City make it two out of two
Reigning SWPL Champions Glasgow City continued their winning start to the new season, defeating Hamilton Accies 4-1 at the John Cumming Stadium, Carluke.
Goals from Suzanne Lappin, Leanne Ross, Abbi Grant and Julie Nelson gave City victory, with Accies getting a consolation through Gillian Inglis. Although happy with three points, City Head Coach Eddie Wolecki Black looked a concerned man as young striker Alyshia Walker was stretchered off with what looks like a serious injury midway through the second half. At a time when City have been severely hampered with countless injuries to key players, he will be hoping for a positive diagnosis on Walker.
He said, “I am delighted with the three points. I thought once we settled into the game we totally controlled it. We got our goals at good times and the bonus was we got players like Suzanne Lappin, Leanne Crichton and Fiona Brown all on the park after a significant time out injured. It was disappointing to lose Eilish McSorley, Jo Love and Alyshia Walker to injury during the match. It seems we are suffering every time with injuries at the moment and everyone at the club wishes Alyshia a speedy recovery and we hope it is not as bad as it is feared.”
City were forced into an early change when international midfielder Jo Love was replaced 15 minutes into the match by Leanne Ross after Love had taken an ankle knock. Ross quickly established herself in the game and became pivotal to City’s threat as she went on to assist one goal and score another.
Emma Black, starting her second competitive match after a year out injured was proving a real handful for the Accies defence down the right hand side as she supported Alyshia Walker from the full back position. After sending in numerous dangerous crosses into the box, Black finally got her reward when her back post ball was met by the run of eighteen year old Abbi Grant and the new City signing headed into the back of the net to give her side the lead and earn her first goal for her new side.
Six minutes later Leanne Ross made it 2-0 to the visitors converting past Accies keeper Elaine Fleming.
On the stroke of half time, excellent play by Black and Denise O’Sullivan earned City a corner kick and Ross’s pinpoint delivery was met by Lappin who headed home to make it 3-0 to City at the break.
On 54 minutes Accies earned their first corner of the match and they made it count when Gillian Inglis set piece delivery curled right past everyone and straight into the back of the net.
Walker was sadly stretchered off on 60 minutes, to be replaced by Fiona Brown who was making her first appearance for the Champions since suffering an injury in January. It didn’t take Brown long to settle into the match and she proved an immediate attacking threat out wide on the right.
On 78 minutes Glasgow City made it 4-1. Brown was fouled near the touchline and the resultant Leanne Ross free kick was played back into the box by Cheryl McCulloch to Julie Nelson, allowing the City centre half to power her header into the back of the net to secure victory for the Glasgow side.
In the closing minutes Accies substitute Carolina Richardson dispossessed the City defence and hit a looping shot from distance which hit the City cross bar. City also hit the woodwork when substitute Leanne Crichton fired a powerful effort from 25 yards which cannoned back off the home side’s cross bar, but there were to be no more goals, and it finished 4-1 at full time.
City are back in action next Sunday and will face a stern test against Spartans away from home. Kick is 1pm at Ainslie Park, Spartans Academy, Edinburgh.
SWPL Results in full:
Hamilton Accies 1-4 Glasgow City
Rangers 0-0 Spartans
Queens Park 2-2 Forfar Farmington
Buchan 1-3 Aberdeen
Hibernian 7-0 Inverness
Celtic 2 – 0 Hutchison Vale
Pictured - Top - GCFC by Jay Neill. Bottom - Abbi Grant in Glasgow City action by Andy Buist.
23.03.14
