Motherwell 1-0 Aberdeen Women SWPL 1 K-Park Sunday 4 October, 4pm

A Carla Boyce injury time header prevented Aberdeen Women from picking up their first point of the campaign at Motherwell on Sunday afternoon, The Dons going down to a 1-0 defeat.

Nathan Flight named one change to his XI for the trip to East Kilbride - Aimee Black returned from injury and took her place in the heart of the midfield, Mellisa Regmi dropping out. Briana Salvetti took the young forward’s place up front.

The ‘Well looked lively from the off, Black showing what Aberdeen had missed during her absence by bravely getting stuck in to sniff out any emerging danger.

Nesbeth was in the book on 17’, the midfielder pulling back Eva Thomson on the halfway line who faced her former club for the first time since her summer departure.

Best chance of the game yet on 18’, the hosts unable to capitalise on a loose Aberdeen pass across goal, the shot eventually blocked for a corner.

An Aberdeen shot on 35’, Watt feeding Salvetti who flicked Walsh through on goal. The forward darted towards goal but when the time to finish came she could only slice high and wide.

Up the other end a minute later Watt done well to block Thomson’s goal bound effort.

An otherwise uneventful half showed a bit of promise before the 45 was up, Holly Daniel next to have a go, she fired into the body of debutant Armitage from close range.

Half-time Motherwell 0-0 Aberdeen.

Boyce replaced Anderson for Motherwell at the break after a frustrating half for the striker. The Dons also called on their bench on 54’, Regmi on to replace Walsh. Salvetti tested the alertness of Armitage moments later, her free-kick from range turned behind for a corner.

Motherwell could’ve and maybe should’ve been ahead on 59’, Boyes’ ball across goal looked tasty but there were no takers in the crowded box.

The hosts stepped it up and were suddenly applying real pressure to The Dons defence. There were a few games of penalty box pinball taking place as Aberdeen struggled and struggled again to clear their lines.

It looked like the pressure had finally led to an opener after Thomson found the back of the net via a Maddie Finnie deflection, her effort quickly disallowed for offside. Millie Buchan replaced Black a minute later. Piper Lea made her return to action on 72’, Nesbeth making way.

A top save from O’Hanlon denied Rutherford on the half-volley as we entered the final 15. Could either side find a winner?

An Aberdeen corner yielded a shooting opportunity for Lea from the edge of the box on 80’ her effort well over the bar.

Salvetti next, one-vs-one thanks to a smart Daniel flick, the American attempting to lift over Armitage before being eventually smothered instead of letting go with a shot. A great chance, on reflection.

Heartbreak for The Dons in injury time, Buchan penalised for a foul near the half-way line. Free kick launched into the box, header missed, Motherwell goal. Sickener.

Full-time Motherwell 1-0 Aberdeen.

Reaction from Nathan Flight

“We play a good game for 91 minutes and then it’s one of these decisions, a 50-50 decision that doesn’t go our way, and we then need to defend the set piece better.

“There are loads of positives to take from the game, and we’re improving every week. We’re getting closer every week. But now it’s about turning good performances into results, because we can’t just keep having these performances and then feeling sorry for ourselves at six o’clock on a Sunday night.

“If you look at the progression throughout the season, with more or less every game, we’ve taken a step forwards in our performance. They competed really well for 91 minutes, and then a lack of concentration. I’ve not saw the goal back yet, but a lack of something in the box lets us down.

“It hurts right now for the players. It hurts for me. But we’re focused on what we can do to improve all the time. Whether we’d won the game today, or drawn the game, or lost the game, we’d always be looking to improve, and that won’t change just because Motherwell scored in the last minute.

“It’s just about keeping everybody focused on the tasks that we have, focused on the performances, and hopefully that’ll start showing or bearing fruit in the games to come.

“Obviously results-wise, we’re not happy with the results going into the break. I’d rather have something to take from this first seven games, but like I said, I think we’re improving week on week. A couple of wobbly games here and there, but I think if we look back at the seven games, we’re taking steps forwards, and we’ll continue to do that because we’re a group of players who are at the beginning of our careers, and everybody’s improving.

“And I think that is going to continue to be the trend over the next weeks and months, so we’ll go into the next three games that we have, full of confidence again, pick ourselves up, and be ready to go for them.”

STATS

Motherwell: 41. Rowena Armitage, 2. Shannon Leishman, 4. Chelsie Watson (C), 5. Tegan Browning, 7. Kodie Hay, 8. Mia McArthur, 11. Louisa Boyes, 15. Ellie Macdonald, 16. Mason Clark, 18. Eva Thomson, 23. Morgan Anderson

Subs: 25. Kayla Scott, 6. Lucy Ronald, 9. Carla Jane Boyce, 12. Leah Sidey, 17. Sophie Rutherford, 19. Justine Strain, 20. Mary Stanic-Floody, 21. Olivia McStay, 30. Lucy Sinclair

GOAL: Boyce 90+1

Aberdeen: 1. Katie O Hanlon, 2. Briana Salvetti, 4. Lola Nesbeth, 5. Aimee Black, 6. Erin Carrol, 10. Soraya Walsh, 11. Holly Daniel, 15. Maddie Finnie (C), 22. Iona Watt, 32. Piper Mayhew, 43. Selin Cemal

Subs: 12. Amber Signorini, 8. Piper Lea, 17. Melissa Regmi, 21. Millie Buchan, 26. Emily Skinner

BOOKED: Nesbeth 17’ Buchan 90+1