Aberdeen’s preparation for the upcoming SWPL2 season continued today as the were defeated 4-0 by SWPL1 side Hibernian at Cormack Park. Dons’ co-managers Emma Hunter and Stuart Bathgate reflected on the match and how they have been preparing for the season amid Covid restrictions.

Emma was happy with how her team performed against a Hibs side which included Scotland internationals Joelle Murray and Rachael Boyle.

“We always thought this was going to be a tough game but it was game that we wanted to play because it’s the type of match we want to be playing every week. We played really well in the first half and held them out and pressed them high on the ball whilst being tight at the back. I thought the girls put in a really good shift the whole game and they tired towards the end.

“We’ve not had the best of starts with lockdown restrictions meaning we couldn’t train as much as we would want to. I’m really proud of the team today because Hibs are one of top teams in Scotland and we are still a young team with a lot of teenagers that still have a lot to learn. I’m looking forward to the next friendly against Forfar and then getting the season started”.

Co-manager Stuart was equally pleased with how his side approached the game. “It was good to get some minutes into the players legs, that’s something we’ve been looking to do for a while now. I’m really proud of the effort and work rate of the players in a game that was always going to tough. Those are the games we want to play in and there were lots of positives in terms of our ball retention and things we’ve been working on so we’ll take the positives and move on to next week”.

The match against Hibs was the Dons first friendly following a bounce match against Dundee United last weekend. The first half was a competitive affair with both midfields battling for control of the ball in the early stages.

Bayley Hutchison fired an early long range shot wide for the Dons whilst Gail Gilmour in the home goal comfortably fielded a Siobhan Hunter free-kick as the visitors got their first attempt on target.

There wasn’t a lot of clear-cut chances in the opening half of match with most of the action coming in the middle third of park. The visitors took the lead on the half hour mark as a powerful shot from the edge of the box beat Gilmour for the opener.

Aberdeen’s best opening came as Francesca Ogilvie’s angled cross found Johan Fraser in area but she couldn’t quite get the ball down to have a shot.

There was more in the way of goal mouth action in the second period as the experience of the top flight side began to tell. Kirsty Morrison rounded Gilmour five minutes after the restart but she could only find the side netting with her right foot shot.

The visitors doubled their lead on 54 minutes from a corner kick. Boyle’s corner from the right evaded everyone in the middle of the penalty box before landing at the feet of the unmarked Hunter who smashed home a low shot.

The Dons tried to rally with Hutchison winning possession high up the field before seeing her goal bound effort blocked. The visitors always looked dangerous however with Carla Boyce hitting the post just after the hour.

It was 3-0 minutes later as former Dons player Boyle got on the end of a deflected cross to head home from close range. Both teams made substitutions in the second period to give as many players some pre-season minutes as possible.

Hibs completed the scoring with fifteen minutes remaining as Amy Gallacher prodded home a neat shot from inside the penalty area. Aberdeen nearly got themselves a deserved consolation as they twice went close late on.

Hutchison saw her shot blocked on the line after she had created some space for herself in the Hibs penalty area. Then a good run down the left by Francesca Ogilvie saw her get on the end of a ball over the top of the Hibs backline. Ogilvie’s cross found Eilidh Shore in the area but she was was unable to find the target as her side-footed effort flashed wide and the game ended 4-0 to the visitors.

The Dons preparation continues next week in a friendly against Forfar and co-managers Bathgate and Hunter were asked after the game about how the Covid restrictions have impacted AFC Women.

Bathgate was keen to praise the positivity of his players. “It’s a massive change for everybody and it’s not the way that we want to be preparing for our football but everybody is in the same boat and we’ll have to adapt and make the most of it. We’ll look to find some new and different things in how we build up to a game. It’s a challenge but the main thing is the attitude of the players and the positivity of them being back together as a group and although it’s a challenge it’s one that we’ll face head on”.

Hunter also praised the players attitude as she described the challenge that comes with the ‘new normal’. “It’s been so difficult. I don’t think we’ll take any for granted again if we ever get chance to back to normal. Just the way you prepare for the game is different, the build up to the game is different and it makes it really different to meet up as a group in the way we used to.

It’s the same for every squad but it’s going to be difficult to adapt for this season. It’s a huge, huge challenge for example, the fact that we aren’t able to do strength and conditioning training at the moment made a massive difference to us today, so that’s something that we need to find maybe an innovate way to address”.

ABERDEEN

Gail GILMOUR (Anna BLANCHARD 66 mins)
Loren CAMPBELL
Jessica BROADRICK
Amy STRATH
Francesca OGILVIE
Eilidh SHORE
Chloe GOVER (c) (Zoe JOHNSTONE 66 mins)
Jenna PENMAN
Johan FRASER (Bailley COLLINS 66mins)
Eva THOMSON
Bayley HUTCHISON