Gavin Levey says “the better team won” as Aberdeen Women finished the SWPL 1 season with a 3-0 defeat against Motherwell.
It had been a fairly even encounter at K-Park, but it was Motherwell who took the lead after 55 minutes through a Carla Boyce strike, before Kaela McDonald-Nguah doubled the Women of Steel’s lead on 74 minutes.
Motherwell wrapped up the win with a third goal when Lori Gardner got her name on the scoresheet with five minutes left on the clock.
Despite the defeat in South Lanarkshire, Aberdeen finish the season in ninth on 30 points, after Dundee United drew 1-1 with Hamilton Accies to remain in 10th.
Levey, who was in the dugout for his final game as interim manager, said: “These last two games we’ve been safe, and whilst we wanted to win them, they presented two different challenges.
“Over the piece today, the better team won.
“I thought in the first half we didn’t take our chances, but I was still quite happy with it at half-time – and then we lose goals which come from our own little errors.
“When I look at the Motherwell squad and the experience they have and then our backline with Loren (Campbell), who is retiring, and then the three teenagers, it was always going to be tough.
“I do think we gave a good account of ourselves, but Motherwell ran over the top of us towards the end.”
After his final game in charge following a six-month interim spell, Levey said he has learned a lot.
He added: “This has been a chapter of my own career that has given me something different – it’s been a different kind of leadership and coaching role.
“I’ve never fully experienced, or fully appreciated, a role like this and what goes on.
“It’s fine when you’re helping out, but when you’re on the touchline and preparing week in and week out, that carries a different type of pressure and a different type of management style.
“I’ve loved the challenge of it and how the girls have responded.”
Goalless at half-time but Motherwell net three in second half
Levey made three changes from last weekend’s defeat to Hamilton Accies. Mya Christie, Millie Urquhart and Hannah Stewart came in for Jess Broadrick – who was suspended – Donna Paterson and Chloe Gover.
Aberdeen goalkeeper Annalisa McCann was called into action early to deny a Kayla Jardine free-kick, while at the other end Bayley Hutchison saw her shot from a well-worked move hit the side-netting.
A last-ditch Lauren Doran-Barr interception denied Bailley Collins being clear through on goal after the midfielder linked up with Hutchison.
The home side had the ball in the back of the net after 24 minutes when Chelsie Watson headed home from another Jardine free-kick, but she was flagged offside.
Motherwell then went close after Hutchison lost the ball in the middle of the park to Watson, who found Amy Anderson. She saw her effort from a couple yards out saved by an alert McCann, though, who pushed the ball on to the post.
Former Aberdeen Ladies goalkeeper Emily Mutch was let off after a Motherwell mix-up at the back gifted the Dons a shot, but Stewart’s strike went well wide of the target.
In the second half, Motherwell’s Boyce registered the first shot after she got the better of Campbell, but her strike was right down the throat of McCann.
Eilidh Shore did well to create space for herself to unleash a powerful strike from 30 yards out which went just over the bar and landed on the roof of the net.
The home side then took the lead almost immediately as Boyce latched on to an Aberdeen defensive mistake and hit a strike on the half-volley which dropped into the back of the net for 1-0.
Minutes after coming on, Chloe Gover went close to equalising for Aberdeen as Ogilvie squared the ball to the substitute just inside the box, but her strike was too high.
Millie Urquhart burst forward from defence to start Aberdeen’s attack and did well to find Francesca Ogilvie, but her effort, albeit from a tight angle, was too tame to trouble Mutch.
It was 2-0 with 16 minutes left to play after the Dons failed to clear their lines from a corner and allowed substitute McDonald-Nguah to score with an overhead kick at the back post.
Gardner made it 3-0 with a low right-footed finish which she buried into the bottom corner after a well-worked move where she linked with McDonald-Nguah and Tiree Burchill.
The other north results
In their last game of the SWF Championship season, Caley Thistle beat Hutchison Vale 4-1 in Edinburgh.
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