AFC Women 1 | Hutchison 90+1′
Dundee United FC Women 0 |
FT | Balmoral Stadium | Park’s Motor Group SWPL1 | Kick off – 7.45pm | HT 0-0
MATCH REPORT BY MARK GORDON
Aberdeen secured their top flight status with two games to spare as a stoppage-time Bayley Hutchison goal gave them a 1-0 win over Dundee United at the Balmoral Stadium. The three points alongside Hamilton’s defeat to Spartans means the Dons will avoid a relegation play-off when the season comes to an end.
There was one change to the Aberdeen side that lost to Spartans in Edinburgh at the weekend. Mya Christie came into the side with Bailley Collins moving to bench. Annalisa McCann recovered from the knock that she picked up at the weekend to take her place in goals. Loren Campbell captained the side in her last home appearance. Former Dons player Johan Fraser was in the Dundee United starting eleven with fellow former-Don Natasha Bruce amongst the substitutes for the visitors.
Aberdeen started the game on the front foot and Eilidh Shore headed a Bayley Hutchison free-kick just wide after three minutes. Campbell then sent a dangerous ball in towards Hannah Stewart who nearly got on the end of it in the box.
Shore came close with another header as the hosts continued to dominate the opening stages. Millie Urquhart sent in a deep cross which the Don midfielder headed into the side-netting. Francesca Ogilvie was the next to try her luck as she fired a shot just over from sixteen yards.
Campbell had a go at getting a goal on her home bow but her powerful effort was well held by Fiona McNicoll in the United goal. Donna Paterson came closest to breaking the deadlock as her header from a Hutchison corner was cleared off the line.
Aberdeen were playing some great stuff and Shore once again had a chance to give her side the lead. A loose ball was pounced upon by the Dons player of the season but her attempted lob on McNicoll was high enough to evade the keeper.
United were on the back foot for the majority of the half but with top scorer Danni McGinley in the side they always hold a threat. The tangerines’ top scorer fired in a twenty-yard shot which McCann saved and Jade McLaren couldn’t turn in the follow up.
McLaren then had another attempt, this time from long-range but McCann comfortably held the effort. Aberdeen ended the half on top but couldn’t force a goal before the break when Urquhart cut in from the right and fired a shot straight at McNicoll.
HT: ABERDEEN 0-0 DUNDEE UNITED
United made some changes at the interval and came out with renewed impetus and a McLaren shot in the opening minutes of half was well saved by McCann. A quick break almost saw the visitors get another chance but Jess Broadrick did well on the cover to stop the attack.
The second half was much more even with both teams looking likely to open the scoring. Campbell’s ball down the right found Hutchison for the dons but the striker ran into traffic when she cut into the penalty area. Urquhart was forced off with a knock and was replaced by Bailley Collins who found herself in the referee’s book within minutes of coming on.
Hutchison again threatened when Ogilvie sent her through but Cassie Cowper did well to get back and clear the danger for United. At the other end McCann did well to save a Georgie Robb shot from the edge of the box.
Hannah Stewart was the next to go close as her shot from the edge of the box was well saved by McNicoll. Aberdeen were on top as the game entered it’s closing stages. Madison Finnie, playing in an unfamiliar midfield role, almost scored a brilliant goal from 25-yards which McNicoll did well to parry wide. Ogilvie then went close with a curling effort which fell just past the post.
Mya Christie made way for Chloe Gover in the last few minutes as both teams continued to look for a winner. That winner came for the hosts in stoppage time at the end of the game. Gover won the ball in midfield and set up Shore who sent HUTCHISON, who scored a last-minute winner against United at Tannadice earlier in the season, racing through before slotting under McNicoll for her 12th of the season.
FT: ABERDEEN 1-0 DUNDEE UNITED
TEAM NEWS
Aberdeen: McCann, Campbell (c), Urquhart (Collins 66′), Broadrick, Paterson, Shore, Hutchison, Stewart, Ogilvie, Christie (Gover 89′), Finnie
Substitutes: Gover, Thomson, Karkkainen, Black
Dundee United: McNicoll, Donald, Dobbins, McLaren, McGinley (c), Guthrie, Smith, Todd, Foote, Fraser, Cowper
Substitutes: Murphy, Robb, Bruce, Christie, Sidey
LEAGUE TABLE
TABLES | Here’s the updated @parksmotorgroup SWPL table ⬇@RangersWFC move to within 2⃣ points of @GlasgowCityFC ahead of their match against @CelticFCWomen tomorrow 👀@heartswomenfc move 13 clear of @HibernianWomen and take the bragging rights 💪@AberdeenWomen‘s late goal… pic.twitter.com/G86vBjwBxw
— Scottish Women’s Premier League (@SWPL) May 10, 2023
