Gavin Levey has praised Aberdeen Women winger Chloe Gover after she went in goals against Rangers.
Annalisa McCann sustained an injury in the warm-up at Broadwood Stadium, and as the Dons are without a reserve keeper, she was replaced by Gover five minutes before kick-off.
The odds were already stacked against Aberdeen, coming up against the reigning league champions on a Wednesday night when many of the Dons players had been at work, university or school earlier in the day.
And although Aberdeen were beaten 4-1, with Eilidh Shore scoring the Dons’ first-ever SWPL 1 goal against Rangers, Levey was impressed with how his players rose to the challenging circumstances in Glasgow.
Levey said: “We are where we are with our goalkeeper situation at the minute, so Chloe was always going to be on standby if there was an emergency.
“Chloe only just managed to get the bus after her work to travel down with the team and then goes in goals when Annalisa had a bit of an injury scare. It was a great commitment from her.
“With Chloe, you always know she is going to go in and do her best for the team, which is what she did – and the rest of the team got behind her.
“Our goalkeeping coach Matthew Mackie deserves credit too because he stood in the stand behind the goal and talked Chloe through the game, which made a massive difference.
“The circumstances were difficult and we were low in numbers but I said to the girls ‘we can either be the victim and be backed in a corner or come out fighting’ and we went out and did really well.”
Dons want to add another keeper to compete with McCann
The Dons have been without another goalkeeper since Aaliyah-Jay Meach left the club, and Levey admits the situation against Rangers has highlighted the need to bring in a shot-stopper.
He said: “It’s not been for a lack of trying, we have been in the process just now of trying to recruit in that area.
“Annalisa has done well, certainly since I’ve come in, but you need someone else – not just as a back-up for her but somebody who can come in push and challenge for that position.
“We had someone lined up the other week and that didn’t work out. Goalkeepers want to play and if you’re trying to loan someone from another club, it’s difficult when Annalisa has been doing so well.
“I’m not somebody who is going to lie to someone and tell them they’ll start every game just so they’ll sign come in and for us.
“We do have options – we’ve got the under-18s and the goalkeepers with the national performance squads but with circumstances like a midweek game where you’re not getting in until 2am, it’s difficult for bringing in young players.”
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