Aberdeen Women were beaten 3-1 in SWPL 1 against professional outfit Hibernian at Balmoor Stadium.
Hibs took the lead right on the stroke of half-time through Eilidh Adams at Peterhead’s Balmoor Stadium, despite a solid first-half showing from Aberdeen.
The Dons pulled level in the 55th minute through Bayley Hutchison, but the game wasn’t level for long as Leah Eddie put Hibs 2-1 up just one minute later.
Just moments after being reduced to 10 players when Eilidh Shore was sent off, things went from bad to worse for Aberdeen as an own goal put Hibs 3-1 up in the 81st minute.
The defeat to Hibs is the Dons’ seventh loss of the season, having played eight games.
Aberdeen’s search for their first league win of the campaign will continue when they face Glasgow Women, who they host at Pittodrie on October 30.
Aberdeen put in decent display but go behind just before the break
The Dons made three changes from Sunday’s defeat to Hearts, as skipper Loren Campbell and Hutchinson returned, while Annalisa McCann made her first top-flight start between the sticks.
Aberdeen started well and won a free kick early on as Mya Christie was brought down on a couple yards outside of the box by Hibs captain Joelle Murray.
Chloe Gover stepped up for the set-piece from 20-yards out, and went so close but the midfielder’s effort hit clipped the top of keeper Benedicte Haaland’s crossbar.
Dons centre back Donna Paterson was shown a yellow card soon after as the referee awarded a free kick to the away side for a soft tackle on Adams.
Crystal Thomas took the free kick, which was about the same distance out as Aberdeen’s earlier effort, but hit it straight at the wall before overhitting the rebound over the bar.
The next chance fell to the Hibees but Eleni Giannou, after beating Jess Broadrick, took her first touch too wide and the resulting effort was hit well off target.
Aberdeen keeper McCann made a fine save to deny Thomas from close range, after the American beat Hanssen down the left and burst into the box, where she tried her luck.
The home side then tried to work the ball into the Hibees box as Eilidh Shore linked up with Francesca Ogilvie who found Christie, but she knocked the ball right to the keeper.
The Dons went so close to finding the opener just before half-time as Hutchison played a perfect pass to split Hibs’ defence and find Ogilvie, whose shot trailed just wide.
But Hibernian took the lead in the 45th minute when Adams headed home amongst a crowded box as she met Eddie’s floated corner.
A response needed in the second-half
Ogilvie registered the first chance of the second-half as Aberdeen looked for an equaliser, but the winger’s strike from distance failed to hit the target.
Last season’s top goal scorer Hutchison tried her luck from range, too, after being laid off by Ogilvie, but her attempt was hooked over the Hibernian bar.
However, it didn’t take long for Hutchison to score her first SWPL 1 goal of the season.
The striker was one-vs-one with the Hibs keeper, who got a touch to the lofted effort but couldn’t prevent it crossing the line, as Aberdeen pulled level in the 55th minute.
But Hibs responded immediately and went 2-1 up in the 56th minute as Eddie found the back of the net straight from a corner, which they won after a good McCann save.
Hutchison had a glorious chance to score her brace, and to pull her side level again, as she won back possession and burst into the box, but she couldn’t keep her shot down.
Another chance came and went for Hutchison who did well to drive with the ball into the box, beating the defence with some fancy footwork, before hitting her shot wide.
Dons midfielder Shore was given her marching orders in the 77th minute, after being shown a second yellow by the referee for a tackle on Michaela McAlonie.
Hibs then went 3-1 up after a cross was sent into the Aberdeen box where a Red shirt turned the ball into their own goal.