27/08/2023 | Scottish Power Women’s Premier League | Aberdeen Women v Hearts Women | Kick-off:2pm | Balmoral Stadium
Aberdeen 0 |
Hearts 2 | Girasoil 12′, Timms 63′
Hearts ran out 2-0 victors in a hotly contested match at the Balmoral Stadium. Goals either side of half time from Carly Girasoli and Georgia Timms gave the visitors the win despite a strong showing from the Dons.
Aberdeen made one change from the side that beat Montrose in midweek with Hannah Innes coming into the team and Eva Thomson moving to the substitutes bench. Former Dons player Brodie Greenwood started for Hearts against her former side.
Both sides were wearing their changed kits for the game, and it was visitors in bright pink that the better of the opening ten minutes. The front three of Katie Lockwood, Kathleen McGovern and Georgia Timms were all looking threatening, but it was a defender who put Hearts in front on 12 minutes. A corner from the Aberdeen left eventually found its way to Carly GIRASOLI at the back post who looped a header over Faye Kirby to give her side the lead.
Ciara Grant was at the World Cup with Ireland recently and she almost created a second for Eva Olid’s side midway through the first half. The midfielder’s dangerous cross from the left found the head of Timms but the striker flicked her header just wide of the back post.
Aberdeen had struggled to create any chances and their first test of Charlotte Parker-Smith in the visiting goal came in fortuitous fashion. Innes collect the ball high on the right flank and her deep cross towards the back post almost troubled the keeper as it dropped under the crossbar.
Timms was the next to threaten as she broke clear of Innes down the Hearts left but the striker’s powerful effort was well held by Kirby down to her left. At the other end it was Innes who was the next to try her luck as she cut inside before curling a shot wide of the far post from the angle of the penalty area.
Eilidh Shore stepped inside Greenwood 25-yards from goal before firing a shot just over Parker-Smith’s crossbar as the Dons looked like getting themselves back into the game. The captain then came close for the Dons as Nadine Hanssen whipped in a right foot shot from the edge of the box which flew just wide of the post.
Aberdeen finished the half well as they pushed for an equaliser. Bayley Hutchison found some space for herself 20 yards out in the closing minutes but her shot went over the bar. Hearts then countered in first-half stoppage time, but Aimee Black did well to block Olufolasade Adamolekun in the area as she tried to square to McGovern.
Half-Time: ABERDEEN 0 HEARTS 1
There was nothing to separate the sides in the opening stages of the second half it what had become a very even game. Hearts made a double change at the interval with Aimee Anderson and Cailin Michie replacing Greenwood and Adamolekun. Aberdeen made their first change ten minutes into the half as Eva Thomson replaced Innes on the right wing.
The visitors doubled their lead on 62 minutes as one of their substitutes made a quick impact. Anderson was quick to pounce on some slack defending and she squared for TIMMS to fire home from close range.
A second felt harsh on Aberdeen who were looking equally likely to get the game’s second goal. They went in search of way back into the game and Hutchison put pressure on Parker-Smith as the keeper cleared from her goal line.
Ogilvie replaced Gover in the Dons second change of the game as the visitors looked to have taken a lift from their second goal. They almost got a third when Katie Lockwood’s shot beat Faye Kirby but bounced back off the underside of the crossbar.
Wednesday night’s match winner Darcie Miller entered the fray as she replaced Laura Holden for the final fifteen minutes.
It was a battling end to the game as the hosts tried to get a least a consolation goal to show for their efforts, but they couldn’t break through the defence and the visitors took the points back to capital.
Full-Time: ABERDEEN 0 HEARTS 2
Aberdeen Women: 1. Faye Kirby 4. Jess Broadrick 6. Laura Holden (Darcie Miller 75′) 7. Eilidh Shore 8. Chloe Gover (Francesca Ogilvie 71′) 9. Hannah Stewart 10. Bayley Hutchison 15. Maddison Finnie 16. Hannah Innes (Eva Thomson 57′) 23. Aimee Black 24. Nadine Hanssen (C)
Substitutes: 20. Annalisa McCann (GK) 11. Hannah Insch 12. Darcie Miller 13. Francesca Ogilvie 18. Eva Thomson 21. Emma Lawson
Hearts Women: 1. Charlotte Parker-Smith 3. Esther Morgan 4. Emma Brownlie (Jenna Penman 75′) 5. Georgia Hunter (C) 6. Ciara Grant 9. Georgia Timms 10. Katie Lockwood 15. Brodie Greenwood (Aimme Anderson 46′) 16. Olusfolasade Adamolekun (Cailin Michie 46′) 20. Carly Girasoli 21. Kathleen McGovern (Erin Rennie 75′)
Substitues: 19. Lisa Rodgers (GK) 2. Jenna Penman 8. Erin Rennie 11. Aimme Anderson 17. Addison Handley 22. Eilidh Davies 23. Dannielle McGinley 25. Shona Cowan 27. Cailin Michie
