AFC Women 1 |  Shore 1′

Spartans Women 2 | Birse 76′;  Gibb 78′

Full Time | Balmoral Stadium | SWPL1 | Kick off – 1pm | HT 1-0 

MATCH REPORT by Mark Gordon

Aberdeen lost 2-1 to Spartans this afternoon despite leading for 75-minutes of the match. A brilliant Eilidh Shore goal after just thirty seconds gave the hosts the perfect start but two goals in three second half minutes by Spartans substitutes Amelie Birse and Caley Gibb gave the Edinburgh side all three points.

There was one change to the Dons team that beat Glasgow Women last time out. Captain Loren Campbell returned to the starting line-up as Bailley Collins took a seat on the bench. Young goalkeeper Skylana Cameron-Leal was also on the bench as she was named in the squad for the first time.

The hosts got off to the perfect start with a goal after thirty seconds and it was a goal-of-the-season contender. Eilidh SHORE picked up thirty yards out and fired an unstoppable shot into the top corner for her third goal of the season.

Aberdeen continued their bright start to the game when a strong run down the left by Jess Broadrick culminated in the defender crossing for Bayley Hutchison. Alicia Yates in the Spartans goal did well to cut out the cross with the Dons striker waiting to pounce.

Broadrick was then put to work at the other end as she did well to cut out a high ball into the box which looked to be falling on the head of Rebecca Galbraith. The visitors were forcing their way back into the game and Annalisa McCann did well to parry an Alana Marshall free-kick wide.

Millie Urquhart was again causing problems wide on the right and a powerful run by her forced a corner. Mya Christie took the resulting kick and Nadine Hanssen saw her goal-bound header blocked.

Marshall was looking the player most likely to get the visitors back in the game and she had two efforts before half-time. The first was a low shot from edge of the box which McCann did well to hold. Marshall’s second effort was from a free-kick after a Donna Paterson foul but the Spartans captain’s effort flew just over the bar.

HT: ABERDEEN 1-0 SPARTANS

The second half started as the first ended with both teams battling for every ball. Hannah Stewart need treatment early in the half before Ronaigh Douglas was forced off after taking a Donna Paterson shot full in the face.

Aberdeen made a double change on the hour with Stewart and Christie making way for Collins and Ogilvie.

The game was end-to-end and felt like there were more goals to come and so it proved as the visitors got back on level terms with fifteen minutes remaining. A corner by Marshall from the right found its way to the back post where substitute Amelie BIRSE forced the ball in. McCann looked to have made the save but the referee said the ball had crossed the line.

Spartans turned the game on its head just minutes later as they went in front. Caley GIBB ran onto a through ball before calmly putting her side in front.

The Dons looked to recover from going behind as Hutchison fired over a dangerous cross which almost reached Ogilvie at the back post. Hanssen then forced her way into the penalty area but saw her shot blocked by McCafferty.

At the other Galbraith had a chance to seal the victory for the visitors but she put her shot wide after good work on the right by Kat Smart to get a cross in.

As full-time approached the hosts went close, good running by Urquhart down the right ended with Hutchison getting her head on a cross but she couldn’t direct her effort past Yates in the Spartans goal. Collins then shot over from the edge of the box after some good link up between her Hutchison and Ogilvie.

Despite their late pressure the hosts couldn’t get back on level terms as Spartans took all three points back to Edinburgh.

FT: ABERDEEN 1-2 SPARTANS

LINE-UPS

Aberdeen Team:  McCann, Campbell (c), Broadrick, Paterson, Finnie, Urquhart, Shore, Hanssen, Christie (Collins 63′), Stewart (Ogilvie 63′) & Hutchison

Aberdeen substitutes not used: Leal, Gover, Thomson & Karkkainen

Spartans Team: Yates, Smart, Marshall (c), Douglas, Clelland, Robinson, Ross, McCafferty, Galbraith, Jordan & McQuillan

Spartans substitutes: Harrison, Bates, Gibb, McCafferty, Birse, Jamieson, McMahon & Mason