Scottish Women’s Premier League
Glasgow City are continuing to set the pace in SWPL 1 after running out 6-1 winners over Queen’s Park at Ochilview Park. Nikol Kozlova got the ball rolling by putting City ahead after eleven minutes and Hayley Lauder made it two, before Katie Lockwood and Kozlova added further goals ahead of half time. Lauder netted her second shortly after the restart and Kozlova completed her hat-trick, before Rosie McQuillan grabbed a consolation for the Spiders via a spectacular 40-yard strike.
Celtic and Rangers came face to face at New Douglas Park in front of the Sky Sports cameras and it was Rangers who narrowly got the better with a thrilling 3-2 victory which keeps them on the heels of Glasgow City. Celtic were going into the game as part of a tough run of fixtures, having played Glasgow City and Chelsea within the previous seven days, and it was Rangers who made a fast start with Rio Hardy giving them a fourth minute lead. Celtic battled back into the game and levelled the scores two minutes before half time through a header from Caitlin Hayes. Katie Wilkinson put Rangers back in front from the penalty spot and once again Celtic hit back, Saoirse Noonan equalising once again five minutes later. Murphy Agnew almost added a third for the reigning Champions with a lob that landed on the roof of the net but minutes later, a superb strike by Chelsea Cornet which dipped over Kelsey Daugherty gave Rangers the lead again and this time they held out under pressure for a valuable win which also dealt a blow to Celtic’s aims of defending the title.
The top two have opened up a gap on the teams below them, after third placed Hearts went down to a 1-0 defeat to Hibernian in their Edinburgh derby match at Tynecastle Park. A tightly contested match of few chances was settled with nine minutes remaining, when substitute Rosie Livingstone coolly slotted home the only goal of the game for Hibs from ten yards after the ball had rebounded to her in front of goal. The result means that Hibernian move back above Celtic and into fourth place, one point behind their opponents.
Honours were even in the mid-table clash as Partick Thistle and Motherwell battled out a 1-1 draw. Motherwell took the lead just after the half hour mark through an own goal from the unfortunate Demi Falconer but Thistle battled back and earned themselves a share of the spoils, thanks to a second half equaliser from Tiree Burchill. The result means that Motherwell remain in sixth place in the table, one point ahead of Partick.
Spartans continue to pick up points and moved themselves closer towards mid-table, thanks to a 3-0 victory over Montrose who remain in the bottom three. Hannah Jordan was the heroine for Spartans as she scored a hat-trick in the final third of the game, to fire them to a fourth league win in the campaign and increase the gap between themselves and the bottom three places to six points.
It was a good day for Aberdeen as they came from behind to win 2-1 at Dundee Utd and go four points ahead of the bottom three. Freya Brien gave United the lead ten minutes before half time to raise their hopes of a first league victory of the season but the Dons’ reply was a swift one, Francesca Ogilvie quickly bringing them back on level terms. Emily Kraft then put Aberdeen in front with sixteen minutes remaining and they saw the game out to pick up a crucial victory.
SWPL 2
Runaway leaders Hamilton Academical are showing no signs of slowing down and further increased their advantage to eleven points on Friday night when they ran out 6-1 winners over St Johnstone. Sophie Townsley gave the Accies a fifth minute lead and Vivienne Strain added a quickfire double, before Lauren Kerr made if four. Rachel Howie reduced the arrears for the visitors but the advantage was restored before the break by Melissa Reid and Josephine Giard rounded off the scoring with the final goal, midway through the second half. Kilmarnock meanwhile hold on to second place despite going down to a 1-0 defeat away to Boroughmuir Thistle who are now a single point behind them, after Cara Borthwick scored the only goal of the game during the first half. Thistle therefore climb up to third, ahead on goal difference from Livingston who were beaten 5-2 by Rossvale. A win would have taken Livi up into the top two but despite taking an early lead through captain Rachel Walkingshaw, Megan Whiteford netted either side of half time to turn the match around in Rossvale’s favour and they went on to crown a fine result with further goals from Caitlin Crean, Jemma McQuillan and Melissa Porter, before Kaitlyn Canavan netted a late consolation for the visitors. Gartcairn Women returned to form with a 4-0 victory over Ayr Utd, Tara McGoinigle and Madison Maxwell putting Cairn two goals ahead at the break before adding two second half penalties from Kaela McDonald-Nguah.
Hibernian are just one step away from a second Final in three years as they ran out 4-1 winners over Partick Thistle, last season’s beaten finalists. Poppy Lawson put Hibs in front in tenth minute, with Cheryl McCulloch hitting back to equalise just four minutes later. The game remained in the balance until midway through the second half, when Kathleen McGovern once again making a huge contribution. Seven days earlier, McGovern had scored a six minute hat-trick against Aberdeen and this time, she went even better, taking just five minutes to score three times and secure the victory in her side’s favour, keeping their hopes of a record eighth success in the competition on course.
Aberdeen meanwhile ended the hopes of the last remaining SWPL 2 team, Boroughmuir Thistle, with a 3-1 victory at Meadowbank Stadium. Emily Arthur got Thistle off to a dream start when she put them ahead after five minutes and they remained in front until ten minutes before half time, when Hannah Stewart equalised from the penalty spot. Darcie Miller gave the Dons the lead for the first time early in the second half and Niamh Noble wrapped up the win with fourteen minutes remaining, leaving Aberdeen within one step of reaching a first major Final since 2006.
The two semi finals will be played on Sunday 19 January, with kick off times to be confirmed.
