Ten player Dons rally to claim comeback draw at Accies

Hamilton Academical Women 3 Aberdeen FC Women 3

ScottishPower Women’s Premier League

New Douglas Park

Sunday 5th May 2024 | 16:00

Aberdeen fought back from 2-0 and 3-1 down with ten players to pick up a point in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Hamilton Academical. The hosts were 2-0 up early as Josi Giard and a Freya MacDonald penalty had them in front whilst Madison Finnie was ordered off. Bayley Hutchison pulled one back before Melissa Reid restored the hosts two-goal advantage. Jessica Broadrick reduced the deficit before a stunning Eilidh Shore strike made it 3-3.

There was just the one change to the Aberdeen team that started the midweek draw against Montrose at Pittodrie. Lois Edwards coming into the right side of defence to replace Keeley Banfield.

The hosts new that relegation play-off rivals Dundee United had picked up a point earlier in the day and they started like the team who wanted the points more. They had already threatened Jen Currie’s goal a few times before taking an early lead. GIARD pounced on some slack defending to give her side the perfect start on eight minutes.

The Dons looked to respond and almost equalised a few minutes later. Hannah Innes cracked a shot off the post after a strong run down the left.

Aberdeen’s afternoon threatened to fall apart on fifteen minutes as they went two behind and a player down. A long ball over the top had Giard in a foot race with Madison Finnie. The two came together as they competed for the ball and the referee judged that Finnie had fouled the striker and awarded a penalty. Finnie received a straight red card and Freya MACDONALD scored from the spot.

Clint Lancaster had to shuffle his pack following Finnie’s departure. Phoebe Murray was the unlucky player that had to make way for Banfield to come into defence.

The ten players started to find their feet and they really should have pulled a goal back on 25 minutes. Eilidh Shore set Hannah Stewart away through the middle but the captain blazed her shot over the Accies crossbar.

The away side huffed and puffed but struggled to create a way back into the match before the interval.

HT: HAMILTON 2 ABERDEEN 0

There was double change for Aberdeen at half-time as Clint Lancaster looked to turn the game around. Innes and Ogilvie made way from either flank to be replaced by Jessica Broadrick and Adele Lindbaek.

The reshuffle seemed to have paid off as the visitors pulled a goal back within three minutes of the restart. HUTCHISON ran clear on to a Shore pass through the middle of the home defence before rolling home a composed finish.

Aberdeen’s top scorer then Hutchison had a shot on the turn well held by Accies keeper Emma Thomson as the ten players threatened a comeback.

Hamilton restored their two-goal advantage just before the hour though, as they appeared to end the Dons hopes of an unlikely comeback. Mason Clark caused problems for the visiting defenders before the ball came to Melissa REID who smashed it into the top corner.

The goal appeared to knock the stuffing out of the Dons after a good start to the half. They had Lois Edwards to thank for keeping the score to three as Giard’s shot was blocked on the line by the defender .

It was 3-2 with 20 minutes to go as Aberdeen grabbed their second of the game. A good run down the left by Lindbaek ended with her finding Thomson on the edge of the box. Thomson rolled in BROADRICK on the right who hit a thunderous shot in off the underside of the bar. Hutchison followed the rebound in to make sure, but it looked like the substitute’s effort had bounced well over the line.

The away side sensed there was something in the game for them and they twice went close with fifteen minutes to go. First Hutchison had a shot into the chest of the keeper before Thomson brought a brilliant save out of the Accies keeper after a good run by Lindbaek.

It was all-square after 78 minutes as Aberdeen levelled in style. SHORE picked up 25-yards from goal before sending a stunning strike into the top corner of the Accies net for 3-3.

Neither side was settling for the draw as they exchanged chances in the dying embers of the game. Giard fired a shot into the arms of Currie for the hosts before Broadrick fired a shot into the side-netting after a good run down the right.

Keira Ritchie was sent off for the home side as she picked up a second yellow card for a nasty foul on Stewart but that was the last real action of the match as the game ended three-a-piece.