After being knocked out of the Scottish Cup, Aberdeen Women must now aim to finish the league as best as they possibly can.
But it can already be said their first SWPL 1 campaign, after a three-year absence, has been one with more highs than lows.
Just a few examples include an impressive 1-0 win against one of Scotland’s most decorated teams, a five-game winning run and playing in front of almost 2,000 fans at Pittodrie.
Their current league position is another good indication of this year’s success, as Aberdeen currently sit in fifth on 26 points.
With six games to go, the race for fifth is well and truly on as they are just two points above Spartans in sixth – and with a game in hand. But even a push for fourth is realistic as the Reds are just six points behind Hibernian.
Upon their return to the top flight, Aberdeen have managed to consolidate themselves as a real threat, having beaten every SWPL 1 team in the league or the cup – other than the top three.
In the cup competitions, the Dons reached the quarter-finals of both the SWPL Cup and Scottish Women’s Cup.
For a team that was playing in Scotland’s third-tier in 2019, a possible top-half finish and two decent cup runs are quite the achievements.
There have been low points that included a six-game winless run and heavy defeats to Rangers and Glasgow City, but I imagine those kinds of hiccups would have been expected.
And with less than six weeks until the season ends, there are plenty more opportunities to add to the list of positives.
An exciting finish to the season
Out of their six remaining games, the Dons will come up against four of the teams they have beaten this season: Hearts, Motherwell, Hibs and Partick Thistle.
The Reds did record disappointing defeats against Hearts and Motherwell in the first round of fixtures, but I reckon that the 4-3 loss against the Women of Steel changed the trajectory of their season for the better.
They seemed to have learned from that game – where they went 3-0 down in 12 minutes – and lost just two of their next eight fixtures after the defeat in Lanarkshire.
The co-managers credited a change in mindset, and their side have certainly implemented all kinds of learnings on the pitch over the course of the season.
Aberdeen should fancy their chances at picking up all 12 points that are up for grabs against those four teams, but even six would be enough for me to think they have fifth place in the bag.
Their other two fixtures will be clashes against the top two: Glasgow City and Rangers.
I’m sure Emma Hunter and Gavin Beith will go in to those games hoping for a result, but games against that kind of opposition is often more about showcasing improvements.
The Dons have conceded 15 goals in their last two encounters against Glasgow City and, in their final meeting of the season, they should hope to prove they are better than previous results would suggest.
Meanwhile, the last game against Rangers has given Aberdeen a platform to show that they are capable of competing against the top teams.
And, though it ended in defeat, their united performance was one of the best I had seen all season with their club motto ‘One Team’ clearly showcased on the pitch.
Ending the season on a high feels vital for what could be a transformative summer for the club and the women’s game, as all of the teams prepare for life as part of the SPFL.
There is a clearer vision now of what next year will look like with the structure being confirmed as a 12-team top-flight that will split in to the top and bottom six after each side has played 22 games.
It’s set to be a more competitive league going forward, and to go into the new era of women’s football off the back of a successful season, it can only stand Aberdeen in good stead.
