Aberdeen Women midfielder Hannah Innes hopes her loan spell at Dundee outfit Dryburgh Athletic will help develop her game.
The 20-year-old signed for SWF Championship side Dryburgh on a season-long loan last week and impressed on her debut only a few days later.
She assisted Megan Robb for the Dundee side’s first goal in their 3-0 win over Rossvale in the Championship and League One Cup semi-finals on Sunday.
Innes was delighted to have made an impact in her first competitive game of the season, having not played for Aberdeen at all this term in SWPL 1 or the SWPL cup.
Innes starts loan spell as she means to go on
She said: “It was a massive game, so I wanted throw everything out there and the coaches reiterated that and told me to just go out and play my own game.
“I was quite nervous because it was such a big game with it being a semi-final, but I had trained with the girls during the week so that helped me relax into it.
“I didn’t expect to get a full game, so it was really good to start building my confidence up straight away. Hopefully, I can push on more now as the weeks go on.”
Dryburgh have struggled for wins in the Championship this season and sit bottom of the third-tier table, so the Aberdeen Women loanee is raring to help out on the pitch.
Innes added: “I feel like their position in the table doesn’t really show what they’re like – they’re a really good team, but have been unlucky this season.
“I think, because I’ve played at the top level with Aberdeen, I can bring that experience to them – and hopefully, that game time will help me in return, too.
“The Championship is a totally different kind of game and I seen that when I made my debut. It’s more physical than it is technical.
“Gavin (Beith) and Emma (Hunter) have said that the technical side of my game is good, so I can bring that to the league and then improve on the physicality of my game.”
Developing her game in Dundee
Innes admits that it wasn’t a difficult decision to leave the Dons on loan as it is in her best interest to develop her football – which will only happen with game time.
The midfielder believes her loan spell at the Dundee club will bring her on as a player – which she can then use to stake her claim at Aberdeen next season.
While she is on loan at Dryburgh, Innes will still be keen to impress the Dons co-managers as she will train with her parent club twice a week.
Innes said: “It’s quite challenging when you’re not getting game time, but I’m still young, so I keep working hard in training and now I’ve had the opportunity to go out on loan.
“Dryburgh is a couple leagues below SWPL 1, but that’s not what matters to me. I just want to play, that’s the most important thing.
“I wanted to be back out on the pitch and that’s what Dryburgh can offer.
“The loan is to help me develop as a player, both technically and mentally – like my confidence.
“It’s a move good move for me, personally, to enable myself to come back to Aberdeen and get back playing in the team.”
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