Dons come from behind to win at Cormack Park

Aberdeen FC Women 2 Montrose Women 1 ScottishPower Women’s Premier League Cormack Park 7th February 2024

Aberdeen came from behind to beat Montrose 2-1 at a freezing cold Cormack Park in SWPL 1. The visitors led through a Holly Daniel goal but an Eilidh Shore equaliser was followed by a late Francesca Ogilvie stunner to seal a deserved three points.

Dons’ manager Clinton Lancaster was forced into changing his team after Lois Edwards was ruled out with the knock that she picked up at the weekend. Young defender Keira MacPherson replaced Edwards in the backline whilst Sunday’s goal scorer Darcie Miller came in to replace Eva Thomson, who was named amongst the substitutes. Midfielder Phoebe Murray was unavailable for the second consecutive game due to her continued involvement with the Scotland under-17 squad.

Despite a confident start by the hosts, it was Montrose that carved out the game’s first real chance. Neve Guthrie was played in through the middle and Jeni Currie did well to race out her goal and block the striker’s effort.

The Dons looked to respond as Adele Lindbaek had a shot blocked on the edge of the box before Chloe Gover tried her luck with a speculative long-range effort which went wide. The visitors then had a good chance when Charlotte Gammie collected a long ball over the defence and squared for Eilidh McHattie who lifted her shot over the bar.

Aberdeen’s next sight of goal came from a set-piece as strong running by Francesca Ogilvie drew a foul wide on the right. The resulting kick was delivered to the back post by Gover and Miller’s knock-back just wouldn’t sit right for Stewart as her effort went straight at the goalkeeper.

A quick breakaway by the hosts brought about their next chance as Stewart fired a pass forward to Bayley Hutchison. The striker’s first time cross to Miller was cut out and when the rebound fell back to Hutchison she curled a shot over the bar.

It was the hosts who were controlling the play and were playing some really good stuff at times as Shore and Banfield ran the middle of the park and Lindbaek looking a constant threat whenever she was on the ball.

The half came to an end with the visitors shouting for a penalty when Gover put in a challenge in the area, but the defender clearly took the ball which the referee agreed with and the teams went in goalless at the interval.

HT: ABERDEEN 0 MONTROSE 0

Montrose took the lead within five minutes of the restart when Holly DANIEL got on the end of a low cross to force the ball in at the near post despite the best efforts of Currie to keep the ball out.

Aberdeen made a change as they went in search of a way back into the game as Hannah Innes replaced Darcie Miller. It took until the 73rd minute but the Dons finally got an equaliser. Ogilvie did well to force a corner when her shot was deflected wide. Ogilvie took the resulting kick and found SHORE who headed home.

It was the hosts who were looking more likely to score the game’s next goal and a good passing move involving Shore and Innes led to Stewart shooting over from the edge of the box. Lindbaek was replaced by Eva Thomson as the home side went looking for a winner in the final ten minutes. It was Montrose who almost grabbed an unlikely winner on 84 minutes as Carter hit the crossbar and Currie did well to deny McLaren’s rebound.

The Dons went ahead for the first time with just three minutes remaining. OGILVIE finished off a great passing move by cutting in from the left before firing a powerful shot into the bottom corner.

There wasn’t much time left and Montrose threw on a couple of substitutions as they went looking for a late equaliser. Currie produced a great stop at the death although the flag had already gone up for offside which the keeper was unaware of. The hosts held out for an important three points as they look to finish the season at the top of the bottom six.