Gavin Levey described Aberdeen Women’s 2-1 win over Hamilton Accies as “huge” as the Dons moved five points clear of the SWPL 1 relegation zone.
After a dominant first half at Balmoral Stadium, the Dons went ahead on 40 minutes through Bayley Hutchison’s header – the forward’s eighth SWPL 1 goal this season.
Second-half substitute Eva Thomson scored her first goal of the campaign when she made it 2-0 with her first touch of the game in the 58th minute.
But it was a nervy final 15 minutes, after Hannah Coakley pulled a goal back for Hamilton with their first shot of the game.
The win increases 10th-placed Aberdeen’s advantage over 11th-placed Hamilton to five points ahead of the Dons’ midweek clash against Dundee United – who are ninth, but have the same amount of points as the Reds (21).
Aberdeen interim manager Levey was delighted to secure a vital top-flight win, but admits it should have been with a bigger margin of victory after a commanding display.
Levey said: “It’s a huge win. The atmosphere all week has been great, the girls were so eager to get going and they showed that on the pitch – they were in total control.
“It was a really impressive performance until Hamilton managed to get a goal, which was their first chance of the game.
“We needed to be a bit more clinical in the final third. We could’ve scored a few more. But the outcome of the game is exactly what we’ve been looking for.”
Aberdeen take ‘total control’ against Accies
There had been chances aplenty for Aberdeen throughout the first-half, with Chloe Gover hitting a shot wide, Collins hitting a strike from distance and Nadine Hanssen heading over being the most notable effort.
Aberdeen deservedly took the lead on 40 minutes when Francesca Ogilvie found Hutchison unmarked in the box and the forward headed goalward. Accies goalkeeper Chloe Nicolson did well to get down and get a hand to the ball, but referee Joel Kennedy adjudged it had crossed the line.
It should’ve been 2-0 right on the stroke of half-time as Ogilvie unleased a fantastic curling effort from just inside the box, but she was denied by the fingertips of the outstretched Hamilton goalkeeper.
The Dons’ first-half performance was one of their best displays all season, and Levey is glad to see the squad’s hard work in training start to translate to a match-day.
He added: “We were so comfortable in the game, because we’re fitter and stronger – and that comes down to how the girls train.
“We’re moving the ball much better in the big areas and you could see that against Hamilton.
“As the game develops, we make some changes and it’s tougher conditions with the wind, but the way we played in the first half was us in total control and we probably should’ve been more than 1-0 up at half-time.”
Super-sub Thomson doubles Dons’ lead
In the second half, it looked like the Dons were about to double their advantage after some neat play from Eilidh Shore sent Hutchison through on goal, but she was flagged offside.
There were two changes for Aberdeen on 56 minutes as Ogilvie and Collins made way for Thomson and Mya Christie.
And with her first touch of the game, Thomson scored the Dons’ second of the afternoon after Aberdeen hit Accies on the break after a corner. Hutchison played a superb ball to switch the play and find the substitute, who slotted home from inside the box.
There was a debut senior appearance for AFC Ladies under-18s defender Aimee Black when she entered the fray after 75 minutes for Gover.
It took until the 76th minute for Accies to register their first effort on target, as Coakley found the back of the net with a header from a corner.
Christie then went so close to restoring Aberdeen’s two-goal advantage after Thomson did well to find the winger in space, but her effort was tipped on to the bar by Nicolson.
The Balmoral Stadium crowd thought Hutchison had scored her second of the day and had made it 3-1 in the closing stages, as she turned in the box and unleashed a vicious strike – but it crashed into the side-netting.
The other north results
Caley Thistle Women missed out on a place in the top half of the SWF Championship split, after they were beaten 5-2 by Ayr United.
The defeat leaves Karen Mason’s side in fifth, nine points behind Ayr in fourth, with only two games left to play before the league breakaway.
In SWF League One, Westdyke dropped down to fourth after drawing 2-2 with Stenhousemuir, who leapfrog the Westdyke outfit into third.
In Biffa SWFL North, Inverurie extended their advantage in second as they beat Stonehaven 1-0, while Huntly defeated north-east rivals Dyce 2-1 at Ian Mair Park to move into fourth.
Buchan remain at the foot of the table after a 8-1 loss to leaders Forfar Farmington, while Westdyke Thistle sit ninth after their 3-1 defeat against Glenrothes Strollers.
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