Rangers 5 | Cornet 19′; McAulay 63′, 88′ ; Hardy 68′; Hill 72′
Aberdeen 1 | Hutchison 44′
ScottishPower Women’s Premier League MD2 | Broadwood Stadium | 4.10pm | HT 1-1 | Full Time
The match was live on BBC Alba – click here to watch it back on demand.
MATCH REPORT
Aberdeen lost for the first time in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League as they went down 5-1 to Rangers at Broadwood. The Dons went in at half-time all-square after Bayley Hutchison equalised Chelsea Cornet’s opener for the hosts. Despite several brilliant saves from Faye Kirby the hosts ran away with the game in the second half.
Clinton Lancaster made one change to the team that started last week’s opening day win over Motherwell, Eva Thomson coming in for Laura Holden. Scotland defender Nicola Docherty captained the hosts after being named their new skipper during the week.
The home side were the first to threaten as they put Faye Kirby to work in the second minute. Strong running by Laura Berry down the left took her into the penalty box whilst being tracked all the way by Aimee Black. The Rangers forward got a shot away which Kirby did well to save with her feet.
Berry again had a half-chance for the opener when she got on the end of a good Jodi McLeary cross, but the forward flashed her first-time effort over the crossbar.
The visitors had their on-loan goalkeeper to thank for keeping the game level when she produced two great stops after fifteen minutes. Kirsty Howat must’ve thought she had opened the scoring when her shot on the turn looked destined for the bottom corner, only for Kirby to tip it wide. The resulting corner eventually fell for Docherty 25-yards from goal and her powerful drive was well parried by the diving Dons keeper.
There was nothing Kirby could do about the game’s opening goal on twenty minutes. Chelsea CORNET breaking the Dons resistance by sending a powerful drive into the top corner from just outside the penalty area.
Aberdeen had to wait until the 26th minute for their first attempt at goal. A great ball over the top of the Rangers defence by Maddie Finnie saw Bayley Hutchison forcing Kathy Hill into conceding a corner. The resulting ball into the box was cleared as far as Chloe Gover but her speculative shot from distance flew well over Jenna Fyfe’s crossbar.
The visitors looked a little more settled in the game and they almost created another chance with a ball over the home defence. This time Hutchison was the provider as she released Francesca Ogilvie down the right, but she stumbled just as she was about to have an attempt on goal. It was unclear if the stumble caused the injury or vice-versa, but Ogilvie couldn’t carry on and was replaced by Laura Holden.
The injury was a set-back for the visitors and as they looked to regroup the hosts almost took advantage. Howatt again going close with a hooked effort on goal which Kirby did well to hold on to. Rangers seemed to raise their tempo after the injury stoppage as they again went close, this time a combination of Kirby and Broadrick denied Berry.
Aberdeen got themselves back on level terms two minutes from half-time. The Dons front-line pressured the Rangers defence into a slack pass which was pounced upon by substitute Holden. The English midfielder calmly rolled the ball through for HUTCHISON who composed herself before firing an equaliser beyond Fyfe to send the teams in level at the interval.
HT RANGERS 1-1 ABERDEEN
The home side started the second half with a lot of possession, but they were largely kept at bay in the opening ten minutes of the half. Kirsty Howatt was the first to have an attempt on goal as she pulled a shot wide from the edge of the box.
It was Faye Kirby to the rescue for the Dons again on 57 minutes. A good passing move saw Rangers cut through the visiting defence and Kirsty MacLean saw her low shot turned round the post by the English stopper. The resulting corner led to another opportunity as Howatt blasted a low shot off the legs of Kirby.
Darcie Miller replaced Laura Holden on the hour as the Dons number 6 failed to shake off the effects of the knock she picked up against Motherwell last week.
Howatt was again denied by a brilliant Kirby save but the hosts regained their lead just minutes later. Mia MACAULEY gathered the ball on the Rangers right and it looked as though she might cross but instead unleashed a superb shot which dipped just under the crossbar.
The Aberdeen heads didn’t drop after the disappointment of losing the goal as they threatened to equalise for a second time. Miller having a shot blocked as she looked to test Fyfe. It was the home side who were the next to score though as they extended their lead to 3-1. A neat ball at the edge of the penalty box found Rio HARDY and the summer signing prodded the ball into the corner of the net.
If the third goal was harsh on the Dons, then the fourth was a cruel blow, especially in the scrappy manner that it came about. A cross into in the visiting six-yard box caused a bit of scramble in the goal mouth where Kathy HILL was credited with forcing the ball over the line.
Hannah Innes picked up her first appearance of the campaign as she replaced Shore inside the final ten minutes.
Rangers added a fifth goal right at the death as MACAULEY grabbed her second of them game with a close-range header.
FT RANGERS 5-1 ABERDEEN
TEAM NEWS
Aberdeen: 1. Kirby, 4. Broadrick, 7. Shore (Innes 82′), 9. Stewart, 10. Hutchison, 13. Ogilvie (Holden 34′ (Miller 60‘)), 15. Finnie, 18. Thomson, 23. Black, 24. Hanssen (c)
Substitutes not used: 20. McCann, 5, Paterson, 11. Insch, 21. Lawson
Rangers: 1. Fife, 2. Docherty (C), 3. McLauchlan, 4. Hill, 14. McAulay, 19. Cornet, 23. Maclean, 26. McLeary, 10. Hardy, 9. Howat, 18. Berry
Substitutes: 22. Esson, 35. Inmanm, 8. Rowe, 16. Austin, 20. Clark, 27. Laird, 29. Colson, 29. Jardine
Referee: Ryan Kennedy
