Aberdeen FC Women 3 Hamilton Academical 2 ScottishPower Women’s Premier League Balmoral Stadium 14th April 2024
Aberdeen twice came from behind to defeat Hamilton at the Balmoral Stadium as a second half turnaround saw the hosts win 3-2. A double for Bayley Hutchison added to a goal from Francesca Ogilvie was enough for the win after Melissa Reid and Josi Giard twice had Accies in front.
There were three changes to the starting line-up from the game away at Motherwell last time out. Lois Edwards, Hannah Innes and Keeley Banfield all moved to the bench with Jessica Broadrick, Darcie Miller and Eva Thomson coming in to the team. Phoebe Murray was unavailable as she was on Scotland under-16 duty.
Aberdeen started the game brightly, but it was the visitors who opened the scoring after just five minutes. Josi Giard is so often the scorer for Accies but this time she was the creator as her low pass across goal was converted from close range by Melissa REID.
The visitors lead lasted only three minutes as hosts hit back almost immediately. Hannah Stewart found Francesca OGILVIE who fired home her fourth goal of the campaign for the equaliser.
It was a frantic opening quarter of an hour with neither able side to grasp control of the match. Chances too were at a premium until the Dons created two openings just before the twenty-minute mark. First, Stewart found the ball in the box and squared for Thomson who saw her missed-timed shot go wide. Then Ogilvie looked to double her own tally as she tried her luck from twenty-yards, but her shot was straight at Emma Thomson in the Accies goal.
Freya MacDonald could well have seen an early red card as she came close to a second booking inside 25-minutes. The defender had already picked up a booking for an earlier handball when she clattered into Miller 30-yards from goal. The referee awarded a free-kick but didn’t book the visiting player although Megan Quinn did pick up a caution for dissent.
Despite the Dons looking more likely, the third goal of the match went to the visitors. Shelley Campbell’s ball into the box found GIARD who took it down before flicking the ball home for 2-1.
Aberdeen went close to a second equaliser five minutes before the interval. Good link up between Stewart and Miller saw the former send the latter through on goal. Thomson came out to meet Miller and the striker’s low shot was deflected wide by the visiting goalkeeper.
The Dons might’ve gone in level at the break but for a goal-line clearance in the closing seconds of the half. Eilidh Shore got up well to meet a corner and her goal-bound header was cleared away on the line by Eilidh Martin.
HT: ABERDEEN 1 HAMILTON 2
Clint Lancaster looked to shake things up at the break as he made two changes. Lois Edwards and Hannah Innes were introduced as Broadrick and Lindbaek made way.
The Dons were straight on the attack as they looked for a second half turnaround. Thomson slipped in Hutchison out wide, but the striker’s cross was cut out by substitute Accies keeper Chloe Nicholson.
It was 2-2 on 55-minutes as the hosts drew level. A good ball into the box from Edwards on the right wing was met by visiting defender Hannah Coakley as she challenged HUTCHISON who appeared to get the final touch on the ball.
Both teams went close to a third as the goals showed no signs of stopping at four. Miller was unlucky not to get on the end of an Ogilvie cross for the hosts. At the other end Madison Finnie did brilliantly to recover from a slip-up and get back to deny Giard with a last-ditch block.
Stewart and Thomson both had shots go just off target as Aberdeen continued to look for a third goal which eventually came on 67 minutes. A surging run from Thomson took the ball into the Hamilton penalty box and wide to Miller who then found HUTCHISON in the box with her back to goal. The striker netted her 20th goal of the season in style as she sent a backheel shot into the net.
Aberdeen were forced into a third change when injury ended Miller’s participation. Keeley Banfield was her replacement. The home side then went close to a fourth as Stewart forced Nicholson into a good stop.
It was all Aberdeen as the half wore on, but the visitors retained a threat on the counter through Giard. Ogilvie did well to get back and block the German striker as she threatened on the breakaway.
There was a bizarre moment with two minutes remaining as the visitors were reduced to ten players. Kirstie MacIntosh went over to take a free-kick deep in the Aberdeen half when she was given a caution for something she said to the referee. The Accies substitute then must have said something else to the official as he quickly produced a second yellow card followed by a red.
There was almost a sting in the tail for the hosts as Hamilton were denied an equaliser with the last kick of the match. Quinn had gone forward from defence and the ball broke to her in the box and her powerful shot was well held by the diving Jennifer Currie to keep the three points in the north.
FT: ABERDEEN 3 HAMILTON 2
STATS
Aberdeen: Currie, Broadrick (Edwards 46′), Shore, Gover, Stewart (C), Hutchison, Lindbaek (Innes 46′), Miller (Banfield 74′), Ogilvie, Finnie, Thomson
Subs not used: McCann, Maclean, Martindale, Lawson, Black
GOALS: Ogilvie 9′ Hutchison 55′ 67′
BOOKED: Hutchison 88′
Hamilton: Thomson, MacDonald, Quinn, Coakley, Martin, Muir, Gaird, Reid, Campbell, Kerr, Clark
Subs: Nicholson, McIntosh, Reid, McDonald, Strain, Graham, Caldwell
