Aberdeen Women manager Clint Lancaster hailed his side’s character after the Dons fought back from 2-0 down to beat Dundee United 4-3 in the SWPL.
Dundee United took a quickfire 2-0 lead at Balmoral Stadium with Morgan Steedman bagging her brace with goals in the 13th and 16th minute.
It continued to be a frantic start as Dons forward Bayley Hutchison scored her 15th league goal of the season to half the deficit only a minute after after United had doubled their lead.
United had their third in the 34th minute when captain Rachel Todd dispatched a penalty – conceded by Keeley Banfield – into the bottom left corner to make it 3-1.
A superb Aberdeen free-kick whipped in by Francesca Ogilvie down the right flank was met by the head of Madison Finnie in the 68th minute which made it 3-2.
The Dons were awarded a penalty following a handball from a corner and skipper Hannah Stewart stepped up for the spot-kick and found the back of the net to pull the home side level with 13 minutes left.
And deep into injury time, Aberdeen found the winner as Eilidh Shore stabbed the ball home from close range following a corner.
Lancaster bemoaned his side’s poor first-half performance after going into the interval 3-1 down, but hailed their character and resilience to complete the comeback and secure a vital league win.
He said: “We were disappointed with the manner of the goals we conceded in the first half. I thought they were sloppy goals and the penalty was lazy, but it was a penalty.
“I was far from happy at half-time. We made a few changes and brought Darcie Miller on and she just brings us loads of energy up front.
“We showed great character to come back and win the game in the end. It just goes to show we have got players that will not give up. They won’t give in.
“They didn’t give in even though at times in the first half we lost our heads and just didn’t look like the Aberdeen that I have been working with all season and they got told that at half-time.
“I didn’t go easy on them and it was a bit off a wake-up call for them. It shows great character to come back from 2-0 down.”
Aberdeen made two changes from last week’s defeat to Hearts with Chloe Gover and Hannah Innes dropping to the bench in place of Keira MacPherson and Jess Broadrick, who was making her first start November 26.
The Dons boss was happy to have Broadrick back involved after a lengthy period out due to health reasons.
Lancaster said: “It is typical that we get Jess back, but now we’ve lost Chloe Gover and also have Lois Edwards out.
“It is great to have Jess back. She did well today. She wasn’t at her best in the first half, but she hasn’t played in a long time and we expected that – then we switched to a back four and that helped her.
“It gave her more time on the ball playing right of the back four, whereas, in the left at the back three it was difficult and she was under pressure.
“Jess is consistent when she is fully fit. She is brilliant.
“It has been a really difficult last few weeks for Jess because she has been wanting to get back playing, but she has had to just watch on in training – so, it is great to have her back in.”
The other results
Caley Thistle suffered a third consecutive defeat in the SWF Championship after a 4-2 loss at home to Renfrew.
Karen Mason’s side had taken the lead after 12 minutes at Millburn Academy through Iona MacArthur, before Claire Rae levelled the scoring for the visitors only four minutes later.
Renfrew took the lead after 50 minutes through Holly McIndoe, before Niamh Kinsella doubled the away side’s advantage to make it 3-1 in the 53rd minute.
Betty Ross got a goal back for ICT in the 79th minute for 3-2, but any hope of getting back into the game was quashed when McIndoe bagged her brace and made it 4-2 two minutes later.
Elsewhere in the Championship, Westhill side Westdyke were beaten 2-1 by Dryburgh Athletic at home, with Kayleigh Traynor netting their only goal.
In the SWFL North, Inverurie Locos kept up their 100% record and extended their lead at the top of the table to nine points after being Grampian 4-0 at Harlaw Park.
The other fifth-tier results were: Westdyke Thistle 2-4 Buchan, Elgin City 4-2 Huntly, Dyce 1-1 Stonehaven and Arbroath 4-5 Dryburgh Athletic.
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