AFC Women 11 | Stewart (28’ 31’ 35’ 38’) Hutchison (67’ 73’) Ogilvie (48’) Own Goal (65’) Paterson (80’) Innes (83’) Miller (90)
St Johnstone Women 1 | Steedman (9’)
Pre-season friendly | Cormack Park | Sun 30th Jul 23 | 3.30pm | Full time
Match report
Aberdeen continued their preparation for the new SWPL 1 season with a convincing 11-1 win over SWPL2 side St Johnstone in a behind-closed-doors friendly at Cormack Park. The Dons had fallen behind early in the game but fought their way back to victory after four Hannah Stewart goals saw them lead 4-1 at the break before adding another seven goals in the second half.
The hosts had new signing Hannah Insch in the starting line-up after she had featured as a trialist against Spartans last week. The team didn’t get off to a good start as they did a week ago and their slow opening to the game was punished by the visitors. Saints’ top scorer from last season Morgan Steedman ran in behind the Dons backline and opened the scoring after only nine minutes.
Aberdeen finally settled into the game as they recovered from the early set-back. Eva Thomson struck the bar with a shot from the edge of the box before Bayley Hutchison sent a long-range effort over the top.
The equaliser came after 28 minutes as Stewart got her first of the afternoon. A good turn by Nadine Hanssen gave her space to find Hutchison on the edge of the box, she laid the ball onto her strike partner STEWART who finished well from inside the area.
The striker grabbed her second just three minutes later as the Dons took the lead for the first time. Hutchison won the ball back high up the pitch and when it arrived at the feet of STEWART she netted from the centre of the box.
STEWART then completed an eight-minute hat-trick when she made it 3-1 on 35 minutes. The striker showed great speed to out-pace her marker down the right before her surging run took her into the box where she sent a powerful shot into the corner of the net.
It was almost four just minutes later as Stewart turned provider as her pass found Francesca Ogilvie at the back post, but the vice-captain saw her low shot saved. A fourth goal came just a minute later though as Ogilvie crossed for Eilidh Shore in the box, the midfielder got up well to nod the ball down to STEWART who blasted home a first-time volley.
HALF TIME | ABERDEEN 4-1 ST JOHNSTONE
The hosts made two substitutions at the break as Jess Broadrick and Donna Paterson replaced Maddie Finnie and Aimee Black in defence. The changes did nothing to stop the Dons dominance though as they scored within four minutes of the re-start. Some strong running by OGILVIE saw her released down the left wing and when she found herself in on goal, she rounded the goalkeeper before slotting into the empty net.
St Johnstone hadn’t gone away in the game, and they could’ve got a goal back when a brilliant Alix Moodie pass sent Steedman in on goal, but Broadrick got back well to mop up the danger.
Hannah Innes replaced Hannah Insch just after the hour mark and she could’ve scored with her first touch but her header from close range went over the bar. The sixth goal came just a few minutes later after a good passing move. Stewart and Thomson exchanged some quick passes before releasing Ogilvie down the left, the winger’s low cross was turned into the net at the front post by an unfortunate Saints defender.
Two minutes later it was 7-1 as the visitors were caught on the break, a quick ball out of defence sent HUTCHISON in on goal and the striker was never going to lose the one-on-one with the keeper as she buried a low shot into the net.
Thomson hit the woodwork for the second time when she saw her powerful 25-yard shot come back off the post. HUTCHISON then grabbed her second of the match as a powerful run right at the heart of the visiting defence ended in the striker scoring from ten yards.
Young Darcie Miller was the first of three players from the Aberdeen Ladies under-18s side to come off the bench as a Trialist with fifteen minutes remaining. She was joined on the pitch a few minutes later by Emma Lawson and Amelie Martindale. Just before those substitutions were made Donna PATERSON had headed home Ogilvie’s corner to make it 9-1.
Hannah INNES made up for her missed header when she was played in down the left before sliding a composed finish into the bottom corner as the Dons hit double figures. There was still time for one more goal as Aberdeen made it 11 with the last kick of the game. Substitute MILLER had already gone close when she shot wide a minute earlier but she went one better in the 90th minute as she was played in over the top before finishing well.
FULL TIME | ABERDEEN 11-1 ST JOHNSTONE
Aberdeen starting XI: Annalisa McCann, Aimee Black, Madison Finnie, Chloe Gover, Hannah Insch, Nadine Hanssen, Eilidh Shore, Eva Thomson, Bayley Hutchison, Hannah Stewart, Francesca Ogilvie
Substitutes: Jess Broadrick, Donna Paterson, Hannah Innes, Darcie Miller, Emma Lawson, Amelie Martindale
