Aberdeen 1 – 5 Hearts
SWPL1
Balmoral Stadium
Sunday 19th October
The Dons were back at the Balmoral this afternoon for our final piece of action before the international break, facing off against Eva Olid’s Heart of Midlothian. Scott Booth named one change to the side that produced a five-star showing against Hamilton Accies, with Emma Ilijoski dropping out in place of Mya Christie.
Report
The Edinburgh side began the contest on top, spending much of the opening 10 minutes inside the Aberdeen half.
An early half chance came the way of the visitors 5 minutes into proceedings. Former Don Bayley Hutchinson was slipped through inside the Aberdeen box, with Maddie Finnie able to shepherd her wide and thwart the effort behind for a corner.
Moments later Hutchinson had another opportunity, as the ball was played back to her in the centre of the Aberdeen box, however her touch was lacking and the ball trickled behind for a goal kick.
After weathering early Hearts pressure, the Dons fashioned their first opportunity of the afternoon. Aimee Black’s fine form in front of goal nearly continued, as she worked a half yard of space from 25 yards out and pulled the trigger, cannoning her effort fractionally over Rachael Johnstone’s crossbar.
Despite working their way into the game, it was Aberdeen who would fall behind 14 minutes in. Hearts top scorer Carly Johns seized on a slack Dons backpass and drove into the box, rounding Cox and rolling the ball into an empty net.
After falling behind, the Dons continued to show threat in front of the Hearts goal. 3 minutes after the restart, Mya Christie picked up the ball down the Hearts right, using her pace to drive down the line and fire a wicked cross into the box. With Aimee Black waiting from six yards to tap in, a Hearts defender scrambled to meet it, directing the ball Johnstone’s way who excellently tipped over for an Aberdeen corner.
The away side began to settle back into the game, and Carly Johns looked to add a second for her afternoon. The striker found a pocket of space on the edge of the Dons box and received the ball from Georgia Timms, her effort drilled just over Katie Cox’s goal.
And moments before the half-time whistle, Johns did find her second of the afternoon. The visitors earned a corner and deployed a training ground routine, with Waldie catching the Dons out by drilling the ball across the ground for Johns, who lost her marker and curled her effort inside Cox’s near post.
That would prove to be the last action of the half and, despite flashes of promise from Aberdeen in attacking areas, they found themselves 2 goals behind.
Half-time Aberdeen 0 – 2 Hearts
Looking to inspire his side, Scott Booth made one change during the interval, with Alex Clarke replacing Kerry Beattie.
That change almost did prove inspirational for the Dons, as within the opening minute of the second period, the ball fell to Clarke from a tight angle inside the Hearts box, with Johnstone swiftly rushing out and parrying the substitute’s shot to safety.
Hearts were able to find their feet again and in the 54th minute, they had their third of the afternoon. Monica Forsyth picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and drove to the edge of the Aberdeen box, squaring the ball for Bayley Hutchinson, who punished her former side by slotting her effort into the back of Cox’s net.
Cox was called into action again in the 58th minute after Eilidh Shore tried her luck from distance, the Chelsea loanee smartly pushing the ball behind for a corner.
A flurry of changes followed from both sides just after the hour mark, as Francesca Ogilvie and Mya Christie made way for Holly Daniel and Bridget Galloway, with the visitors introducing Adamolekun and Joely Andrews.
A Dons defensive mix up in the 66th minute almost gifted the visitors a fourth as substitute Adamolekun picked up a loose pass from Katie Cox and quickly moved the ball to Hutchinson, with Cox redeeming herself and excellently saving the number 19’s effort.
With just over 15 minutes left and the visitors now firmly in control, they found their fourth. After good work by the Hearts midfield, the ball was slid into the path of former Don Eilidh Shore, who found space in the left hand side of the penalty area and laid the ball into Andrews, with the substitute leaving Cox no chance.
The afternoon got worse for the Dons with 10 minutes left on the clock. Hearts substitute Adamolekun picked up the ball and burst into the Aberdeen box, with Toni Leigh Finnegan’s challenge knocking the charging attacker to the floor and giving referee Scott Leslie no choice but to award a penalty. Adamolekun stepped up and slotted the ball into the bottom right of Katie’s goal, adding a fifth for the visitors.
Aberdeen were able to find some consolation for their afternoon with six minutes remaining. Abi Tobin did well down the left hand wing to fashion a half yard of space and send the ball into the opposition box. Her cross, which was held up in the Balmoral wind, floated in the direction of Hearts stopper Johnstone who, despite managing to catch the effort, couldn’t keep it from crossing the line – granting the Dons a small positive for their afternoon.
Tobin’s goal proved to be the last action of the match, as Hearts ran out 5-1 winners. In spite of promising Aberdeen spells and threat around the Hearts goal, the visitors showed their class and ensured they took all 3 points back to the capital.
Full-time Aberdeen 1 – 5 Hearts
STATS
ABERDEEN – Cox (GK), Broadrick, Black, Finnegan, Stewart (CP), Ogilvie (Daniel 66’), Finnie, Thomson, Tobin, Christie (Galloway 66’), Beattie (Clarke 46’ (Miller 83’))
SUBS – Prawer, Mendez, Noble, Galloway, Daniel, McEvoy, Clarke, Miller
HEARTS – Johnstone (GK), E. Husband, Hunter (CP) (Ypema 78’), Forsyth (Jardine 56’), Shore, Timms (Adamolekun 66’), Wade ( J. Husband 78’), Waldie, Hutchinson, Johns, Slattery (Andrews 66’)
SUBS – Thomson, Ypema, J. Husband, Adamolekun, Jardine, Halliday, Andrews
GOALS – Johns 14’, 45’, Hutchinson 54’, Andrews 74’, Adamolekun 82’ (P), Tobin 84’
