Aberdeen Women suffered their third successive SWPL 1 defeat, as they were beaten 2-1 by Dundee United – who now leapfrog the Dons in the table.
At a cold, wet and windy Balmoor Stadium, Dundee United went 1-0 up after 17 minutes when Tammy Harkin headed home at the back post following a corner.
United doubled their advantage on 55 minutes as Danni McGinley scored from a free-kick, although she was aided by a mistake from Dons goalkeeper Annalisa McCann.
Hannah Stewart pulled one back from the penalty spot for Aberdeen with minutes left on the clock, but it proved just to be a consolation.
Dons put on lacklustre display in Peterhead
The visiting side’s opener came after the Dons had seen plenty of the ball but had been unable to trouble Fiona McNicoll in the United goal, while, at the other end, McCann had been tested by Georgie Robb within the opening 10 minutes.
Aberdeen offered little response after going behind, with things not seeming to click in attack, and no red shirt able to connect with an inviting ball sent into the box by skipper Loren Campbell.
Francesca Ogilvie had a half-chance when the ball ricocheted off Donna Paterson and found its way to the striker’s feet, but she scooped her shot up and McNicoll collected it.
Ex-Aberdeen midfielder Natasha Bruce then conceded a free-kick 30 yards out for a foul on Ogilvie, but Bailley Collins, who has scored from a similar range this term, couldn’t lift the ball over the wall.
It had been below-par display from the Dons during the first 45 minutes, especially going forward, which prompted interim coach Gavin Levey to bring striker Stewart on for Mya Christie at the interval.
There was more urgency from Aberdeen at the start of the second-half, but it was Dundee United who had the first opportunity to score, with Harkin sent clear through by ex-Don Johan Fraser, before scuffing her shot out wide.
The away side threatened again when their captain McGinley took the ball down to the byline before squaring to Harkin, whose shot was cleared off the line by Jess Broadrick.
It was 2-0 in the 55th minute as United won a free-kick 20 yards out, which McGinley took and hit at straight at McCann, who read it wrong and bundled it into the back of the net.
Levey made another sub after an hour, with Eva Thomson coming on for her first game since December 4 as Nadine Hanssen left the pitch after picking up a knock.
The Dons were awarded their penalty in the 88th minute after the referee penalised Claire Delworth for a handball, with Stewart stepping up to bury the spot-kick to make it 2-1.
Following the penalty incident, for which she was shown a yellow card, Delworth was sent off for United after knocking the ball out of an Aberdeen player’s hands as they went to take a throw.
But the Dons were unable to press home their player advantage in the final moments.
The clash had been a chance for Dons to move further away from the foot of the top-flight table, but it was a night to forget at Balmoor.
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