Ten player Dons lose out at the death

Aberdeen FC Women 2 Motherwell Women 3

ScottishPower Women’s Premier League

Balmoral Stadium

Sunday 12th May 2024 | 14:00

Aberdeen came within seconds of coming back from two-down with ten players for the second week in a row but a late Motherwell goal snatched all the points. The visitors were already 2-0 up through Laura Berry and an own-goal before Francesca Ogilvie picked up a red card for the hosts. Bayley Hutchison and Eva Thomson goals looked to have rescued a point for the ten player Dons but Chelsea Watson’s 95th minute header won it for the away side.

There were two changes to the Dons side that drew 3-3 at Hamilton last week. Madison Finnie missed out through suspension whilst Hannah Innes moved to the bench, Keeley Banfield and Jessica Broadrick came in to the team.

The visitors took the lead on three minutes as they scored from their very first attack. A move down the ‘Well left culminated in Kayla Jardine playing the ball across goal and Dons defender Chloe GOVER diverted it into her own net as she tried to block.

Aberdeen looked to respond and Bayley Hutchison had two efforts on goal in the opening ten minutes. The home side’s top scorer had already sent a shot over the Motherwell cross when, a few minutes later, she tested the reactions of Emily Mutch in the visiting goal.

Motherwell had started the game well and Gover did well to clear in the box as Laura Berry threatened a second goal. Jennifer Currie was then called into action as Louisa Boyes found Murron Cunningham in the box and the keeper did well race from her line to gather.

Aberdeen had their keeper to thank again on 25 minutes as she kept the deficit to just one. Jardine burst clear of Banfield and into the box but Currie raced out to meet the ‘Well forward and block her shot on goal.

The hosts were struggling to put too much together in an attacking sense. Murray’s speculative drive over the bar on the half-hour mark was the closest they came to creating a chance since Hutchison in the opening minutes.

Motherwell doubled their lead on 33 minutes as the visitors got the second goal that they had been threatening. In-form loanee Laura BERRY drilled home a shot in the penalty area following a corner.

There was confusion in first half stoppage time as Aberdeen were reduced to ten players. Currie had just made a brilliant save to deny Berry a third goal and as the players waited for the resulting corner the referee brandished a red card to Francesca Ogilvie what presumably was an act of dissent.

HT: ABERDEEN 0 MOTHERWELL 2

Adele Lindbaek replaced Phoebe Murray at the interval for the hosts who almost went 3-0 behind within seconds of the restart. Currie made a smart save to dent Jardine and as the rebound was followed in the offside flag went up.

Aberdeen nearly pulled a goal back on 51-minutes and it was the substitute that went close. A strong run down the right took Lindbaek into the area, her low shot squeezed beneath Mutch but Addie got back to clear off the line.

The hosts did get a goal back on 57 minutes and it came from a familiar source. Broadrick played the ball through to HUTCHISON who made no mistake as she claimed her 28th league goal of the season.

Hutchison could’ve equalised ten minutes later as she raced on to a Broadrick ball over the top but the striker’s shot from a tight angle hit the side-netting.

It was all square on 72 minutes as the ten-player home side pulled themselves level. Eilidh Shore carried the ball forward and played in Eva THOMSON who buried a right-foot shot low into Mutch’s near post.

Thomson could’ve scored two in as many minutes if it wasn’t for Motherwell keeper Mutch. Hutchison stormed into the box and got to the byline before finding Thomson whose powerful first-time shot was parried to safety by the visiting goalie.

The home side were looking the more likely to go on and get a winner despite their numerical disadvantage as Edwards was replaced by Innes for the last ten minutes.

Motherwell could’ve won it in the last minute as the referee inexplicably stopped play and started with a bounce ball right on the edge of the box. Chelsea Watson stood over the ball and when the referee dropped it she sent a dipping shot just wide of the target.

With 95 minutes on the clock the away side did claim a third goal. A corner from the left found the head of WATSON who wasn’t to be denied again as she sent a looping header into the bottom corner to take all three points.