Aberdeen WFC v Partick Thistle WFC – 16th November 2023

A long midweek trip is never ideal for a part-time side but Thistle made light for a near 300 mile round trip, player availability issues and freezing and misty conditions to record a vital 3-1 win over Aberdeen in a dominating performance.

Thistle were on the front foot in this game right from the start. Linzi Taylor saw a shot blocked and an angled shot from Cara Henderson went across the face of the Aberdeen goal and narrowly wide.

Thistle were even closer to what would have been a richly deserved opening goal when Kodie Hay’s cross from the right found Imogen Longcake at the back post but Longcake, the match winner against Montrose at the weekend, was on this occasion unable to direct her shot on target.

There was bitter disappointment then when after this bright start the game’s opening goal came at the other end. In Aberdeen’s first serious foray towards the Thistle goal the always dangerous Bayley Hutchison worked a neat one two at the edge of the Thistle box before firing powerfully past Megan Cunningham.

There was a brief spell after that goal where the home side looked the better side but Thistle quickly regrouped and once again took the game to the home side.

It was a real surprise that by half-time Aberdeen still held a slender lead.

A Longcake shot was deflected towards, rather than away, from the reach of the home keeper before a Lucy Sinclair effort from the edge of the box drew a good stop from McCann.

The half finished with captain Demi Falconer heading a corner wide of goal, and there was a nagging feeling as the mist started to descend on Aberdeen’s training ground that this might not be Thistle’s night.

A fantastic second half though well and truly dispelled those fears.

There was a fright, however, when a Miller shot came off the Thistle crossbar.

A second Aberdeen goal at this point may well have been decisive but instead Thistle were back on level terms with 59 minutes on the clock. It was an overdue goal, but well worth the wait. Rosie Slater finding the back of the Aberdeen net with a spectacular long range effort. It was hard to believe that it was her first Partick Thistle goal.

Sinclair was inches away from nudging Thistle in front but The Jags didn’t have too long to wait until they were ahead. A corner from the right was met by the head of Taylor and her header was only heading only one place, the back of the Aberdeen net.

With over 20 minutes still to play it was anticipated that Thistle would have to endure Aberdeen pressure in search of an equaliser, but that never materialised. Instead it was Thistle, whose game management was outstanding, that continued to look the more likely side to add to the score.

Hay was just inches with a shot that beat the keeper but slid just wide of goal. That would have sealed the win but any doubt over the destination of the points was removed when substitute Rosie McQuilllan netted in the third minute of injury time just as the mist was making visibility  increasingly difficult.