In tricky blustery conditions in the north, a Rachel Rowe double after a frustrating half an hour for the visitors saw them go in at the break with a two-goal advantage. Bayley Hutchison halved the deficit at the start of the second half but the Gers went on to see out the remainder of the game to claim another three points.
Jo Potter named three changes to the side that were 3-2 Old Firm winners in the Sky Sports Cup semi-final, Jenna Fife, Mia McAulay and Liv McLoughlin came into the team, with the loanee making her debut for the club.
Rangers started on the front foot as they looked for an early goal on their return to league action. Rachel Rowe picked the ball up on two occasions in dangerous areas in the final third, but the blustery conditions at the Balmoral Stadium saw the final pass carry over the touchline.
The away side went close as a result of a corner kick delivery. Kirsty Maclean sent in a cross which was initially met by the head of Hannah Emile Stewart, Rowe had a go before efforts from close range from Kathy Hill and Chelsea Cornet were to follow but the Dons did well to make several blocks amongst the bodies and clear the danger.
There was no breakthrough after the quarter-hour mark but Lizzie Arnot went agonisingly close to putting the Light Blues ahead. The visitors won the ball high from an Aberdeen goal kick which lead to the winger picking the ball up on the edge of the area, she cut inside and fired a powerful strike which came back off the top of the bar and stayed out.
A period of clever play involving Mia McAulay and Cornet saw the winger get in behind the Dons backline. A one-two on the right flank saw them get the better of the full-back before the youngster clipped in a cross to the front post, but Rio Hardy couldn’t turn the ball goalwards on the stretch.
Rowe was again looking the liveliest on the park and continuing to make things happen. This time the Wales international picked the ball up on the right flank and after riding multiple challenges, flashed the ball across the face of goal but there were no takers on the far side.
Arnot and Rowe combined this time as the Gers were getting closer to going ahead. The winger spun full-back Lois Edwards with a clever piece of skill before playing in the midfielder, her cross come shot was always met by the outstretching leg of Hardy but again it was out with her reach.
After a period in the game with continued Gers pressure and the hosts looking to play on the counter-attack, the away side took the lead. After a frustrating opening half hour in Aberdeen, Rachel Rowe who had looked the most likely in the contest collected the ball inside the opponents half. She rode a tackle on the spin before firing a left footed shot with the pace beating Jennifer Currie in the Dons goal as Rangers went ahead.
The Light Blues were getting continuous joy from winning the ball high and nearly doubled their lead on two occasions. Rowe again nearly doubled her total for the day but for a smart save from Currie and from the resulting corner Cornet met it from close range but could only head over as the away side looked to find a second before the break.
The away side just that as Rowe was on hand to fire in a second from close range after some combination play involving three players. Hardy held the ball up well and managed to set McAulay free and in behind the backline on the far side. She acknowledged the arriving midfield runners as she cut the ball back for Maclean, the youngster laid the ball across for the Gers number eight who placed the ball into the bottom corner to make it two.
The hosts managed to get themselves into the contest at the start of the second half as Bayley Hutchison punished a Jenna Fife mistake. The goalkeeper’s pass was intercepted by the striker who composed herself and placed the ball past the shot stopper into the far corner as the Dons halved the deficit.
After a long spell in the match with few chances at either end, the away side sparked into life again. Maclean clipped a clever ball down the channel which was by Hardy, she acknowledged substitute Jane Ross well placed whose clever backheel tied up Arnot. Her shot was well closed down by the onrushing Currie before the rebound was well blocked by Edwards.
Ross had fantastic opportunity to give the Light Blues breathing space in the match again. Maclean again providing the pass this time to set the striker free as she went one on one, but her shot was kept out by the legs of Currie who made the stop to keep the match separated by a goal.
The game still remained in the balance as the conditions made it difficult for both sides to produce any real quality. The Gers continued to probe however and headed into the final 15 minutes of the contest with their 2-1 lead in tact.
McAulay had moved into a more central number 10 role and was getting joy and finding space. The youngster made a yard for herself which forced a stop out of Edwards, but she managed to gather at the second attempt.
The Light Blues managed to control the game towards the latter stage as they saw out the contest to register yet another SWPL victory, as they now prepare for the next round of the Scottish Cup in a week’s time.
ABERDEEN: Currie, Edwards, Shore, Gover, Stewart, Hutchison, Finnie, Innes (Lindbaek 45), Banfield (Murray 58), Thomson (Ogilvie 45), Black
SUBS: McCann, MacLean, Miller, Martindale, Lawson
RANGERS: Fife, Hill, Middag, Docherty, McAulay, Cornet (Hay 65), Maclean, McLoughlin, Arnot (McLeary 84), Rowe (Ross 59), Hardy (Ewens 84)
SUBS: Esson, Austin, Martinez, Colson