HAMILTON, Scotland (Interstat) — Substitute Francesca Ogilvie scored in the seventh minute to set the tone and Aberdeen held off a late rally from last-place Hamilton Academical to secure a 3-2 victory in a Scottish Women’s Premier League 1 match Sunday at New Douglas Park.

The win, only Aberdeen’s fourth in 20 league matches this season, was a vital three points in their battle to climb the SWPL 1 table. For Hamilton Academical, the defeat extended a winless league campaign to 20 matches, leaving them still in search of their first victory.

Aberdeen’s start was ideal. Ogilvie, entering the match early off the bench, needed only minutes to make an impact, slotting home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The advantage held through a disjointed first half and well into the second before Aberdeen doubled their lead in the 57th minute. Forward Chloe Muir found the net for her first of the match, capitalizing on service from teammate Alex Davie.

The game’s complexion shifted dramatically in a chaotic 15-minute span late in the second half. Aberdeen appeared to put the result beyond doubt in the 74th minute when another substitute, Mia Selbie, scored to make it 3-0, assisted by Toni-Leigh Finnegan.

However, Hamilton Academical mounted a furious comeback in the final stages. Substitute Hannah Stewart pulled a goal back for the home side in the 85th minute, finishing an assist from Madison Finnie. The rally gained serious momentum in the second minute of stoppage time when midfielder Georgia Gray scored to cut the deficit to 3-2, setting up a tense finale. Aberdeen, however, managed the remaining moments to see out the victory.

The frantic closing sequence was preceded by a period of escalating tension, reflected in five yellow cards shown between the 70th and 86th minutes. Hamilton’s Toni-Leigh Finnegan and Madison Finnie were booked, as were Aberdeen’s Josephine Giard, Shelley Campbell and Alex Davie.

The result defied the pre-match projection from Interstat, whose game simulator had forecast a 1-1 draw. Their ELO rating system had given Aberdeen a 57.4 percent probability to win.

Aberdeen improved its SWPL 1 record to 4 wins, 14 losses and 2 draws, while Hamilton Academical remains at 0 wins, 18 losses and 2 draws. In all competitions, Aberdeen now stands at 7 wins, 17 losses and 5 draws. Hamilton’s overall record worsened to 2 wins, 22 losses and 4 draws.

The match continued a recent trend in the fixture where Aberdeen has had the upper hand. The teams played to a 2-2 draw in Aberdeen on Feb. 1, but Aberdeen registered a comprehensive 5-0 victory when the sides met in Hamilton last Oct. 12.

Aberdeen will look to build on the win when they travel to face Montrose FC Women in their next SWPL 1 fixture on April 5. Hamilton Academical, still seeking a first league win, faces a difficult task the same day, visiting Motherwell LFC. The two sides are scheduled to meet again in the reverse fixture on May 10 in Aberdeen.