Aberdeen Women forward Hannah Stewart keen for pivotal role after Spartans impact

Hannah Stewart hopes to reinforce her importance to the team after playing a part in all of Aberdeen Women’s goals in the 3-0 win over Spartans.

The forward netted the opener after 18 minutes at Ainslie Park with a strike from 35 yards out – which was her second goal of the season – before assisting both of Bayley Hutchison’s efforts.

Her second assist was particularly impressive as she launched a long ball forward from her own half which split the Spartans defence and teed Hutchison up for a simple finish.

After playing her part in the Dons’ convincing win in Edinburgh, Stewart hopes she can add more goals and assists to her tally throughout over the course of the campaign.

Stewart said: “I’ve got two goals for the season now and got a couple of assists against Spartans. It was a really pleasing day all round.

“My aim first and foremost this season was to get a solid start in the team.

“I feel like I’ve done that and have been able to cement my place, and now it’s about trying to add more goals and more assists to my game.

“I sat down with the manager and I know what my aims are for the season, so I feel like I’m well on my way.”

Stewart says Aberdeen Women are ‘only going to get better and better’

The win over Spartans was Aberdeen’s third from five games and their first clean sheet of the season.

Stewart believes the results so far have given the Dons, who now sit seventh in the SWPL table, a strong platform to build on.

She said: “It’s been a good start to the season.

“We knew it would be tough coming down to play against Spartans, but we stuck to our game plan and it went as well it could have.

“The girls deserve the win and the clean sheet.

“You can see the quality in the squad, and since Clint (Lancaster) has come in we’ve shored up the backline.

“If you had told us at the start of the season that we’d get nine points on the board at this point then we’d absolutely take it.

“There have been positives to take even from the games we’ve lost – we played some good football against Rangers and Hearts.

“We’ve all bought into the system Clint wants to play and you can see that every week.

“We’re only going to get better better, so it’s really exciting.”

Aberdeen return to SWPL action at home against Hamilton Accies – who are yet to pick up a point this term, having lost all five matches so far – on Sunday.

Stewart believes the Dons must grasp their chance and secure back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

She added: “The three points are definitely what we want to come away with. It’s a good chance for us to keep going and build on the momentum we’ve got.”