After a closely contested opening period with the visitors holding their own, a Katie Wilkinson finish just after the hour-mark, Holly Daniel own goal and Mia McAulay strike in stoppage time saw the Gers claim a fourth straight win in league action.
Leanne Crichton named two changes to her side from last week’s success over Partick Thistle, with Fallon Connolly-Jackson and Alice Griffiths recalled to the team in the place of Nicola Docherty and Laura Berry. New signing Quinty Sabajo was named in a matchday squad for the first time since joining the club prior to the game, with the Gers depleted in numbers having only being able to name four players on the bench.
The Gers looked to signal their intent from the off but both sides were looking comfortable in early possession. There wasn’t much for the home faithful to shout about in the early parts of the game, Katie Wilkinson saw herself receive the ball in a couple of promising positions before being denied by the offside flag on both occasions, with Aberdeen looking to pose a threat on the break.
The best moment in the early exchanges came from the visitors just shy of the 10-minute mark. Mya Christie, who was getting some joy down the right, got in a second time as she looks to cut the ball across to her striker in Kerry Beattie, but Jess Pegram did well to get round on the slide to stop the cross from causing any danger.
Rangers registered their first effort of the game shortly after. A ball over the top found recent player of the month winner Jodi McLeary, she waited for support as it arrived from Mia McAulay, but her left footed effort was tame as it rolled into the hands of Katie Cox.
The hosts almost profited from a poor Aberdeen kick out. Cox’s clearance fell to McLeary, she helped it to Wilkinson before getting it back, but her effort flew over the top of the bar.
Aberdeen were looking the more threatening in forward areas as they almost made something out of a break of the ball on the edge of the Rangers box. After several failed clearances the ball broke for Beattie whose effort looked to be troubling Jenna Fife but for a smart block from Pegram to deny her.
Eilidh Austin sent a left footed effort over the top before Bridget Galloway almost put the away side ahead after a throw in. Her left footed shot took a nick off Pegram but Fife managed to reflect in time to dive on top of the ball to her right in the last of a first half which offered little action.
After the restart, Rangers upped their levels as they looked to put their stamp on proceedings and break the deadlock. Shin Ji Kim, operating in a more advanced role, found Lizzie Arnot well placed to her left, the winger tried her luck but saw her effort deflect onto the near post.
The Light Blues were relentless from there on as they pressed for an opener. Again Shin Ji involved, her pass found McAulay who fired it across the box, it broke for McLeary whose shot was cleared off the line before the number 14’s effort flashed wide on the rebound as the Dons somehow survived.
Just after the hour-mark and having had her first effort of the day comfortably saved, Katie Wilkinson opened the scoring for Rangers. Connolly-Jackson sent a long ball forward and with the defence slow at getting out, Arnot was onside as she whipped in a cross to the far post. The striker brought it down and dispatched it from close range as the hosts patience paid dividends as they found the lead.
Substitute Laura Berry looked to make an impact after coming on and almost did just that as she saw her shot saved at the near post. Arnot initial effort was blocked before Wilkinson teed up the youngster, but Cox was level to the effort with her feet.
Shin Ji almost made it two goals in as many matches but was denied once again by the goalkeeper before Berry’s cross forced an own goal to give Rangers breathing space. After some fantastic individual play with clever skill down the right side in all her own work, her cross seeked out Wilkinson at the far post but the unfortunate Holly Daniel turned the ball over her own line as the hosts grabbed a second.
Seeing the game out with comfort towards the end Crichton’s side managed to grab a third on the counter-attack. Again Berry the provider, her pass through for McAulay saw the academy graduates combine as she dispatched it beyond Cox with her left foot into the net to seal a fourth straight win for Rangers to setup a mouthwatering tie against Glasgow City at Ibrox next weekend.
RANGERS: Fife, Hill, Pegram, McAulay, Arnot, Austin (Berry, 72), Griffiths, McLeary, Connolly-Jackson (Docherty, 72), Wilkinson, Shin Ji
SUBS: Ivarsdottir, Sabajo
ABERDEEN: Cox, Broadrick, Finnegan (Clarke, 70), Galloway, Stewart (Ogilvie, 60), Finnie, Ilijoski, Thomson, Tobin, Christie (Black, 60), Beattie (Daniel, 70)
SUBS: Prawer, Mendez, Noble, Daniel, McEvoy
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