Aberdeen 2 - 0 Hutchison Vale

Gavin Levey fielded a strong side despite a mixture of injury and illness meaning several squad regulars were unavailable for the game. Eilidh Shore, Donna Paterson, Eva Thomson and Francesca Ogilvie were all absent. Midfielders Brodie Greenwood and Natasha Bruce came in for their second starts of the season in the heart of the side. Hannah Stewart joined Bayley Hutchison up front as Loren Campbell once again captained the team.

The visitors started the game brightly as they forced an early corner which was well defended by the home side. Aberdeen came close with their own corner on six minutes when Bailley Collins' cross came back off the front post.

Collins was again involved a few minutes later as the Reds continued to search for the opener. Stewart's neat ball into the box found Collins who saw her low shot turned around the post by Vale keeper Nadine Millar. The resulting corner was then headed just wide of the post by Nadine Hanssen.

It wasn't entirely backs-to-the-wall for Vale as they went close when Gabrielle Anderson sent a shot fizzing just wide from 20-yards. At the other end a strong run out of defence by Hanssen culminated in Hutchison curling an effort wide from just outside the penalty area.

Collins then passed up a glorious opportunity to put the Dons in front. Charlotte McDougall was caught in possession on the edge of her own box by Stewart and the ball broke to Collins who pulled her shot wide with just the keeper to beat.

The visitors were finally breached ten minutes before half time as the Dons deservedly went in front. A good turn by Campbell in the area gave her space to cross and her ball found HUTCHISON who fired home her fourth of the season from close range at the back post.

It was almost two just minutes later as good play by Hutchison released Stewart down the right. The striker carried the ball to the edge of the box before unleashing a powerful shot which was well saved by Millar.

Aberdeen pushed for a second before the break, a strong run down the left by Millie Urquhart saw her find Mya Christie on the edge of the box. Christie laid the ball to the on-running Collins but she couldn't keep her 20-yard effort under the bar.

Hutchison then came close to getting her second after a neat one-two with Stewart but the striker's effort was just narrowly off target and the Dons had to settle for a one-goal lead at the break.

HT ABERDEEN 1 HUTCHISON VALE 0

Aberdeen replaced Bruce with Chloe Gover at the interval and they continued to dominate possession at the start of the second period but struggled to create any clear-cut chances. Campbell tried her luck from distance but sent her shot wide of the target whilst Stewart screwed a snap-shot wide from the edge of the area.

The Dons finally got the second goal their domination of possession deserved in the 70^th minute. Campbell's ball up the right found Stewart who played a great ball through to Mya CHRISTIE who strode on to the pass before burying a low shot into the net from the right side of the penalty box.

Gavin Levey made a second change with Madison Finnie replacing Millie Urquhart in the back line. Collins then went close again as she sent a fine shot just over the crossbar after some good link-up play in midfield with Gover.

Stewart then played a brilliant reverse pass in behind the Vale defence for Hutchison but the flag went up as the striker found the bottom corner of the net. The hosts had luxury with the two-goal lead to make further changes as Elena Karkkainen, Eirinn McCafferty and Nadia Sopel were all introduced.

Despite their best efforts the home side couldn't add to their goal tally as they ran out 2-0 winners to book their place in the next round.