Motherwell v Aberdeen Women ScottishPower Women’s Premier League Sunday 16 February K-Park
Aberdeen Women travelled south to face Motherwell Women at K-Park on Sunday afternoon, where the Dons lead at half-time after intially falling behind, a red card for the recently introduced Niamh Noble turning the contest on its head.
Scott Booth made a host of changes to the side that fell to defeat at Rangers last weekend. Annalisa McCann returned in goals, and Jessica Broadrick was introduced from the start after resigning for Aberdeen on loan from Hearts on Friday.
Madison Finnie was also in to make her first start after her serious ankle injury earlier in the season. Toni Leigh Finnegan and Kerry Beattie came back into the XI after missing the trip to Rangers for precautionary reasons.
Report
The Dons started brightly and forced goalkeeper Mutch into action early doors. Alix Mendez did well to dispossess the Motherwell defender before laying it off to Kerrie Beattie who struck a fierce volley goalward that forced an excellent save from the Motherwell goalkeeper.
Despite the Dons bright start to the match, it was the home side that took the lead on 12 minutes. Rachel Todd rose the highest to meet an in-swinging corner and headed home past McCann in the Aberdeen goal.
Annalisa McCann was called into action moments later to prevent the Well from doubling their lead when Louisa Boyes was played in on goal, though the Dons stopper did excellently well to tip the ball over the crossbar.
Scott Booth was then forced into an early change just over a minute later when Kerrie Beattie went down with an injury, with Emily Kraft coming on in her place.
The Dons kept battling and after soaking up more pressure from the hosts the away side got themselves back on level terms. Toni-Leigh Finnegan leapt excellently to head home from a corner in what was a rather crowded eighteen-yard box.
After scoring the equaliser, the Dons pressed for the lead. Thomson picked up the ball to the right of the edge of the penalty area before firing just wide of target on her left foot. Moments later, following some great build up play, Thomson had another chance to shoot on the edge but unfortunately for the midfielder she failed to connect as she’d have liked, and the ball fell well wide of target.
The Dons though, deservingly took the lead on the stroke of half time and it was through Finnegan once more, again rising the highest in a crowded penalty area to head home from another corner.
The half time whistle sounded with the Dons deservingly leading by two goals to one.
Motherwell came out the traps flying in the second half and should have been level on 48 minutes when the ball dropped to Collins on the six-yard line, but the shot was blocked brilliantly by Maddie Finnie to keep the Dons’ lead intact.
Aberdeen were made to soak up some early second half pressure from the hosts, though they remained a threat from set pieces. Finnegan nearly grabbed her hattrick from another corner but this time her glancing header fell just wide of the post.
Niamh Noble, just minutes after coming on was then shown a straight red card for a heavy challenge and then from the resultant freekick the hosts equalised. McCann did well to save the initial shot, but the rebound was smashed home by Motherwell’s Bailley Collins.
The game became very frantic in the following minutes, with Motherwell striking McCann’s crossbar in an attempt that should have taken the hosts into the lead. The hosts did grab their third in the 68th minute through Austin, who appeared to look for a cross into the box, but the ball looped over McCann in the Dons goal and straight into the net.
The Dons, down to ten, continued to battle on in search of an equaliser though were hit with a sucker punch on 86 minutes when Motherwell added a fourth through Boyes following great footwork to fashion the opportunity.
As the game entered its final moments, Scott Booth made a double change. On came McEvoy and Jamieson to replace goal scorer Finnegan and Stewart.
The Dons battled hard even with ten men and ultimately, the red card shown to Niamh Noble was the turning point, Aberdeen unable to come from behind for a second time on the day.
Full-time. Motherwell 4-2 Aberdeen.
STATS:
Motherwell: Mutch, Penman, Ronald, Collins, Gardner-Rice, Todd, Inglis, Austin, Clark, Boyes, Leishman
Subs: Cameron, Donald, Watson, Sharkey, McGoldrick, Gibb, Black, Barclay
Aberdeen: McCann, Mendez, Finnie (Noble 58’), Broadbrick, Gover, Ilijoski, Finnegan (McEvoy 90’), Thomson, Oglivie, Beattie (Kraft 24’), Stewart (Jamieson 90’)
Subs not used: MacLean, Holden, Miller, Innes
GOALS – Motherwell: Todd 13’, Collins 66’, Austin 70’, Boyes 86’
Aberdeen: Finnegan 37’, 45+3’
