Gavin Levey says Aberdeen Women are getting to “where they should be” following a 2-0 win over Hamilton Accies in SWPL 1.
Aberdeen were lively in the first half at Balmoral Stadium and deservedly went into the break 1-0 up as Hannah Stewart scored her first SWPL 1 goal of the campaign in the 44th minute, with a header from a corner.
It was a good contest in the second half, with fewer chances than the first, but the Dons doubled their advantage after the hour mark with Bayley Hutchison getting her fifth of the season.
The 2-0 win means Aberdeen climb out the SWPL 1 relegation zone for the first time since August, sitting ninth on 11 points, and are now unbeaten in four games over all competitions.
Levey is pleased to see progress is paying dividends with more points on the board.
The interim coach said: “We’re getting to where we should be – and that’s higher up the table.
“It’s where the girls deserve to be based on the quality we have within the team, so it’s a result that we’re all very happy with.
“We showed we could do different things. We were good off the ball and aggressive going forward. I thought we played well – especially in the first half.
“It’s what we keep saying, but we just have to keep building now and we’ll get back to training this week ahead of another important game against a good Hearts side.
“Our confidence is high, and before Hamilton we said we wanted to enjoy it and maybe try to take that pressure away from a match-day and go out and play like we train.
“The training is getting better every week and it’s being reflected here during a match.”
Encouraging start from Dons
Chloe Gover registered the first shot and although it was straight at keeper Chloe Nicolson, it was good play as Aberdeen hit Accies on the break from a corner, with Stewart linking up with Hutchison who then found Gover.
The next attempt fell to Francesca Ogilvie who unleashed a powerful strike from 30 yards, which was just too high and dropped onto the roof of the net.
Although Accies were finding their way into the game, Aberdeen looked the more likely with Eilidh Shore, who returned to the squad after illness, playing a superb ball through to Stewart in the box, but Nicolson was out to collect from the forward’s feet.
Hamilton’s best chance came as Olivia Potter got the better of Nadine Hanssen and hit a great shot from 20 yards out that Dons keeper Annalisa McCann matched with a good diving stop.
The Dons were inches away from going ahead five minutes before half-time after Hutchison whipped the ball in to the box – that would only would’ve needed the slightest of touches at the back post but Bailley Collins couldn’t connect.
Aberdeen went into the break 1-0 up as Stewart found the back of the net as she connected with a Gover corner from close range, right on the stroke of half-time.
Hutchison adds the second
It had been a more even second half, but Hamilton were almost gifted an equaliser on the 59th minute as Tara McGonigle sliced the ball across the face of goal from the left, which McCann fumbled, but it was eventually cleared.
But on the 61st minute, Aberdeen doubled their lead as Hutchison finished off a superb move from inside the box, after Gover had launched the ball forward well within the Dons’ own half.
Hamilton stepped it up a gear in search of a goal with Josi Giard going closest in the dying minutes but the Dons were able to hold on for a big win and their second clean sheet in as many games.
Levey added: “We could have maybe shut up shop and just taken 2-0, but we still thought near the end we had more goals in us.
“That probably meant the second half was a bit more open and Hamilton tried to hit us a bit more directly, but coming into the game the clean sheet was so, so important.”
The north results in SWF leagues…
In the SWF Championship, Caley Thistle were beaten 4-3 away to Renfrew, while in League One, Westdyke were held to a 1-1 draw with Falkirk at Lawsondale.
The new fifth-tier, Biffa SWFL North, kicked off with Huntly hosting Inverurie Locos at Christie Park, where 563 fans watched on, but it ended in defeat for the Black and Golds, as it finished 1-0 to Locos.
Not bad for a first game in the @BiffaSWFL North Region League pic.twitter.com/5xaFZ7Z3WE
— Huntly FC Women (@HuntlyFCWomen) January 15, 2023
In the same division, Dyce Women marked their competitive debut with a 1-0 win over Stonehaven at Ian Mair Park, while Buchan beat Westdyke Thistle 7-4.