they know the options when it comes to me playing the ball out, so they know when to show for me and they are good at communicating. They make my job easier as they control the back line, it was challenging for me at first because of my age and I didn’t know them. But as I’ve got to know them its much easier and they are good off the pitch with me as well”.

The Dons face all three of their nearest challengers for the SWPL2 title in eight days, starting with Hamilton on Sunday, a week which will have a huge bearing on the championship race.

“It’s a big week and it may look like we have a bit of cushion at the top but we’re not looking at it like that and we just want to stay consistent. This next three games are going to really test us and I feel like those teams will prepare well when they are playing us. It’ll be challenging week but I think the way we have been playing and training means we should come out of it well”.

If they do come out of the next two games well the Dons will be very close to promotion to SWPL1 and the prospect of playing in the top flight is an exciting one for Gail.

“It would feel great at my age to be playing against the players that are at the top of the game in Scotland. I think it will really challenge me but I’m looking forward to hopefully getting a chance to take on that challenge. As a keeper I think it will be even more of a step up but I feel that I play better when I’m being challenged so if we can go up it would be amazing. I think there would be butterflies if I was playing against someone like Lee Alexander who I’ve only ever seen at coaching sessions. She is someone I look up to and to play against the likes of her and Jenna Fyfe would be good as they are both keepers that I look up to. We’ve got work to do first though and we’re not getting ahead of ourselves”.