Aberdeen 0-6 Motherwell
11/07/2024 05:55 AM
Motherwell leapfrogged Partick Thistle into the final top-six place in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League table with a commanding 6-0 victory over Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium.
Sophie Black broke the deadlock minutes into the second-half with her first Motherwell goal, before a composed Laura Berry penalty kick doubled the women of steel’s advantage seconds later. A quickfire Louisa Boyes double had the visitors firmly in the ascendancy, as the full-time whistle approached, whilst Boyes completed her hat-trick in the final moments alongside a late Sienna McGoldrick strike.
Head Coach Paul Brownlie made three changes to the side that lost to defending champions Celtic last weekend. Rachel Todd, Sophie Black, and Mason Clark all returned to the starting XI, whilst Chelsie Watson, Katie Rice, and Sarah Gibb settled for a place on the bench.
The first-half certainly proved to be an uninspiring occasion for the neutral, with neither side settling into the game, and a lack of goalscoring opportunities hindering both sides throughout.
The earliest opportunity fell to Bailley Collins shortly before the half-time break, with the versatile defender threatening the Dons goal with a drilled effort from distance, but Collins failed to trouble Aberdeen stopper Megan Sidey. Refreshed and rejuvenated following the half-time break, Motherwell came out of the traps flying, and soon took full control of the game.
Striker Laura Berry coasted through the Aberdeen backline across the right-flank before driving into the box and teeing up fellow Rangers-loanne Sophie Black, who coolly dispatched a side-footed finish into the bottom-right corner.
Less than two-minutes later, Motherwell had their second. Skipper Gill Inglis worked her way into the Dons penalty area before being hauled down under a late challenge, leaving the referee no alternative, but to award a Motherwell spot-kick. Berry stepped up and drilled a low-strike into the bottom-left corner.
Boyes’ added a third shortly after the hour-mark, latching onto the ball at the edge of the penalty area before shifting the ball onto her stronger right-foot, and the midfielder curled a magnificent finish into the top-right corner. Boyes’ second and Motherwell’s fourth followed soon after, with the 2023/24 player of the year converting Black’s floated delivery across the face of goal.
The midfielder soon turned provider, teeing up Celtic loanee Sienna McGoldrick, who fired a low-finish through the legs of Sidey to put the women of steel five ahead.
Boyes’ secured her hat-trick in the final few minutes of the game, as Katie Rice skilfully outmuscled her opponent before firing a low delivery across the face of goal, and Boyes’ reacted quickest to prod home from close-range to round off a perfect evening in Aberdeen.
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