Post by Stubo on Feb 19, 2018 16:11:23 GMT
RANGERS travelled to Spartans in the second game of the SWPL at Ainslie Park in Edinburgh and left with their first win of the new season.
After last week’s defeat to Bin Dippers fc, Lauren Davidson started in a slightly tweaked Rangers attack as part of a front three alongside Brogan Hay and Carla Boyce. Chelsie Watson returned for the suspended Jade Gallon, and Holly Napier replaced Caitlin O’Hara.
Despite Rangers’ attacking line-up, Spartans almost took the lead inside the opening 60 seconds as a cross from the right from Kaela McDonald found Zoe Johnstone 10 yards out, but the Spartans attacker got under her shot and lifted it high over the bar.
Rangers reacted to the early scare by attacking down the right side, with most of their good play coming through Brogan Hay, whose direct running and crossing was a constant danger to the Spartans defence.
Some home fans then thought that Spartans had taken the lead after 11 minutes, when a free kick allowed Alana Marshall to play a through ball down the right to Michelle Russell, who smashed the ball into the side netting.
Boyce was the first Rangers player to test Spartans’ goalkeeper Rachel Harrison, after she picked up the ball on the right and cut inside, only to see her curling effort comfortably saved.
Hay then swapped flanks with Davidson and the pair continued to cause problems as the half continued, running the channels and whipping in teasing balls that Boyce was unable to get on the end of, before Watson roamed forward and fired a long shot just past the post during a good spell for the Light Blues.
Chances continued to for both sides, Spartans coming close again as a corner on the left was played short to full-back Sarah Clelland on the edge of the 18-yard-box, and she produced a fierce drive that was heading for the bottom left hand corner, only to be palmed away superbly by Khym Ramsay in the Rangers goal.
Gers responded well and after a corner kick was knocked down in the Spartans box, Watson found herself free but fired a first time shot straight at Harrison. The away side then produced the best chance of the game so far as Boyce controlled the ball well on the edge of the Spartans box, turned inside and fired a dipping shot which was tipped onto the crossbar.
The deadlock was broken just before half-time, as Rangers captain Clare Gemmell received the ball and clipped a lovely pass over the top of the defence to release Boyce, and she calmly controlled and slotted the ball underneath Harrison as the Spartans defence looked for the offside flag to give Rangers the lead.
Boyce then had a glorious chance to double her tally just two minutes later after she got in behind the defence following a long ball down the right from Lauren Gallon, and the former Glasgow City striker, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, composed herself but just dragged her shot wide of Harrison’s far post.
The second half started in exactly the same way the first ended, with both sides creating fantastic chances to increase the scoreline. Spartans, in perhaps their best move of the match, had a throw in on the Rangers left and the ball was laid off to Rachel Walkingshaw who hit a thunderous strike which rattled Ramsay’s crossbar, only for the follow up to hit the post and Ramsay to save from point-blank range from a third attempt at goal.
At the other end Rangers had another great chance to extend their lead, as the constant threat of Boyce again got in behind the Spartans defence and got her shot away, only to see it saved by the onrushing Harrison in the home goal.
Despite Rangers creating numerous chances, Spartans restored parity in the 74th minute, as a curled ball over the top of the Rangers defence reached Russell and she lobbed the ball first time over the head of the helpless Ramsay to make it 1-1.
Boyce was then replaced by Hayley Sinclair for the remaining ten minutes; and as Rangers continued to press, Gemmell won the ball in the centre of the park, took a touch and unleashed a ferocious drive which was tipped onto the bar by Harrison and out for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Rangers thought they had scored, as the corner was played short and a cross from the edge of the box was glanced on and the ball was poked over the line by substitute Terri Donnelly, only to be ruled out by the offside flag.
Rangers were not forced to wait to regain the lead, as just a minute later, some more trickery from the fleet-footed Hay caused her to be upended just inside the box, and referee Fiona Morton pointed to the spot.
On her first start of the season, Chelsie Watson stepped up and coolly side-footed the ball into the bottom right corner, sending Harrison the wrong way, and deservedly made it 2-1 to Rangers.
Rangers continued to press and keep Spartans penned in their own half during five minutes of injury time and held on for a fully deserved three points in Edinburgh.
