Hamilton Academical WFC/GFC SWPL League Cup First Round Hamilton Accies 4 – 4 Aberdeen (Aberdeen won 6-5 on penalties) Manager Kevin Murphy could not hide his frustration at the end of this match “to say I am disappointed is an understatement, we dominated large spells of this game only to let Aberdeen back into the game late in the second half”. Hamilton Accies Women’s Football Club first home fixture was a first round League Cup tie against Aberdeen. The match was played at Wishaw on a 3G surface and a very windy day caused problems for both teams throughout the 120 minutes. Accies started this match the way they had finished their last on top and in control, within 5 minutes a great through ball from Katie Reilly was latched onto by striker Sarah Crilly and a cool finish with her left foot put the home team one up.  Accies were keeping the ball on the ground and moving it swiftly from side to side to try and open up the Aberdeen defence, on 20 minutes a great piece of interplay between Susan Fairlie and Kim Keys resulted in a tremendous strike from Susan into the top corner to put Accies two up. Accies were playing with slightly revamped defence due to unavailability of their recognised centre half this was to prove their undoing on 30 minutes when a corner wasn’t cleared properly and allowed Chloe Fitzpatrick to score from close range. Aberdeen gained a bit of belief from this goal and began to put pressure on the Accies defence and it was a relief for Manager Kevin Murphy to get his players into the dressing room at half time still in front. Within 5 minutes of the start of the second half Accies restored their 2 goal lead, a powerfully struck free kick by Lindsay Hogg was fumbled by the Aberdeen goalkeeper. Accies then controlled the next 15 to 20 minutes without creating much around the Aberdeen goal but to their credit Aberdeen fought their way back into the game. On 75 minutes the Aberdeen number 10 Nicky Wright ran through one on one with the goalkeeper and slotted a nice shot into the bottom left hand corner. On 80 minutes a free kick from Aberdeen’s Scottish Under 19 international defender Rachel Small was brilliantly touched over the bar by Accies goalie Elaine Fleming, from the resultant corner Accies defenders couldn’t get the ball clear and eventually only a great stop on the line by Gill Inglis relieved the pressure. Accies by this time were living on their nerves and another Aberdeen goal was on the cards, with only 5 minutes remaining Aberdeen’s Nicky Wright scored her second of the match and Aberdeen’s third to take the game into extra time. Extra time began and Accies regained the advantage on 100 minutes when a lovely ball inside the full back by Sam McManus released Sarah Crilly who rounded the goalie and stroked the ball into the net she was then booked for over celebrating the goal. Aberdeen were not to be denied however and within 5 minutes had equalised again through Amiee Ridgeway. The second period of extra time failed to produce a winner and the match went to the lottery that is the penalty shoot out. After the first 10 penalties the scores were level on 4-4 with both sides missing one each, this took the shoot out into sudden death. The Aberdeen goalie then made up for her earlier fumble by making a marvellous one handed save from Gill Inglis well struck shot. The pressure was then on Aberdeen’s Caroline Harper to win the game for the Dons, she coolly dispatched her penalty into the bottom corner to take her team into the next round.   Manager Kevin Murphy summed the match up “ Once it goes to penalties it is anyone’s game, on a more positive note I thought we played good football and the goals we scored were all well worked. We are heading in the right direction and with newly promoted Rangers the visitors next week we will be focusing all our efforts on that match”. Accies next match is at home (Wishaw Sports Centre) against Rangers on Sunday 23rd kick off 1:00pm. Hamilton: Fleming, Inglis, Hogg, King, Mia, Templeton, Keys, Reilly, McDonald, Fairlie and Crilly.