Francesca Ogilvie is enjoying being tested by the competition for places at Aberdeen Women, despite a spell of being in and out the team.
The 22-year-old Dons winger has started the last two matches, a defeat to Spartans in the Scottish Cup and a win in the SWPL against Montrose – and she netted the winner on Wednesday night in the 87th minute against the Angus side.
It was a much needed-win, with it being Aberdeen’s first league victory in six games and moves Clint Lancaster’s side six points clear in seventh place.
The Dons return to action on Sunday afternoon with an away trip to the Oriam to face sixth-placed Hearts.
And after being in and out of the team, with four of her 17 league appearances this season coming from the bench, Ogilvie is embracing the competition for places ahead of the trip to Edinburgh.
She said: “At the start of the season, we only had about 14 players so I wasn’t being challenged for a place in the starting line-up, but now I am.
“Now I’m being challenged and when I’m not performing, Clint drops me. It doesn’t matter that I’m vice-captain – that doesn’t mean I get to start every game.
“We have an understanding of what is expected from us, and I think being dropped has made me better for it and I’m now finding my form.
“There is more competition for places with the (four) new players coming in and that brings the standard up in training. Clint is very big on if you’re not performing in training then you’re not playing on a Sunday.
“The standard has gone up and so has the competition, which certainly isn’t a bad thing. The level of competition is healthy.”
Performances as well as goals the aim for Aberdeen Women’s Ogilvie
Ogilvie is enjoying working with new Norwegian winger Adele Lindbaek, with Lancaster sometimes rotating the duo on each flank.
She added: “I was having a joke with Clint if I was option number two and he was trying to find out which side Adele was best at, or if it was trying to see my best side.
“It has been really good to work with Adele. We sometimes double up in positions in training, so we have been together quite a lot and we sit next to each other in the changing rooms.
“We’ve had conversations about how we want to play together. We’re different players, although we’re both fast, I like to pass more and she likes to take players on more.”
After netting the winner on Wednesday night – which was her second SWPL goal of the season – Ogilvie is hoping to add more to her game over the rest of the campaign, but her main aim is to keep putting in good displays.
She said: “As a forward player you want assists and goals to be a part of your game as well as putting in good performances.
“In the recent run of games, I was dropped and coming on as a sub. I was struggling to find my form, but I had a good performance when I came on against Rangers and have started both matches since.
“It’s not just about getting assists and goals, but obviously I want to help the team out in that way as much as I can. I want to do that and keep putting in good performances.”
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