Montrose 2-0 Aberdeen Women SPWPL 1 Links Park Wednesday 21 October, 7.30pm
Aberdeen Women fell to a 2-0 defeat at Montrose on Wednesday night.
McDonald-Nguah fired the hosts in front from the penalty spot in the first half after Briana Salvetti was sent off for handball, leaving The Dons with it all to do on their travels.
Nathan Flight shuffled his pack and made four changes for the trip to Angus. In came Piper Mayhew, Salvetti, Piper Lea and Olivia Reid – Emily Simpson, Erin Carrol, Lola Nesbeth and Melissa Regmi making way.
The hosts line-up included former AFC captain and vice Hannah Stewart and Fran Ogilvie, the first meeting between the sides since the summer of change. Darcie Miller was named amongst the substitutes. Holly Daniel led the line for Aberdeen on her return to Links Park.
A lively opening period saw chances exchanged at both ends, both teams flashing balls across the face of goal. Soraya Walsh will have liked to have done more when she found herself potentially through on goal on 14’, Erin Ross smartly recovering.
Montrose began to step things up not long after, The Aberdeen defences arial ability put under question by a bombardment of pressure. Ogilvie jinked her way into the box just before the 20-minute mark, she could only fire well wide.
Aberdeen’s turn for a chance, Salvetti bravely winning a free-kick just outside the area. It was Aimee Black who stepped up, her effort low and off target.
Now it was The Dons who came forward, Reid and Daniel combining on a quick counterattack. Daniel couldn’t quite get her feet sorted to get her shot away, corner Aberdeen.
Disaster for Aberdeen just after the half hour.
With The Dons foiled in their attempts to play out from the back, Montrose earned a corner.
The resulting dead ball was headed back off her own crossbar by Black, before O’Hanlon made an excellent full-stretch save from the rebounded effort. The third attempt was then blocked by Salvetti’s forearm on the goal line, who left the referee with an easy decision to make.
Penalty, red card, and spot-kick converted by McDonald-Nguah despite O’Hanlon’s best efforts, who came close to saving. A tricky task just got a whole lot trickier.
Almost two for Montrose before the close of play for the half, Brown heading off target from Ogilvie’s cross.
Half-time Montrose 1-0 Aberdeen.
Mya Christie replaced Reid at half-time as the ten player Dons searched for a way back into the game.
It was Christie who almost did find the way back into things, she smashed an effort off the crossbar after a sharp turn inside the box opened up a little bit of space for the recent returnee. Up the other a minute later Brown came close for a second time, again wide.
Mia Selbie was introduced just after the hour, Walsh making way. Montrose opted for a triple substitution at the same time, introducing Miller, McClaren, and Guthrie.
Brown got her sides second 75’, O’Hanlon’s awkward attempt to deal with a low cross was palmed into the direction of the experienced forward, who was never going to blow that opportunity from close range.
Miller almost forced a third as the game crept towards its conclusion, she beat Cemal and darted towards goal, this time O’Hanlon was able to divert away. Carter had the ball in the back of the net a minute later, the linesman’s flag quickly raised.
The Dons return to action on Sunday against The Spartans at Pittodrie.
Full-time Montrose 2-0 Aberdeen.
Reaction from Nathan Flight
“I think it was a good performance for the first 35 minutes. We’re well in the game. We create some chances in that time. Maybe we need to be more clinical in those moments. There are a couple of chances from corners. There are a couple of crosses into the box where an extra bit of desire, or somebody throwing themselves at the ball, can go a long way to getting us a goal.
“I think after the red card, it becomes difficult, of course, playing with 10. But I think the effort from everybody was really, really good. And I think even with 10 players, we seemed in relative control. Montrose were limited to very little throughout the game, and that’s positive for us.
“We come close with Mya’s shot in the second half. But ultimately, it’s a good performance again, but it hasn’t yielded the result that we of course wanted tonight.
“After Sunday, we wanted a reaction in the sense that I didn’t think we competed to the levels that we needed to compete to (on Sunday). Tonight, we got a really good reaction to that, and the players were into the duels. They were competing for the first ball, the second balls, really doing a good job. So we’re really happy with that aspect of the game.
“We didn’t want to lose the game tonight. We were preparing to win the game tonight, like we do every game. Sunday is a new opportunity. We’ve got four days to rest, recover, prepare and be ready to go again, because we know that Sunday there’s another big game. It’s a chance to be at Pittodrie, a chance to show what we are about.”
STATS
Montrose: 1. Lauren Perry, 5. Georgia Carter, 8. Erin Ross, 10. Hannah Stewart, 11. Kaela McDonald-Nguah, 13. Francesca Ogilvie, 14. Demi Taylor, 15. Louise Brown, 17. Cassie Cowper, 19. Ashley Robertson, 21. Tally Robb. Subs: 26. Ashley Milne, 3. Charlie Elliott, 4. Darcie Miller, 6. Jade McLaren, 7. Chloe Gover, 9. Neve Guthrie, 18. Lauryn Healy.
GOAL: McDonald-Nguah (Penalty 34’)
Aberdeen: 1. Katie O Hanlon, 2. Briana Salvetti, 5. Aimee Black, 8. Piper Lea (Carrol 70’), 10. Soraya Walsh (Reid 63’), 11. Holly Daniel (Regmi 78’), 15. Madison Finnie, 22. Iona Watt, 28. Olivia Reid (Christie 46’), 32. Piper Mayhew, 43. Selin Cemal. Subs: 12. Amber Signorini, 4. Lola Nesbeth, 6. Erin Carrol, 7. Mia Selbie, 14. Mya Christie, 17. Melissa Regmi, 21. Millie Buchan, 24. Emily Simpson, 26. Emily Skinner.
RED CARD: Salvetti 34’
YELLOW CARD: Daniel 72’
