Aberdeen Women secured back-to-back wins for the first time this season by beating Dundee United 4-3 in a thrilling contest at Gussie Park.
The Dons deservedly took the lead after half an hour through Bayley Hutchison, who was making her 100th appearance for Aberdeen.
It was 2-0 only two minutes later, when Millie Urquhart, who assisted the opener, scored a superb half-volley which left Fiona McNicoll in the Dundee United goal with no chance.
United halved the deficit on the stroke of half-time when Danni McGinley stabbed the ball home from close-range, before Leigha Dobbins netted the equaliser in the 48th minute.
It was a night to remember for Urquhart as she scored her second of the night to restore Aberdeen’s lead in the 64th minute with another superb effort to beat McNicoll.
The Terrors got themselves level again in the 71st minute when Jade McLaren scored from inside the box with a right-footed half volley, but Hutchison netted the winner in the 86th minute to make it 4-3 and secure all three points for the Dons.
Aberdeen move up to ninth in SWPL 1, leapfrogging United, and are now eight points clear of the relegation zone.
Dons start well but United find way into the game
Gavin Levey made three changes from Sunday’s 2-1 win over Hamilton Accies, as Francesca Ogilvie, Chloe Gover and Bailley Collins dropped to the bench for Mya Christie, Eva Thomson and Donna Paterson.
Aberdeen started on the front foot and utilised both flanks, with Christie winning a corner down the left, before skipper Loren Campbell did the same on the right.
Dundee United keeper McNicoll made a good stop to deny Hutchison early on, as the forward directed a header on target after she was played through by a fantastic lofted ball from Campbell.
A Georgie Robb corner saw Dundee United send the ball into the box for the first time which didn’t trouble the Dons as Paterson cleared comfortably.
There was some good play from the Terrors as they kept the ball in Aberdeen’s half and Robb saw a shot trail wide of the post before Thomson had a powerful effort blocked at the other end.
There were forced changes for both sides as Claire Delworth had to make way for Dundee United and Broadrick for the Dons after a clash of heads. Collins entered the fray for the Aberdeen defender, while Dobbins came on for the Terrors.
After a lull in chances, Eilidh Shore tried her luck from 2o yards out after being laid off by substitute Collins, but it was saved by McNicoll.
The Dundee United goalkeeper made another good stop, but this time to deny Nadine Hanssen who did well to hit a curling effort on target just outside the crowded box.
And the opener came on 30 minutes when Urquhart, who had been superb down the right flank, passed the ball across the face of goal to find Hutchison, who turned and buried it into the bottom corner.
Urquhart got on the scoresheet only two minutes later as she caught the ball perfectly on the half-volley and sent it beyond McNicoll from the right-corner of the box to net her first Aberdeen.
It was 2-1 at the interval as Dundee United pulled a goal back after the Dons failed to fully clear a corner and McLaren was able to play McGinley through on goal to score from close-range.
Dundee United net quick equaliser
In the second half, Dundee United won an early corner and Annalisa McCann made a fantastic stop to tip McGinley’s header over the bar.
However, from the subsequent corner Dobbins equalised for the Terrors in the 48th minute with a curling strike into the top right corner.
There was an immediate response from Aberdeen as Collins forced an outstretched McNicoll to parry the ball, before substitute Hannah Stewart saw her rebound saved at the goalkeeper’s near post.
Dundee United should have been 3-2 up when Rachel Todd was one-v-one with McCann, but her strike came back off the far post much to Aberdeen’s relief.
It was Urquhart who put Aberdeen back in front in the 64th minute as she scored her second of the day, with an effort just as good as her first. The winger hit a looping effort from a tricky angle and it dropped into the back of the net.
Some good play from United saw them score their third as they pulled level again as McGinley sent in a superb ball into the middle of the box which McLaren finished with a right-footed effort beyond McCann.
It wasn’t over yet, though, as Hutchison marked her 100th Aberdeen appearance by netting her brace in the 86th minute as she poked the ball home from close-range, but she was aided by a Cassie Cowper deflection.
Conversation