Aberdeen Women manager Clint Lancaster’s competitive tenure started on a a positive note as the Dons beat Motherwell 3-2 on the opening day of the SWPL season.
At Balmoral Stadium, Bayley Hutchison scored the first competitive goal for Lancaster’s Dons, with the forward netting in the 36th minute and again in first-half injury time to give her side a 2-0 lead at half-time.
It was 3-0 to Aberdeen following a Hannah Stewart goal in the 66th minute, but Motherwell pulled one back from the spot through Kaela McDonald-Nguah only three minutes later.
The match finished 3-2 as McDonald-Nguah netted deep into injury time – from the spot again, following a Chloe Gover handball.
Despite conceding two goals, the new Dons boss believes his side ran out deserved winners on opening day.
Lancaster said: “It’s massively important to start the season with a win.
“The fans who came to watch would have seen the intensity we played with. We wanted the ball back when we lost it, we were aggressive and the girls did everything we have worked on in training.
“For me, there was only one team out there who deserved to win.
“I know we conceded the two penalties, but that maybe comes from us just being too tight on the players.
“But the most important thing is getting the three points. I’m delighted with the win.”
The action at Balmoral Stadium
In his first competitive starting XI, Lancaster handed debuts to on-loan goalkeeper Faye Kirby and midfielder Laura Holden.
Meanwhile, a former Don lined up for Motherwell as Bailley Collins made her first competitive start for the Women of Steel against her former side.
The home side had the first chance off the game with captain Nadine Hanssen rising to meet Francesca Ogilvie’s corner, but her header was off target.
Aimee Black had a superb opening 15 minutes, with the 17-year-old Aberdeen defender making a vital last ditch block to deny Carla Boyce from getting a shot away after the Motherwell forward beat Madison Finnie.
It was Hutchison who netted the opener as Chloe Gover played a perfect pass through to the forward, who was composed and slotted the ball beyond Emily Mutch to make it 1-0.
The Dons then had a glorious chance to go 2-0 up on the stroke of half-time when Hutchison laid off Broadrick in the box, but she hesitated to take the shot and Mutch made the save.
It was 2-0 at the break, though, as Hanssen dinked a ball through to Hutchison in the box, with the forward’s first effort saved before she tapped home the rebound.
There was one change at half-time as midfielder Eva Thomson came on for Holden, who had picked up a knock in the first half.
Motherwell had the ball in the back of the net in the 47th minute after a scramble in the box following a corner, but the offside flag was up and it remained 2-0 to the Dons.
Goalkeeper Kirby had not had much to do all game, but was alert to punch the ball away from a dangerous corner swung in by Motherwell.
And her Motherwell counterpart Mutch had to do the same when Hutchison launched a free-kick forward from 40 yards out which clearly caught the goalkeeper off guard.
Stewart made it 3-0 when Thomson played her through on goal and she beat Hannah Cunningham for pace, burst into the box and buried the ball into the right corner.
Motherwell were awarded a penalty in the 69th minute and McDonald-Nguah pulled a goal back for the away side, despite Kirby being able to get a touch on the ball.
Hutchison should then have had her hat-trick as she burst forward, looking to capitalise on to a Motherwell mistake, but with only Mutch to beat, her shot was directed right at the goalkeeper, who made a comfortable save.
Dons goalscorer Stewart left the pitch injured following a poor challenge from Motherwell goalkeeper Mutch – with manager Lancaster booked in the aftermath.
McDonald-Nguah then scored a second penalty, awarded for handball, in the fifth minute of injury time – but it proved to be a consolation effort.
Lancaster heaped praise on his forwards at full-time, saying: “They were both outstanding, but we just need to make sure Hannah is okay after that challenge.
“We know what Bayley offers. She’s a real presence and her finishing one-v-one is outstanding.”
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