Francesca Ogilvie admits nerves before completing her hat-trick in Aberdeen win
Queen's Park 0-3 Aberdeen: League leaders maintain eight-point lead at SWPL 2 summit
Francesca Ogilvie scored a hat-trick as Aberdeen beat Queen’s Park 3-0 to maintain their eight-point lead at the top of SWPL 2, but she revealed the third goal made her nervous.
After a goalless first half, Ogilvie broke the deadlock in 64 minutes before scoring twice from the spot in the last 10 minutes.
The win at Nethercraigs Sports Complex in Glasgow made it six points from six for the Dons since the SWPL 2 restart, with the league leaders scoring 10 without reply.
“The second one (penalty) was actually more nerve wracking for me,” said Ogilvie.
“Obviously the first one we were already 1-0 up so it was a good one to score to kind of bury the game. The second one I was nervous to take with taking two in such a short space of time.”
She added: “The first half we couldn’t string three passes together but the second half we didn't have excuses. We were used to the grass by this point so we stuck in and everyone worked as hard as they could. None of us came off the pitch not tired.”
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This was the second game in a matter of days since the SWPL 2 season resumed for a final round of fixtures.
It was a slow start from the league leaders and Queen’s Park could have been ahead within three minutes when Sophie McGoldrick found herself unmarked at the back post but couldn’t direct her effort on target.
The visitors began to threaten, though. Ogilvie and Chloe Gover had attempts go wide. and Eva Thomson fired narrowly over the crossbar.
The hosts had the ball in the net early into the second half but the flag was up for offside.
Mark Kirk’s side continued to restrict the space for the Aberdeen attackers to get a foothold on the game as the rain began to pour down at the Spiders’ temporary home.
Aberdeen shuffled the pack and substitute Lauren Gordon was close to making an immediate impact; forcing Rachel Caddell into a save with an audacious effort. Gover then tried her luck but Caddell was equal to it.
And Ogilvie found the back of the net when she capitalised on a mistake from the hosts and fired in from around 30 yards out.
The visitors were lifted by the opener. Thomson almost made it 2-0 minutes but was denied by Caddell. Then Hutchison and Gordon had shots blocked from close range.
They got their second goal with 10 minutes remaining through Ogilvie who calmly fired high into the top corner of net from the penalty spot after substitute Johan Fraser was fouled as she broke into the box.
There was to be another penalty to the league leaders moments later which would settle the game and give the hosts no way back.
Gordon pounced on a rebound in the box and then was brought down. Ogilvie stepped up once again to fire high into the net to complete her hat-trick and send her side back up to Aberdeen with a huge three points.
Anyone’s Game Player of the match
Francesca Ogilvie put in a superb second half performance, scoring a hat-trick which puts her on 11 goals for the season. That’s four goals and three assists in just two games since the restart. If she can continue this impressive run of form then it could be crucial to the reds gaining promotion to the top tier.
