AFC Women 4 | Hutchison 35′; Stewart 40′; Thomson 43′; Ogilvie 80′
Hamilton Academical Women 0 |
ScottishPower Women’s Premier League | Balmoral Stadium | KO:2pm | HT 3-0 | Full time score
MATCH REPORT
Aberdeen scored three first half goals as they swept aside Hamilton 4-0 in the Scottish Power Women’s Premier League at a sunny Balmoral Stadium. A goal a piece for in-form strike partnership Bayley Hutchison and Hannah Stewart was added to by Eva Thomson and Francesca Ogilvie’s first goals of the campaign as the Dons recorded back-to-back wins.
Dons boss Clinton Lancaster made two changes from the side that won at Spartans last week with Jess Broadrick and Laura Holden being replaced by Hannah Innes and Eva Thomson.
Aberdeen started brightly in the sunshine as Francesca Ogilvie went close with a header after just three minutes. Some good play by Nadine Hanssen in midfield found Bayley Hutchison who released Hannah Innes on the right. Innes’ powerful shot was parried straight back to her by Accies keeper Chloe Nicolson who did well to save again as Innes got the rebound on target.
Eva Thomson was the next to go close as she fired a shot over from the edge of the box. The best chance of the opening period looked to have fallen for Ogilvie after 14 minutes. Hutchison won back possession from a Hamilton goal kick and drove to the byline where she crossed for Ogilvie but a touch from a defender prevented the Dons number 13 from tapping in from close range.
The teams stopped for a short water break at the midway point of the half and just a few minutes after the restart the hosts again went close. Nicolson punched an Innes corner clear and when Chloe Gover sent it back into the box Hannah Stewart saw her flicked effort clip the top of the crossbar.
Aberdeen broke the deadlock ten minutes before the interval as their dominance finally got the reward it deserved. Thomson broke forward and did well to hold onto the ball when she saw Stewart in an offside position ahead of her. Thomson waited until Stewart got herself onside and rolled in the striker who unselfishly squared for HUTCHISON to tap in the opener.
The hosts doubled their lead five minutes later when the other half of their in-form strike partnership found the net. Innes had acres of space to run into down the right side and her cross found STEWART in the box who found the net for her third of the season.
It got even better for the Dons two minutes later as they extended their lead to three. Stewart was again the provider as she laid the ball off to THOMSON who smashed home her first goal of the campaign.
It could’ve been four right on the stroke of half time when Nadine Hanssen pulled a shot just wide of the target from the inside of the box, but the hosts had to settle for a three-goal advantage at the break.
HT ABERDEEN 3-0 HAMILTON ACCIES
There was a change in personnel at the break as captain Hanssen was replaced by Laura Holden in midfield. The substitute was involved in the first meaningful action of the half as her neat reverse pass found Stewart, but her goal-bound effort was tipped wide by the diving Nicolson.
A surging run down the left by Ogilvie brought the next chance on goal as she found Stewart who in-turn rolled it to Innes but the wing-back couldn’t beat Nicolson with her right foot shot. Aberdeen then made their second change of the game on the hour when Jessica Broadrick replaced the ever-impressive Madison Finnie in the back line.
Hamilton had their first real opening in front of goal with twenty minutes remaining as Rebecca Taylor’s free-kick eventually made its way to Eilidh Martin who blasted her shot just over the bar.
Hamilton again had their keeper to thank for keeping the score at three with 15 minutes to go. A clever through ball by Holden found Ogilvie in the box but Nicolson did well to sprint out and block the Dons forward.
The Dons vice-captain wasn’t to be denied her first of the season though as she extended the lead with ten minutes remaining. Hutchison set OGILVIE on her way with a good through ball and this time the forward tucked the ball beyond the Hamilton goalkeeper.
A double change followed for Aberdeen with Hannah Insch and Phoebe Murray replacing Hutchison and Shore for the remaining minutes.
Faye Kirby was made to work for her second consecutive clean sheet as she got down well to field a Kirstie McIntosh free-kick but the match ended 4-0 to the home side to the delight of the 300+ in attendance.
FT ABERDEEN 4-0 HAMILTON ACCIES
TEAM NEWS
AFC Women | 1. Kirby, 7. Shore (11. Insch 82′), 8. Gover, 9, Stewart, 10. Hutchison (22. Murray 82′), 13. Ogilvie, 15. Finnie (4. Broadrick 60′), 16. Innes, 18. Thomson, 23. Black & 24. Hanssen (c) (6. Holden 46′)
Substitutes not used | 20. McCann, 12. Miller
Hamilton Accies Women | 26. Nicolson, 2. MacDonald, 3. Quinn (c), 5. Martin, 6. McIntosh, 7. Muir, 8. Taylor, 9. Giard, 16. Campbell, 17. Graham, 18. Kerr
Substitutes | 25. Thomson, 4. Coakley, 11. McDonald, 12. Reid, 13. Caldwell, 14. Ritchie, 22. Fisher
