Clint Lancaster took charge of his first game as Aberdeen Women manager as they got their preseason fixtures underway with a 3-2 victory over Spartans in Edinburgh. A first minute Eilidh Shore goal and a double from Bayley Hutchison had the Dons 3-0 ahead at the interval and despite the hosts coming back into the game in the second period the Reds ran out deserved winners.
Aberdeen started the game quickly with Shore forcing Spartans keeper Rachel Harrison into a good save in the opening seconds. The resulting corner saw Hannah Innes’ inswinger find SHORE who opened the scoring from close range.
The home side barely had time to recover before Aberdeen doubled their lead. Bayley HUTCHISON gathered the ball on the edge of box before firing a shot in off the inside of the post. It could have been three inside five minutes as a good move saw Innes get in down the left, but her powerful shot was well tipped over by Harrison.
The hosts looked to rally and Eilidh Shore headed a goal-bound free-kick off the line to keep the two-goal lead. Aberdeen then had to make an early change as Donna Paterson was forced off with a knock, Chloe Gover going on in her place.
It was the first game of preseason for both sides, but the half continued to be played at a good pace. Shore had a long-range shot held by the keeper whilst Mya Bates almost had a chance to pull one back at the other end as she failed to connect with a cross.
A good Dons move culminated in Nadine Hanssen playing in Hutchison who brought out a great save from Harrison with a low shot. The resulting Innes corner found Gover in front of goal and Harrison again produced a good save to prevent her team falling further behind.
Not to be outdone by her opposite number, it was the Aberdeen keeper who produced the game’s next good save. Bates found herself in behind down the Spartans left and she cut in before firing a shot towards the top corner which Annalisa McCann tipped past the post.
Francesca Ogilvie came off the bench to replace Innes after 35 minutes and just two minutes later the Dons made it three. Tenacious play by Hanssen in midfield won the ball back high up the pitch and she rolled in HUTCHISON who thumped home her second of the game.
The half ended with Aberdeen on the offensive, Ogilvie tested Harrison from the edge the box before Gover almost got on the end of a cross in the middle of the box, but they had to settle for a three goal lead at the break.
HT: SPARTANS 0-3 ABERDEEN
Eva Thomson was replaced by Trialist at half-time as the hosts came out looking to get back in the game. McCann had already made a good save before a cross into the box hit the back of the unfortunate Aimee BLACK and into the net.
Spartans were buoyed by the goal, and they would’ve had another five minutes into the half if not for some heroics from McCann in the visiting goal. The keeper did well to parry a powerful shot on goal and when the rebound fell to a Spartans player a goal looked inevitable, but McCann reacted brilliantly to divert the ball onto the underside of the crossbar.
Aberdeen rode the initial wave of Spartans pressure to settle into the half although the pace of the first half had inevitably dropped a little in the second.
The hosts’ captain Alanna Marshall clipped the top of the crossbar from a free kick wide on the left before Hutchison brought out a good stop from Harrison at the other end.
Trialist and Shore linked up to free Ogilvie down the right, but Harrison once again prevented the Dons from extending their lead as she dived to save the substitutes powerful effort.
Spartans were awarded a penalty with ten minutes remaining when Ogilvie was harshly penalised for a push in the box. MARSHALL stepped up and sent McCann the wrong way from the spot to make it 3-2.
Hutchison then came within a whisker of getting her hat-trick with six minutes remaining. The striker pounced on a slack pass on the edge of the box before firing in a shot which crashed back off the crossbar. The rebound fell to Gover on the angle of the box, but her low shot was well held by Harrison.
Spartans almost forced an equaliser right at the end, but a combination of Shore and McCann kept the ball out. The game ended with an Aberdeen corner as they saw out the final seconds for the 3-2 win.
FT: SPARTANS 2-3 ABERDEEN
ABERDEEN TEAM
20 Annalisa McCANN, 23 Aimee BLACK, 4 Jess BROADRICK, 5 Donna PATERSON, 15 Madison FINNIE, 16 Hannah INNES, 24 Nadine HANSSEN, 7 Eilidh SHORE, 18 Eva THOMSON, 10 Bayley HUTCHISON, 12 Hannah STEWART
Subs: 8 Chloe GOVER, 11 TRIALIST, 13 Francesca OGILVIE
