Rangers 3 Aberdeen 0
SWPL 1
Broadwood Stadium
Sunday 21st September
Aberdeen were in North Lanarkshire on Sunday afternoon as they faced off against Leanne Crichton’s title chasing Rangers side. Manager Scott Booth named an unchanged side from last weekend’s match against Celtic.
Report
The Dons, who lose 10-0 in this fixture last season, started brightly in the opening exchanges at Broadwood forcing Rangers keeper Jenna Fife into action early doors when she did well to collect a dangerous Kerry Beattie delivery.
Aberdeen came close to taking the lead in the 10th minute when Mya Christie’s ball across the face of goal was almost turned into the Rangers net by Jessica Pegram, though Fife was alert to make a sharp stop and eventually clear the danger.
Rangers grew into the game over the next few minutes, with Jodi McLeary firing just over the top of the crossbar on 16 minutes. The Dons maintained their threat though, with Kerry Beattie forcing a great block from Pegram with an effort that looked set for the back of the net without the defender’s intervention.
Both sides pushed for the opener as the first half entered its latter stages. Lizzie Arnot’s trickery worked the space for a teasing ball into the box, before Emma Ilijoski managed to clear.
Moments later and the Dons could have had the opener themselves as Bridget Galloway’s deflected effort looked to be trickling into the corner before Fife managed to smother at the last second to keep the scores level.
That proved to be the last action of note in the first half in Lanarkshire as the Dons went into the break level, possibly feeling as though they could have edged themselves in front had they taken their chances.
Half-time, 0-0.
Rangers came out for the second half with a spring in their step and struck the post through Arnot’s deflected effort less than a minute after the restart.
Seconds later and Rangers looked certain to break the deadlock had it not been for a miraculous Mya Christie clearance off the line keeping the scores level. The loose ball fell to Mia McAulay who volleyed wide of target.
Rangers took the lead just after the hour mark when the ball ricocheted into the path of Lizzie Arnot on the left side who picked out Katie Wilkinson in the penalty area, with the striker showing great composure to control the ball before firing past Katie Cox for 1-0.
Dons keeper Cox had been excellent all afternoon and the Chelsea loanee once again showed her worth on 75 minutes when following an excellent pass from Wilkinson, Laura Berry forced another sharp save from the Dons stopper to keep the deficit to one.
Ten minutes later and Cox made yet another quality stop, this time at her near post as Shin Ji Kim looked to fire home after latching onto a Wilkinson through ball.
The game appeared to be petering out towards the final whistle before Rangers added a second in the 90th minute. A teasing cross from Berry aimed for Arnot at the back post was unfortunately turned into her own net by second-half substitute, Holly Daniel. Mia McAulay then added a third in the 3rd minute of stoppage time, after the Dons had held their own for large parts of the match in what was a very competitive game at Broadwood on Sunday afternoon.
STATS:
Rangers: Fife, Hill, Pegram, McAulay, Arnot, Austin (Docherty 72’), Griffiths, McLeary, Connolly-Jackson (Berry 72’), Wilkinson, Kim
Subs: Ivarsdottir, Sabajo
Aberdeen: Cox, Broadrick, Finnegan (Clarke 70’), Galloway, Stewart (Ogilvie 60’), Finnie, Ilijoski, Thomson, Tobin, Christie (Black 60’), Beattie (Daniel 70’)
Subs not used: Prawer, Mendez, Noble, McEvoy
GOALS – Rangers: Wilkinson 62’, Daniel OG 90’, McAulay 90+3
