Aberdeen WFC v Partick Thistle WFC – 21st August 2022

Following a valiant 2-0 defeat at the hands of Celtic at Petershill Park, Partick Thistle made the long trip to Balmoral Stadium to face Aberdeen seeking their first points of the new SWPL1 campaign.

Like Thistle, Aberdeen came into the game winless in two having most recently suffered an 8-0 defeat at the hands of defending champions Rangers.

Brian Graham made two changes to the team which started against the Hoops with Megan Cunningham making her debut in goals as Khym Ramsay dropped to the bench. The other change saw Cheryl McCulloch return from suspension in a backline which also contained Clare Docherty, Demi Falconer and Linzi Taylor. Rebecca McGowan and Amy Bulloch continued in the middle of the park just behind attacking midfielder Cara Henderson while Rachel Donaldson and Beth McKay provided the width. Jordan McLintock was the lone striker having started both of the team’s previous league fixtures.

There was an entertaining tempo about the way the game started though neither team was finding it easy to carve out clear cut opportunities. Clare Docherty was required to make a key block to deny Bailey Collins a clear shot on goal in the opening minutes before at the other end a dangerous Cara Henderson almost led to Loren Campbell heading into her own goal.

The open pattern of play provided the first goal of the game in the 23rd minute as a Francesca Ogilvie ball over the top got the Jags’ defence moving towards their own box. Linzi Taylor tried to clear but played the ball off Aberdeen attacker Mya Christie who then burst through on goal. Christie’s first shot was saved well by Cunningham but the ball broke back to the number 14 who passed the ball into the empty net to put the Dons in front.

The Aberdeen goal seemed to concentrate the Thistle efforts and they started to look more threatening in the hosts’ box. Cara Henderson had a deflected shot gathered after good work on the left flank then a scramble in the box from a Rachel Donaldson corner was only just cleared by Eilidh Shore ahead of Deni Falconer.

The pressure told in the 43rd minute when Cheryl McCulloch marked her return to the team with a goal. After a free-kick was cleared for a throw-in Amy Bulloch raced over to take it quickly, bouncing it off Beth McKay and hitting a first-time cross with her left foot. The delivery dropped on the six-yard line where McCulloch attacked it and powered it into the net.

Thistle would have then been looking to go on and take the lead in the second half, however, just three minutes after the restart, they found themselves behind again. A Francesca Ogilvie corner wasn’t cleared properly by the Jags defence and Bailey Collins was the quickest to react, prodding the ball past Megan Cunningham to make it 2-1.

Again the goal seemed to liven up the travelling Jags and they took control of proceedings. Enjoying much of the possession, they had a slew of long-range efforts which never really threatened Aaliyah-Jay Meach’s goal while the home side remained dangerous on the counter-attack.

Like it did in the first half, Thistle’s dominance paid dividends as they got their second equaliser of the day in the 73rd minute. It came from the penalty spot after Cara Henderson was wiped out by Madison Finnie just inside the box. Taylor Fisher stepped up to the take the spot kick and the substitute confidently sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to bag her first goal as a Jag.

Neither side seemed satisfied with the draw and there were chances for both sides to snatch it. Taylor Fisher came close to a second when her free-kick was tipped over the bar by Meach and Eilidh Shore thundered a shot off the underside of the bar for the Dons, however, there was no winner to be had and the sides had to settle for a point each.

Battling from behind twice Thistle now have their first point of the new season on the board ahead of a tough trip to face Spartans in Edinburgh next weekend.