RANGERS: Ramsay, L. Gallon, Watson, Eddie, Muir, Coakley, Gemmell, Hay, Napier, Davidson, Boyce
Subs: Baillie, Brown, Donnelly, Sinclair, Swanson
rangers.co.uk/news/women/swpl-spartans-1-2-rangers/
After last week’s defeat to Bin Dippers fc, Lauren Davidson started in a slightly tweaked Rangers attack as part of a front three alongside Brogan Hay and Carla Boyce. Chelsie Watson returned for the suspended Jade Gallon, and Holly Napier replaced Caitlin O’Hara.
Despite Rangers’ attacking line-up, Spartans almost took the lead inside the opening 60 seconds as a cross from the right from Kaela McDonald found Zoe Johnstone 10 yards out, but the Spartans attacker got under her shot and lifted it high over the bar.
Rangers reacted to the early scare by attacking down the right side, with most of their good play coming through Brogan Hay, whose direct running and crossing was a constant danger to the Spartans defence.
Some home fans then thought that Spartans had taken the lead after 11 minutes, when a free kick allowed Alana Marshall to play a through ball down the right to Michelle Russell, who smashed the ball into the side netting.
Boyce was the first Rangers player to test Spartans’ goalkeeper Rachel Harrison, after she picked up the ball on the right and cut inside, only to see her curling effort comfortably saved.
Hay then swapped flanks with Davidson and the pair continued to cause problems as the half continued, running the channels and whipping in teasing balls that Boyce was unable to get on the end of, before Watson roamed forward and fired a long shot just past the post during a good spell for the Light Blues.
Chances continued to for both sides, Spartans coming close again as a corner on the left was played short to full-back Sarah Clelland on the edge of the 18-yard-box, and she produced a fierce drive that was heading for the bottom left hand corner, only to be palmed away superbly by Khym Ramsay in the Rangers goal.
Gers responded well and after a corner kick was knocked down in the Spartans box, Watson found herself free but fired a first time shot straight at Harrison. The away side then produced the best chance of the game so far as Boyce controlled the ball well on the edge of the Spartans box, turned inside and fired a dipping shot which was tipped onto the crossbar.
The deadlock was broken just before half-time, as Rangers captain Clare Gemmell received the ball and clipped a lovely pass over the top of the defence to release Boyce, and she calmly controlled and slotted the ball underneath Harrison as the Spartans defence looked for the offside flag to give Rangers the lead.
Boyce then had a glorious chance to double her tally just two minutes later after she got in behind the defence following a long ball down the right from Lauren Gallon, and the former Glasgow City striker, one-on-one with the goalkeeper, composed herself but just dragged her shot wide of Harrison’s far post.
The second half started in exactly the same way the first ended, with both sides creating fantastic chances to increase the scoreline. Spartans, in perhaps their best move of the match, had a throw in on the Rangers left and the ball was laid off to Rachel Walkingshaw who hit a thunderous strike which rattled Ramsay’s crossbar, only for the follow up to hit the post and Ramsay to save from point-blank range from a third attempt at goal.
At the other end Rangers had another great chance to extend their lead, as the constant threat of Boyce again got in behind the Spartans defence and got her shot away, only to see it saved by the onrushing Harrison in the home goal.
Despite Rangers creating numerous chances, Spartans restored parity in the 74th minute, as a curled ball over the top of the Rangers defence reached Russell and she lobbed the ball first time over the head of the helpless Ramsay to make it 1-1.
Boyce was then replaced by Hayley Sinclair for the remaining ten minutes; and as Rangers continued to press, Gemmell won the ball in the centre of the park, took a touch and unleashed a ferocious drive which was tipped onto the bar by Harrison and out for a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Rangers thought they had scored, as the corner was played short and a cross from the edge of the box was glanced on and the ball was poked over the line by substitute Terri Donnelly, only to be ruled out by the offside flag.
Rangers were not forced to wait to regain the lead, as just a minute later, some more trickery from the fleet-footed Hay caused her to be upended just inside the box, and referee Fiona Morton pointed to the spot.
On her first start of the season, Chelsie Watson stepped up and coolly side-footed the ball into the bottom right corner, sending Harrison the wrong way, and deservedly made it 2-1 to Rangers.
Rangers continued to press and keep Spartans penned in their own half during five minutes of injury time and held on for a fully deserved three points in Edinburgh.
RANGERS: Ramsay, L. Gallon, Watson, Eddie, Muir, Coakley, Gemmell, Hay, Napier, Davidson, Boyce
Subs: Baillie, Brown, Donnelly, Sinclair, Swanson
rangers.co.uk/news/women/swpl-spartans-1-2-rangers/
