Scottish Women’s Premier League
Hearts will clinch their first Scottish Women's Premier League title if they beat Glasgow City at home next Sunday, after a hard-fought 2-1 win over Celtic restored their four-point lead at the top with two matches remaining.
Second placed Rangers had closed the gap to a single point earlier in the day with victory against Partick Thistle, but Hearts responded in style at New Douglas Park. Striker Georgia Timms gave the league leaders a frantic first half lead, only for Scottish Cup finalists Celtic to level through Republic of Ireland international Saoirse Noonan, who converted a penalty won by Lisa Robertson.
Lauren Wade ensured Hearts went into the break ahead, calmly slotting home what proved to be the decisive goal. The visitors pushed for a third after the interval and were unlucky not to extend their advantage, but the three points were secured as they held firm.
Rangers are now the only team who can still overtake Hearts and they maintained their title challenge by defeating Partick Thistle 3-0, with teenagers Laura Berry and Mia McAulay scoring either side of a magnificent strike from 20-year-old Jodi McLeary. Leanne Crichton’s side finished the weekend four points behind Hearts and three clear of Glasgow City, with two fixtures left.
Hibernian ended Glasgow City’s remaining title hopes as Tegan Bowie’s 93rd minute winner secured a dramatic 3-2 victory for the reigning champions. Hibs led 2-0 at the interval, with Eilidh Adams converting a penalty past Scotland international team mate Lee Gibson to give them the lead, before Kathleen McGovern showed excellent composure to find the top corner for the second. Leanne Ross’ League Cup winners, who suffered Scottish Cup semi final disappointment the previous weekend, fought back strongly, with half time substitutes Abi Harrison - against her former club - and Codie Thomas levelling the scores before the hour mark.
Hibernian manager Joelle Murray rolled the dice with a triple substitution in the final minutes and Bowie repaid her faith, producing a cool finish to sink City and move her side above Celtic into fourth place.
Motherwell climbed into seventh place in the table, leapfrogging Montrose with a 2-1 victory at Links Park in the penultimate bottom four fixture of the season. Both sides had already secured their top flight status, leaving only pride at stake for the ‘best-of-the-rest’ position. A quickfire double from Tegan Browning and Carla Boyce before the break stunned the home side, though Kaela McDonald-Nguah pulled one back for Craig Feroz’ team. The comeback was halted when Jade McLaren – player of the match in Montrose’s Scottish Cup semi final against Rangers – was sent off. The result leaves Iain Robinson’s side two points clear of Montrose with one game remaining.
Aberdeen rounded off their home campaign with a comfortable 4-0 victory over bottom side Hamilton Academical. Already destined for the relegation play-off match, Scott Booth’s side boosted morale at Balmoral Stadium as Darcie Miller opened the scoring from close range inside ten minutes. Three second half goals from Francesca Ogilvie, captain Hannah Stewart and substitute Bridget Galloway completed the rout. With one round of fixtures left in the bottom four, Robert Watson’s Accies, who have just two points all season, face the prospect of a winless top flight campaign.
SWPL 2
With one round of fixtures left to play, just a single point separates the top two teams as they look to secure the title and automatic promotion spot but few people would have predicted how their results went on Sunday.
Kilmarnock played host to third placed Boroughmuir Thistle and their recent wobbles continued as they went down to a 1-0 defeat at Rugby Park. An own goal just after the half hour mark gave Boroughmuir victory on the day and result which all but guarantees they will finish in the top three. This meant that Spartans would take over as leaders with a victory away to Gartcairn Women but were stunned by a second half fightback from the home side which means that Killie will take a slender advantage into the final matches. It looked as though Spartans were on their way towards another victory when Eilidh Davies and Natalie Bandura put them two ahead inside the opening half hour but after the break, the normally watertight Spartans defence was breached twice as Madison Maxwell reduced the arrears and Sophie Timlin equalised with fifteen minutes remaining, to leave things level at 2-2. Queen’s Park meanwhile came away from Dundee Utd with a 2-0 win under their belts, two Ellie Kane goals in a five minute spell midway through the second half sealing the points.
Livingston continue to finish the season well in the bottom-four split and ran out 5-0 winners over St Johnstone at the Tony Macaroni Arena. Justine Strain and Dionne Brown put Livi two goals ahead at half time, with Strain adding another after the break alongside Nicole Cairney and Shivohn Honeyman. St Johnstone now face a tense final match against East Fife, with the losers having to play in a relegation play-off match. East Fife will go into the match in good spirits as they defeated Stirling University 5-1, Teri Skivington hitting a hat-trick inside the opening fourteen minutes and Lauren Healy also contributed a late double, with Ellie Osborne replying.
