Aberdeen Women will make the journey south to play Spartans in the hope of making it three wins in a row in SWPL1.
The Dons have picked up a respectable six points from three fixtures and will be looking to maintain their winning streak against the Edinburgh side.
Despite the impressive return of points, Aberdeen co-manager Emma Hunter insists her side must improve to compete with the best teams in the league.
Hunter’s side have put in decent performances to pick up points, but have struggled to make the most of chances in the final third.
The team have been without last season’s top goalscorer Bayley Hutchison, as well as captain, Kelly Forrest.
Other notable players, Amy Strath, Chloe Gover and Francesca Ogilvie, have also been missing from matchday squads.
🔴 We made it back to back wins in SWPL1 with Louise Brown's first half strike giving us victory over Hamilton Accies.
📰 Read all about it in our match report
➡️ https://t.co/Aw5wtbKgk4 pic.twitter.com/OSVlTKy43B— Aberdeen FC Women (@AberdeenWomen) September 19, 2021
Hunter said: “It’s been a bit mixed this season in terms of performances. I thought we performed particularly well against Rangers and Celtic.
“Partick Thistle and Hamilton were similar in terms of we found a way to win, but probably not with the style of football that we associate ourselves with.
“That could be down to a lot of factors. Firstly, we’ve got a lot of injuries, so that plays a big part. Secondly, it’s maybe a little bit about the occasion of playing in SWPL1.
“The teams are stepping up and now the expectations are a lot higher. The teams in the league are good squads, so it’s maybe difficult for us to control the game for the length of time we want to.”
Spartans challenge
Aberdeen will be in for a difficult game against Spartans as they have become an established squad in SWPL1.
The Edinburgh side finished fourth in SWPL1 last season behind only the three professional sides, Glasgow City, Rangers and Celtic.
However, the Dons previously beat Spartans in a Scottish Cup fixture two years ago when Aberdeen were playing in SWFL Division One North, two tiers below SWPL1.
Aberdeen won 2-1 that day with the goals being scored by Hutchison and Gover, two players that could make their comeback from injury in the SWPL1 fixture.
Hunter knows that her side will have to step up to the challenge against Spartans and put in a more assured performance to take the three points back to Aberdeen.
She said: “Spartans are one of those teams that we need to match against and get the points and achieve our goal. It’ll be a big game, but I think it will also be a very tight game with probably only one or two goals in it.
“I think we just want to put in a better performance to control the game and see longer spells of us playing the style of football that people know we can play.
“That is what we’re aiming to do, but ultimately, when you get to this level, the points are what is important.
“We are aiming to control the game a little bit more and be a bit better in the final third creating more opportunities. I think that is going to be important and also creating more opportunities as well.”
#SWPL | As we head to this Sunday's @SWPL action, here's a reminder of the current tables ⬇
Find all the upcoming fixtures on our website ➡ https://t.co/GmiYXWKs60 pic.twitter.com/FEAmKRWdZJ
— Scottish Women's Premier League (@SWPL) September 23, 2021
Louise Brown scored her first goal for the Dons in their 1-0 victory over Hamilton Accies and hopes that she can add to her tally against Spartans, a side that she has previously played against with her old team Buchan.
She said: “The goal definitely gives you a confidence boost. I feel like I’ve got my head up more in training and knowing that I am good enough for this.
“We’ve been more intense in training and working on agility, so we’re expecting a sharp quick game. It’s going to be a challenge to match up to Spartans, but we’re ready to face it.
“I’m always looking for another goal and working on my press as well. There’s a few things I’ve been working on in training and trying to improve on. which is my main goal, but scoring another goal would be great.”
Sponsor support
Aberdeen women announced long-time sponsors Boskalis Subsea Services will continue to back the squad in SWPL1.
The partnership will allow Aberdeen to continue to invest in the development of women’s football in the local area.
Aberdeen FC commercial director Rob Wicks is delighted that Boskalis have extended their sponsorship.
He said: “The financial contribution from Boskalis Subsea Services over the past two seasons has been invaluable and their support has enabled the club to continue to make much‐needed investment in the women’s team, both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
“SWPL1 will be fiercely competitive, and we look forward to further building our relationship with Boskalis Subsea Services. They recognise the importance of women’s football and have a desire to play a major part in increasing both visibility and accessibility around the game.”
