Edinburgh LFC v Aberdeen LFC - Sunday 18th. March 2007

Edinburgh  v  Aberdeen  5-4

 

EDINBURGH VICTORY IN NINE GOAL THRILLER

A last minute goal from Debbie McWhinnie completed her hat-trick and grabbed Edinburgh a hard-fought 5-4 victory over Aberdeen. Leanne Crichton was also on target for the home side, as was Claire Crosbie - scoring on her first full game for Edinburgh. “It was an exciting game,” says Edinburgh boss Carston Ralton.

“Aberdeen used the wind well in the first half and we defended badly. But it took great courage for us to come back from 4-1 down. Aberdeen worked hard and will probably feel unlucky. They came out in the second half to try to defend their lead and they almost did it.”

Aberdeen coach Allan Smith agreed it had been close.

“We played extremely well and were 4-2 up at half-time,” he says.

“But overall it was a good physical game.”

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Dons in Nine Goal Thriller

Edinburgh Ladies FC 5 – Aberdeen FC Ladies 4

 

Aberdeen took advantage of a strong wind at their back pushing forward early and went ahead after five minutes from a corner. An attempted clearance struck a home player and fell to STIRLING who made no mistake from eight yards. Aberdeen continued to press gaining a second on seventeen minutes, McLellan working hard on the left before picking out WRIGHT who took it past the keeper, looked up and passed it into the net from a tight angle.

 

 Edinburgh were attempting to get forward constantly seeking out experienced striker McWhinnie who was struggling against the tight marking from the Dons. Aberdeen countered down the left, McLellan and Wright linking to play to Stirling whose pot shot was cleared for Corsie to play a soft shot which the keeper collected. Edinburgh replied with an attack up their left, Crichton running at goal forcing Murray to concede a corner. Sent into mid goal Hutcheson rose to collect easily. Another half chance for ‘burgh as they pounced on a short kick out but the pass forward to McWhinnie was offside.

 

End to end football and a flurry of goals Aberdeen’s third gained when a Corsie strike was blocked and fell to WRIGHT who placed it past the helpless keeper on 25 minutes.From the kick off Edinburgh pushed winning a free kick 30 yards out. McWhinnie played it forward past a static Aberdeen defence for CRICHTON to score.

 

Strong work in the Dons midfield then a pass to McLellan won a corner, sent to the mid goal McLellan headed in cleanly for Aberdeen’s fourth on 34 minutes. Edinburgh replied with a push forward from a throw the ball went into the box, a scramble akin to a rugby maul ensued before Bradford launched a clearance.The home pressure paid off, an attack up the left as Crichton played a pass to McWHINNIE who sent a looping header high which Hutcheson could only tip into her own net.

 

Half Time Edinburgh 2 – Aberdeen 4

 

An early attack from Edinburgh saw McWhinnie fall in the box claiming a penalty which was denied. They won a corner, played in by McWhinnie it was cleared by Scott at the front post for Pagliarulo to have a strike which went over the bar. Home pressure paid off as they took advantage of the wind, pushing forward until they earned a third goal from striker CROSBIE.

 

A free kick on the right caught Edinburgh sleeping as Martin ran forward forcing a great stop off keeper Brownlie, then a Stirling attack up the right won a corner which Moultray cleared cleanly.

 

More Edinburgh pressure, first Murray playing a long ball to McWhinnie forcing Small to toe it for a corner. Played in short it was sent towards the box for Stirling to clear. Then from a throw in their own half Archibald found McWhinnie who stretched to toe it forward but it trundled into Hutcheson’s hands. McWhinnie again causing problems forcing Aberdeen’s Hather to concede a free kick on the edge of the box. Pagliarulo hit the free kick firmly but well wide of the right upright.

 

A pass to McLellan went long for Moultray to clear. Stirling broke up the right sending a teasing pass in front of Wright and Murray but it went long and Edinburgh conceded the corner which was held easily by the burgh keeper.

 

Edinburgh were coming into the game more with time as the game went on causing some desperate defending from the Reds. A free kick on the left of the Aberdeen box was sent to the back post, Moultray and Pagliarulo were close at the back post but it slipped past them both.

 

The equaliser came with minutes to go, a long ball forward from Pagliarulo saw McWHINNIE latch onto it, Small chased back with her but the experienced striker made no mistake finishing cleanly. Then with the watch ticking towards full time McWHINNIE won the game for the home side with another clinical finish latching onto a pass in from the left and struck cleanly.

 

 Aberdeen Team

 

Jo Hutcheson, Caroline Hather, Rachel Small, Paula Scott, Shireen Bradford,

Rachel Corsie, Clair Martin, Susan Murray, Melissa Stirling, Nikki Wright, Helen McLellan (Jenni Taylor)

 

Subs

Rachel Hamill, Chloe Fitzpatrick, Alana Chatham, Marnie McArthur

DaveU, 20 March 2007