Motherwell FC Women 3 | Boyce 55′; McDonald-Nguah 75′; Gardner 84′
AFC Women 0 |
FT | K Park | Park’s Motor Group SWPL1 | Kick off – 2pm | HT 0-0
Match Report by Mark Gordon
Aberdeen ended the season with a 3-0 defeat as they lost out on the final day to Motherwell at K Park. After an even first half the hosts scored three second half goals to take the three points. There were emotional scenes as Dons captain Loren Campbell left the field for the last time as she retired. Aberdeen’s young player of the season Millie Urquhart also played her final game.
There were some changes to the Dons side that lost out to Hamilton Accies last week. Jess Broadrick was suspended following her red card whilst Donna Paterson was unavailable. Chloe Gover moved to the substitutes bench whilst Mya Christie and Hannah Stewart returned. Millie Urquhart started her last game before leaving for America and Loren Campbell captained the side on her last ever appearance before retiring.
There were early sights of goal for both teams in the opening ten minutes of the game. Bailley Collins had a shot blocked on the edge of the box and the rebound fell to Francesca Ogilvie who fired an effort wide. At the other end a foul by Maddie Finnie gave away a free-kick in a dangerous position but Watson’s dead ball attempt was dealt with by McCann in the visiting goal.
Bayley Hutchison then had an opportunity to open the scoring but her shot from an angle found the side-netting of Emily Mutch’s goal. Kodie Hay then tested McCann as she cut in from the left but her curling effort was straight at the keeper.
Motherwell thought they had taken the lead when they had the ball in the net midway through the half after Collins gave away a foul deep on the Aberdeen right. The deep free-kick found Watson open at the back post and the defender headed home from close range before being denied by the linesman flagging for offside.
The hosts were carrying more of a threat as the half went on as they started to take control of possession. Hay again tested McCann from distance before Carla Boyce blasted a half-chance over the crossbar.
Boyce then passed up a glorious chance for the opening goal when she found herself unmarked in the middle of goal at a corner but she couldn’t direct her header either side of McCann. The Dons’ goalkeeper was called into action again as Jardine broke the offside trap but the goalie managed to block her attempt wide.
At the other end Aberdeen threatened to grab a goal on the break. Eva Thomson made a good run down the left but her cross couldn’t find Hutchison and Ogilvie who were in the box. Hannah Stewart then fired a first-time shot wide from just outside the box.
Kayla Jardine tested McCann from 25-yards out but there wasn’t enough height on the effort to beat the Dons goalie and the teams went into the break level at 0-0.
HT MOTHERWELL 0-0 ABERDEEN
The hosts were the first to threaten in the second period and it was Boyce again posing the threat. The striker found herself goal-side of Campbell but saw her shot saved by McCann. Aberdeen responded and strong play by Shore in midfield led to the ball finding Collins but the midfielder’s speculative effort from 30-yards was wide of the target.
Eilidh Shore then went close herself as she fired a shot just over from 25-yards. It was the home side who went in front ten minutes into the second half. The ball broke into the path of BOYCE 25-yards out and the striker’s dipping shot found the top corner of McCann’s net.
Aberdeen were forced into a change just before the hour when Stewart failed to shake off an earlier knock, Chloe Gover was her replacement. The substitute almost made an instant impact when her flick-on released Hutchison but the Dons striker was forced wide and couldn’t beat Mutch from a narrow angle.
The visitors created a really good opportunity for an equaliser on 63-minutes. Gover did well in the middle for the park to release Ogilvie down the right to cross. The low ball in evaded Collins at the front post but fell into the path of the on-running Gover but the substitute couldn’t keep her left-foot shot under the bar.
Christie was the next to threaten as a powerful run down the left ended with her cutting inside the box before being blocked by some good defending from Lauren Doran-Barr. Motherwell went straight back up the pitch and Hay flashed a ball right across the face of McCann’s goal.
Ogilvie got in behind the ‘Well defence on the left but saw her right-foot shot well held by Mutch in the home goal. The hosts then doubled their lead with 15 minutes remaining in the game. A corner from the Motherwell right caused a scramble in the box and substitute MCDONALD-NGUAH cleverly flicked the ball in from close range.
Elena Karkkainen and Nadia Sopel were introduced in the closing stages but the hosts added a third with six minutes remaining. GARDENER broke into the Aberdeen penalty area and calmly rolled the ball into the bottom corner.
Loren Campbell left the field for the last time with two minutes to go as she was replaced by Aimee Black. The Dons skipper was applauded from the pitch by players from both teams as her playing career came to an end.
FT: MOTHERWELL 3-0 ABERDEEN
REACTION- Millie Urquhart
“I got told last week that I might miss this game but I did everything that Beth the physio told me to do so I could get back. It was great to be involved for Loren’s last game and for me to play one last time with the girls.
“I didn’t think we played too badly despite the score but Motherwell were the better team so credit to them. This was my breakthrough season and though it was difficult for the team I felt that I really learned a lot. I really enjoyed it although we never finished where we wanted in the league.
“I’ve got four years in Florida now and you never know what will happen after that or where I’ll end up. I’d like to come back one day, especially if some of the girls are still here as I would love to play with them again.”
Skipper, Loren Campbell received a presentation from SWPL Managing Director, Fiona McIntyre and also from Motherwell Women ahead of her final match before retirement.
TEAMS
Aberdeen Team: McCann, Campbell (c) (Black 88′), Urquhart, Shore, Hutchison, Collins (Karkkainen 80‘), Stewart (Gover 58′), Ogilvie (Sopel 80′), Christie, Finnie, Thomson Substitutes not used: Marwaha
Motherwell Team: Mutch, Doran-Barr, Addie, Watson, Inglis (c), A. Anderson, Jardine, Hay, Boyes, Boyce & Burchill Substitutes: Andrews, Rafferty, Gardner, Lawton, Noble, McDonald-Nguah
