Aberdeen Women were knocked out of the Scottish Cup at the quarter-final stage after a 2-0 defeat against Celtic, but co-boss Emma Hunter reckons there are plenty of positives to build on.
Despite a battling performance from the Dons, a goal from Mengyu Shen just before half-time and a strike from Jodie Bartle in the second half was enough to send Hunter’s side out of the competition.
And, while the co-manager is disappointed about the cup exit, she believes there were elements of the performance that she has to be pleased with.
Hunter said: “I thought in the first half we did really well, and if we had went in at half-time 0-0 we could’ve stayed defensively solid and not taken as much risks in the game.
“Unfortunately, when you go a goal down you have to chase one back in the cup, so we had to squeeze them high up the pitch, but that opened us up at the back.
“We tried a new shape today and tried to make it difficult for Celtic and we executed it well at times.
“I’ve got to be proud of them for taking on that information and implementing it in such a short space of time – having just worked on it a couple times at training.
“There are a lot of positives to take going forward. We’re obviously disappointed with the cup result, but our focus is now on the league.”
Hunter thinks a close contest with a professional outfit like Celtic, which they had managed three times already this season, will only better prepare the Dons for the future.
She added: “Celtic are a quality side, and they’re really difficult to beat.
“They’re a fully professional side as well, so it’s about realising how difficult we’ve made it for them today and then building on that for next year.
“Hopefully, with a wee bit more investment and time with this team, we can go on compete with Celtic even more next season.”
Early chances for Celtic
Celtic almost took an early lead when a series of passes were exchanged in the Aberdeen box, before Clarissa Larisey released a shot just wide of the target.
The away side went close again as Jacynta tried her luck from distance, but Aaliyah-Jay Meach reacted well to divert it past the post, with the shot-stopper making another fine save to deny Olivia Chance minutes later.
The home side had little of the ball in the opening stages, but should’ve made more of their first foray forward.
Dons defender Jess Broadrick launched a long ball deep into Celtic’s half which found Bayley Hutchison, who made a poor decision to lay the ball off, despite nobody being there.
Hutchison had two more chances in quick succession, but sent one effort wide and the other was met by Rachael Johnstone, who gathered the ball at the striker’s feet after she burst into the box.
And, with just four minutes to go before half-time, Shen gave Celtic the lead, as she unleashed an effort from the left hand sidewhich curled in at Meach’s near post.
A place in the semi-finals at stake
The Dons had it all to do in the second-half and it almost started perfectly, as Hutchison nearly caught out Johnstone, who was well off her line – but her long-range effort was hit just over the bar.
Much like the first half, Celtic dominated the ball, and they doubled their advantage on the hour mark when Bartle was unmarked in the box and directed a floated header into the net from a cross.
It should’ve been 3-0 to the away side, as Larisey hit a smart back-heeled effort from close range, but it was stopped dead by Meach just before it crossed the line.
In a bid to to half the deficit, Louise Brown tried her luck from range just as Hutchison had in the opening stages of the second half, but her effort in the dying minutes was too tame and was easily collected by the back-tracking Johnstone.
SWF Championship North
In SWF Championship North, Westdyke welcomed East Fife to Lawsondale and put up a great fight against the league’s second-placed side, but fell to a 7-3 defeat.
It was a tough afternoon for Grampian Ladies, who were beaten 7-0 by league-leaders Montrose at Spain Park.