Accies fight back to claim a point

Hamilton Academical Women’s FC 1 | Giard 66′ (Quinn sent off 72′)

AFC Women 1 | Gover 27′

Full Time | New Douglas Park | ScottishPower Women’s Premier League | Kick off 4pm | HT 0-1

Match report

Aberdeen and Hamilton shared the points after a 1-1 draw at a cold New Douglas Park this afternoon. Chloe Gover’s stunning free-kick was the highlight of an otherwise poor 90 minutes for the visitors as Josi Giard grabbed Hamilton a deserved point in the second half.

There were two changes to Clinton Lancaster’s starting line-up from the last match with Aimee Black and Darcie Miller replacing Francesca Ogilvie and Jessica Broadrick in the first eleven.

Hannah Innes smashed a twenty-yard free-kick into the Hamilton defensive wall in the first minute, but Aberdeen’s first real sight of goal didn’t come until ten minutes in. A good ball out of defence by Maddie Finnie got the Dons up the park with the ball eventually arriving at the feet of Bayley Hutchison whose shot on the turn was well over the bar.

The half reached its midway point without either side threatening to open the scoring with the majority of the play taking place in the middle third of pitch.

That all changed on 27 minutes when the visitors took the lead in style. Miller did well down the left wing to force a foul at the angle of the penalty box. Both sets of players crowded the 18-yard box in anticipation of a cross, but Chloe GOVER had other ideas as she fired a rocket across the keeper and into the top corner.

It was nearly two goals in as many minutes for Aberdeen when an Innes corner was met by the head of Eilidh Shore but the midfielder saw her looping header come back off the crossbar. The Dons were looking much more dangerous now and they almost carved out another chance on a quick breakaway.

Great play by Eva Thomson saw her win the ball in the middle of the park and find Hutchison who in turn played Miller down the right. Miller sent a dangerous cross flashing across the face of Accies keeper Chloe Nicholson but there was nobody there to capitalise.

Hamilton had their first effort on target after 37-minutes as Annalisa McCann was called into action for the first time. Shore was penalised for a foul on Josi Giard 30-yards from goal and Kirstie McIntosh’s powerful effort from the resulting free-kick forced McCann to dive to her left to save.

The half ended with a Hamilton chance as Mason Clark showed good pace down the right before crossing to the front post where Giard got on the end of it but saw her attempt blocked by the diving McCann as the visitors went into the interval in front.

HT: HAMILTON ACCIES 0-1 ABERDEEN

Darcie Miller tried to get the second half off to the perfect start when she collected a Hutchison header in the box but the striker’s shot on the turn couldn’t beat Nicholson in the Accies goal.

The hosts nearly levelled three minutes into the second period when Clark tried her luck from wide on the left, but she saw her powerful shot clip the top of the crossbar. Hamilton were already threatening more in the early stages of the half than they had in the first as they continued to press for a leveller.

Aberdeen had another attempt when a speculative Black shot from an angle tested Nicholson who did well to hold the defender’s strike. Francesca Ogilvie replaced Innes as the Dons made their first change of the game on 56 minutes.

There were claims for an Aberdeen penalty on the hour when Miller looked to be impeded as she turned in the box but the striker’s honesty in staying on her feet may have prevented the ref pointing to the spot.

An in-swinging Hamilton corner came off the top of the crossbar as the goalmouth action continued I sharp contrast to the first half. At the other end Shore got her head onto a corner but couldn’t keep her effort on target.

Hamiton got the equaliser that their pressure had been threatening on 66 minutes. GIARD managed to turn in the box before hooking a bouncing ball into the top corner of McCann’s net. It should’ve been 2-1 to the hosts just minutes later when Giard went through and squared for Clark but she saw her low shot well saved by McCann.

The hosts were reduced to ten players when their captain Megan Quinn cynically pulled down Hutchison as she looked to break through on goal and was shown a red card. From the resulting free-kick Gover almost got her second of the game as her long-range effort clattered back off the bar.

The sending off could’ve given Aberdeen the upper hand as the game entered the last ten minutes it was the visitors who were pushing for the win. Hutchison hadn’t had much in the way of chances, but one came her way with just three minutes to go as she turned in the box and fired in a low shot which Nicholson in goal did well to turn behind.

Emma Lawson replaced Miller in the final stages before the Dons passed up a great opportunity in the final minute. Stewart carried the ball forward in the centre of the pitch before rolling in Ogilvie on the left, but the substitute couldn’t keep her right-foot shot on target.

Thomson had one last chance for the visitors as she managed to wriggle into space in the box but her shot was deflected through to the keeper and the ten players held firm for a point.