Aberdeen Women manager Clint Lancaster hailed his side’s 3-0 win over Spartans as their best performance of the season so far.
At Ainslie Park, Hannah Stewart gave Aberdeen the lead after 18 minutes before Bayley Hutchison added another only two minutes later.
Hutchison got her second of the day on 58 minutes – her fifth goal in as many games – to make it 3-0, which secured a comfortable victory for Lancaster’s side.
The win is the Dons’ third from five games in SWPL this season, with two of those victories coming on the road, and a first clean sheet this term.
Lancaster believes Aberdeen ran out deserved winners in Edinburgh.
He said: “I’m delighted. I think that’s the best we’ve played so far this season, and this is not an easy place to come.
“There will be plenty teams who struggle here this season because on their day Spartans are a very good team, but we got the better of them.
“We managed the game well, and everything we worked on in training we took into this game.
“We knew we could cause them some problems. The way in which we played our football technically was outstanding.
“If we couldn’t go forward then we worked from the back, and then found the right times to hit Bayley and Hannah. They were both fantastic today, but I just think all round we were brilliant.”
Lancaster was also pleased with the defensive display at Ainslie Park, as the Reds secured their first clean sheet of the season.
He added: “I’m so proud of the back three today and Faye (Kirby). They have all been unbelievable all season.
“Our defenders are young and they’re coming up against such experienced players, but are dealing with it so well. It’s a well deserved clean sheet.”
Aberdeen sink Spartans with convincing win
Lancaster made one change from last weekend’s defeat to Hearts, as Francesca Ogilvie came into the starting XI for Hannah Innes, who dropped to the bench.
It was the home side who started better as veteran striker Becky Galbraith went close to netting the opener inside the first five minutes, but was denied by the palms of goalkeeper Faye Kirby.
Aberdeen breathed a sigh of relief only seconds later, as Galbraith had the ball in the net from another close-range chance but she was called offside.
The Dons’ first opportunity came as Stewart burst forward and ran into the box, but she couldn’t keep her shot down and it soared over the bar.
Stewart did get her goal when she unleashed a long-range strike from 35 yards which dipped into the back of the net over Spartans goalkeeper Rachel Harrison to make it 1-0.
It was 2-0 only minutes later as Hutchison looked to one-up Stewart, who set her attacking partner up for the shot, as she hit a curling effort from the edge of the box which soared into the net.
☀️🤳
A successful day for our two strikers in the sun.#StandFree pic.twitter.com/idy31aJdoJ
— Aberdeen FC Women (@AberdeenWomen) September 3, 2023
Lancaster had to make an early substitution with Innes coming on in the 21st minute for teenage defender Aimee Black, who was unable to continue.
Jess Broadrick then moved into the back three, alongside Chloe Gover and Madison Finnie, while Innes came on to take Broadrick’s place on the wing.
There was an instant reaction from Spartans after going 2-0 down as Galbraith beat Finnie for pace and had a clear shot on goal, which she trailed wide of the post from inside the box.
It was almost a hat-trick of long-range strikes for Aberdeen as Gover hit a free-kick from 40 yards out which almost caught a back-pedaling goalkeeper Harrison out.
In the second half, Galbraith saw another goal, this time a header, chalked off for offside as it remained 2-0 to Aberdeen.
And right up the other end Hutchison got her second of the afternoon as she latched on to a superb long ball forward from Stewart and rolled it beyond Harrison to make it 3-0.
It proved to be a convincing victory for Aberdeen, who were able to cope with anything dangerous Spartans had to offer.
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