In a far from ideal start to 2022, Aberdeen Women’s Eilidh Shore knows her team will support each other no matter what they come up against, on and off the pitch.
The Dons were due to kick off the calendar year in a third round Scottish Cup tie at Glasgow Women, but the game was postponed due to Covid-19 and injuries affecting the availability of players.
It’s the first Aberdeen game of the season to be affected by Covid-19, an occurrence that Shore hopes will be the last.
However, as Covid-19 put a temporary halt to the Dons SWPL 2 title-winning season last year – Shore knows first hand that playing football in the current climate comes with a degree of uncertainty.
But the midfielder insists her side will stick together and continue as normal as best they can in preparation for a return to competitive action.
“It’s a frustrating one for us, but we’ve just got to focus on the league games coming up now, starting at Spartans next week,” Shore said.
“There’s always the possibility that this could happen but we will take it how it comes.
“You can’t predict if Covid will or won’t affect games, so we just keep our focus on our next game and that’s the best way we can go about it, we absolutely stick together.
“This is a period of time where most cases have been coming about, but for those who can, we’re still going to be training as we are and hopefully playing our matches.
“And if anyone in the team is having to isolate and be by themselves, then we’re here to support each other and help one another get through it.”
Ever-present on the pitch
Shore is one of only two players, the other being defender Loren Campbell, to have played in all of Aberdeen’s games so far this season.
The midfielder has started each of their 16 fixtures in all competitions, and has completed the full 90 minutes in every appearance.
Her performances have rightly garnered praise along the way, including a SWPL 1 Player of the Month nomination back in October.
And while she has appreciated the recognition, Shore insists that her priority is always how she can help the team, something she looks to keep doing in 2022.
She said: “I always want to contribute in any way I can whether it be goals or assists, I just want to help the team win games.
“It’ll be important to try and keep fit for the whole season and be consistent with performances.
“But, if I contribute with more goals and assists then I’m happy with that.”
Before the winter break, Shore’s partnership with Bayley Hutchison proved valuable to the Dons, as she assisted three of Hutchison’s four goals in as many games.
🤝⚽️ @bayleyhutchison https://t.co/FesiclEMcf
— Eilidh Shore (@EilidhShore) November 22, 2021
Hutchison’s return in front of goal will have made her a serious contender for December’s SWPL 1 Player of the Month, and Shore is happy to have played her part in the striker’s fine run of form.
The midfielder added: “We’re all just working for each other, it’s a team game.
“You want the team to do well, rather than just you as an individual and if it means me helping assist other players achieve their goals and helping us win games, that’s the main thing.”
