Hamilton Academical Women 1 | Giard 37′
AFC Women 1 | Hutchison 90′
Pre-Season Friendly | ZLX Stadium, Hamilton | Sun 6 Aug | 4pm | Full time
MATCH REPORT by Mark Gordon
Aberdeen brought their pre-season fixtures to a close with a well contested 1-1 draw with Hamiton Accies at the ZLX Stadium. The Dons trailed to a first half Josephine Giard goal but a superb Bayley Hutchison goal in stoppage time earned the draw.
The visitors had new signings Laura Holden and Hannah Insch on the bench as they travelled to Hamilton for their final warm-up match ahead of next weekend’s SWPL1 kick-off.
It was a scrappy opening ten minutes to the game as both teams struggled to retain possession. The hosts were the first to threaten as they forced a free kick high on the right, but the Dons defence dealt well with the cross into the box.
Aberdeen’s first attempt on goal came in the twelfth minute. Good running by Hannah Stewart on the left led to a cross into the box which was cleared to Francesca Ogilvie who fired a shot into the arms of Chloe Nicholson in the Accies goal.
Bayley Hutchison then went close as she brought out a good save from the hosts goalkeeper. The striker latched onto a through ball on the right of the penalty area and her low shot was destined from the bottom corner before Nicolson parried it wide.
A brilliant save by Annalisa McCann in the Aberdeen goal kept the visitors on level terms just before the half hour mark. Lauren Kerr forced her way onto the ball in the box and looked certain to score but McCann managed to divert the strikers shot off the crossbar.
At the other end it was the Dons turn to hit the woodwork as they came close to an opener. Ogilvie did well to keep in a long ball down the line and she crossed to the near post where Eva Thomson arrived but saw her close-range effort come back off the upright.
Maddison Finnie picked up what looked like a harsh yellow card as Accies threatened again. Kerr ending the attack with a powerful shot which McCann gathered at the second attempt.
Accies went in front on 37 minutes by virtue of their top scorer from last season Josephine Giard. A cross from the Aberdeen left found GIARD unmarked in the box and the striker finished with a shot that clipped the post on its way in.
There was almost an instant reply for Aberdeen who went close straight from the restart. Stewart drove forward in the middle of the park and sent a powerful 30-yard shot towards the bottom corner which Nicolson did well to touch round the post.
Nicolson again denied the visitors in first half stoppage time with another good save. Eilidh Shore brilliantly found Stewart with a through ball and the strikers shot was diverted wide by the Accies keeper to keep her team ahead at the break.
HT: HAMILTON ACCIES 1-0 ABERDEEN
The Dons made a substitution at the interval with Laura Holden coming on to make her debut. The visitors started the second half on the front foot and created some early chances. A dangerous Hannah Innes ball in was diverted wide by Giard as it headed for the bottom corner. From the resulting corner Innes delivered a great cross onto the head of Jess Broadrick who forced the keeper into a great diving save.
It should have been all square five minutes into the half when Hutchison was sent through the middle one on one with the keeper but she side-footed her effort just wide. Ogilvie then went close as she cut in from the left and fired a right foot shot into the side-netting.
Aberdeen then put together a great passing move which almost brought an equaliser. Nadine Hanssen started the move in the middle of the park, Holden then played a great ball out wide for Broadrick who delivered a dangerous cross into the box which Hutchison was unable to meet in the air.
At the other end McCann did well to save with her feet after Giard had got in behind Finnie and fired in a powerful shot. Hannah Insch was introduced for the last twenty minutes, and she almost created a chance when she delivered a dangerous cross from the right which just evade Shore in the middle.
Hannah Stewart went close after being picked out in the box by Chloe Gover, the striker’s powerful shot was parried wide. Gover then took the resulting corner which Shore headed just over the bar.
Aberdeen stuck at it and got their reward for an improved second half performance with a stoppage time equaliser. HUTCHISON picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and began to drive at the Accies defence, the striker forced her way into the box before cutting in onto her right foot and curling a right foot shot in off the post.
The goal ensured that the game ended all-square and Aberdeen completed their pre-season schedule undefeated.
FT: HAMILTON ACCIES 1-1 ABERDEEN
ABERDEEN TEAM
Annalisa McCANN, Aimee BLACK, Madison FINNIE, Jess BROADRICK, Hannah INNES (Hannah INSCH75mins) , Nadine HANSSEN, Eilidh SHORE, Eva THOMSON (Laura HOLDEN 46mins), Bayley HUTCHISON, Hannah STEWART, Francesca OGILVIE (Chloe GOVER 70mins)
