Aberdeen Women v Queen’s Park ScottishPower Women’s Premier League Balmoral Stadium Sun 20 April 2025
Aberdeen returned to Balmoral on Sunday afternoon to take on Iain Robinson’s Queens Park in the Scottish Women’s Premier League. The Dons suffered an agonising defeat to Montrose midweek and were looking for a big response, as were The Spiders following their loss to Partick Thistle on Wednesday night.
Scott Booth kept faith with the same starting eleven that featured at Links Park, opting for continuity as his side looked to build momentum. There was a place in the squad for Phoebe Murray as she returned from injury, while Zoe Maclean made way.
Aberdeen delivered a dominant performance at Balmoral Stadium with a 5–2 victory over Queen’s Park. The hosts flew out of the blocks, scoring three times in the opening 20 minutes through Beattie, Stewart, and Thomson. Despite a stunning long-range effort from Rutherford and a smart header by Robertson offering Queen’s Park brief hope, Aberdeen responded in style. Thomson netted a spectacular half-volley before Kraft capped off a flowing team move late on giving the Dons a real boost going into their Scottish Cup semi-final next Sunday.
Report:
An early corner got things going for Aberdeen with Finnegan showing some real athleticism, rising highest to connect from Stewart’s delivery.
It was all Aberdeen in the opening minutes, and they got the goal to show for it. With seven minutes on the clock, Finnegan would find Ogilvie in a pocket of space just past the halfway line. Ogilvie would wriggle her way past three Queens Park players before playing a perfectly weighted through ball to Beattie, who made no mistake with her right-footed finish past McPhie.
The visitors looked to respond instantly as their breakaway saw Rutherford gamble with a shot from distance, but McCann got low to dig out the bouncing attempt.
Hannah Stewart would double the Dons’ lead with eleven minutes played. Broadrick’s swift interception was the catalyst for the Aberdeen attack. A failed Spider’s clearance would land in the path of the Aberdeen captain, who accepted the gift by smashing home a volley to double her side’s lead.
The goals were flying in at Balmoral, with Eva Thomson the next on the scoresheet. Some real intricate play inspired by Ilijoski would see the ball land at the feet of Kerry Beattie, who made no mistake in her pass selection as she squared the ball across the face of the goal to Eva Thomson who once again struck low and hard from just inside the box into the bottom left corner – something that is becoming somewhat of a signature move for the midfielder.
Thomson and Ilijoski were enjoying a sumptuous first period with the pair linking up yet again down the left-hand side. Thomson would find her wingback in all sorts of room on the flank with the January signing delivering an inch-perfect low cross which was begging for a touch. McPhie would suffer a knock as Stewart crashed into the keeper as she attempted to tap home.
Finnegan nearly made it four on the quarter-hour mark. Her late run was found by Ilijoski, who was lurking in the left half space. Her in-swinging cross was met by Aberdeen’s 66, who headed into the hands of the busy Queens Park goalkeeper.
McPhie would go down again in a similar fashion just moments later. This time, it was an Ellie-May Cowie delivery that would send Stewart flying into the keeper, again resulting in a short stoppage in play.
The final chance of the half went the way of the visitors. Rutherford was found on the wing and would look to stand up Mendez before cutting in and striking straight into the hands of McCann, who had enjoyed a relatively comfortable first 45.
Half Time Aberdeen 3–0 Queens Park
Both sides would look to their bench for an impact at the break. Queens Park made four substitutions, altering both attack and defence in an attempt to recover the scoreline. Scott Booth would bring on Holly McEvoy in place of Ogilvie as well as Emily Kraft for Stewart, meaning Finnie was handed the captain’s armband for the 2nd 45.
Kraft would nearly make an instant impact with her first touch as she latched onto Cowie’s cross, however, the striker could only get a thigh to it, hitting it just over the bar.
Much like the first period, Aberdeen looked in control from the get-go, pinning the Glasgow side back; however, some miscommunication from Finnie and Finnegan would allow Rutherford to capitalise. The forward produced a long-range effort that would clip the underside of the crossbar and bounce beyond the line to give her side a potential lifeline with 35 to play.
Any hope of a comeback was immediately cut short with a real goal of the season contender from Thomson just three minutes later. Emily Kraft’s corner was cleared out to the edge of the box to a completely free Thomson, who caught the ball perfectly on the half volley, which flew into the top left corner.
The Aberdeen attacking onslaught would continue as Holly McEvoy played a delightful through ball into the path of Cowie, who found herself eye to eye with McPhee, but the keeper would stand her ground and spare her side any more blushes.
Queens Park would not lie down, though, as they threw a real spanner in the works with 20 minutes left on the clock. Substitutes Morgan Hay and Ami Robertson would combine to give Iain Robinson’s side a sense of hope. Hay’s powerful run and cross was met by Robertson with a smart header that would again hit the underside of the crossbar and bounce down past the line.
The Dons would make it five in the 81st minute with another beautiful team goal. Kraft’s deft touch in the middle of the park opened space for Noble on the overlap. The substitute would show some real composure to wait for arrivals in the box before crossing it back to Kraft, who nodded in comfortably.
Kraft’s hold-up play was causing real problems for The Spiders, as yet again, she would bring the ball down to turn and play. Holly McEvoy was the recipient this time as she twisted and turned before striking just past the post.
Miller would have the last chance of the game as she unleashed a thunderous effort that would clip the crossbar before heading out for a goal kick.
The Dons performed excellently in a game that should give them a real confidence boost before their trip to Hampden next weekend in the Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup semi-final.
Full Time: Aberdeen FC 5 -2 Queens Park FC
STATS:
Aberdeen: 20. Annalisa McCann, 2. Alix Mendez (Gover 60’), 4. Jessica Broadrick, 15. Madison Finnie, 22. Ellie-May Cowie, 66. Toni Leigh Finnegan, 13. Francesca Ogilvie (McEvoy 45’), 18. Eva Thomson, 17. Emma Ilijoski (Noble 60’), 9. Hannah Emilie Stewart (Kraft 45’), 27. Kerry Beattie (Miller 60’)
Subs: 3. Niamh Noble, 5. Nicola Jameison, 6. Laura Holden, 8. Chloe Gover, 10. Darcie Miller, 14. Holly McEvoy, 16. Hannah Innes, 19. Emily Kraft
Goals: Beattie 8’, Stewart 14’, Thomson 20’ 58’, Kraft 81’
Unused Subs: 5. Nicola Jameison, 6. Laura Holden,16. Hannah Innes
Queens Park: 25. Jasmine McPhie, 3. Hannah Cunningham, 6. Lily Boyce, 8. Summer Christie (Robertson 45’), 9. Abby Callaghan, 10. Dionne Brown (Hay 45’), 12. Ellie Macdonald (Cunningham 45’), 14. Darcy Molley, 15. Abbie Cusack (Paton 84’), 16. Rachel Wright (Daly 45’), 17. Sophie Rutherford
Subs: 1. Lauren McGregor, 2. Morgan Hay, 5. Ciara Bonner, 11. Leah Daly, 20. Jordan McLintock, 21. Millie Paton, 23. Ami Robertson, 33. Murron Cunningham
Goals: Rutherford 55’, Robertson 70’
Unused Subs: 1. Lauren McGregor 5. Ciara Bonner, 20. Jordan McLintock, 23
