Hibs win big, Glasgow City stretch lead and more in SWPL Round-Up
All the action from the weekend’s SWPL 1 football … Rangers suffered a second consecutive loss in a shock 3-0 defeat at home to Hibernian, having been undefeated up until last weekend. Hibs meanwhile continue their impressive season, sat only two points behind rivals Hearts with a game in hand. Glasgow City extended their lead at the top of the table to five points after thrashing bottom side Dundee United 7-0, with Lisa Forrest and Katie Lockwood both bagging a brace. Despite ending their Champions League campaign without a point, Celtic recovered to thump Spartans 5-0 at Ainslie Park. They remain a distant nine points off the top of the table. Looking to cement their top six credentials, Motherwell held Hearts to 0-0 draw at home. The visitors will no doubt be frustrated to not leapfrog Rangers with a win. Montrose recorded their first league win since September as they defeated Queen’s Park 1-0 courtesy of a Morgan Hay own goal in the second half. Finally, Partick Thistle and Aberdeen saw their fixture at the Balmoral Stadium postponed due to high winds, the game was called off just a few hours before kick-off was due to take place.
Birthday boy Penrice helps send St Johnstone bottom
Venue: Tynecastle Park Date: 22/12/24 Time: 15:00 Hearts responded to the their humiliating midweek exit from the Europa Conference League to earn a crucial three points and ensure St Johnstone fell to the foot of the table. After just fifteen minutes a towering header from Penrice, celebrating his 26th birthday, met Adam Forrester’s long ball into the box to open the scoring. Penrice soon found himself giving out gifts after his handball in the box allowed substitute Graham Carey to level the score eight minutes after the break. Hearts responded just five minutes leader when Blair Spittal met a cleared header from a corner and lashed home the winner from outside the box. The home side had the lions’ share of chances throughout the encounter. James Wilson had an opportunity to put Hearts ahead after cutting past Josh Rae to find an empty goal, albeit at a difficult angle, but the shot was lacking the right connection as it fizzled to allow the Saints to clear. Hearts were denied again later in the half as Bozo Mikulic’s mishit clearance fired straight at his own goal but a reflexive save from Rae was able to keep the score down. Rae was called into action multiple times after that, first when Penrice’s shot met Lawrence Shankland’s head, but the striker could not get the requisite power to trouble the keeper before denying Kenneth Vargas and Alan Forrest with a double save late on. Adama Sidibeh wasted his side’s best opportunity of the game, driving the ball forward holding off the Hearts defence only to send his attempt wide. Line-ups: Hearts: C. Gordon, J. Penrice, K. Rowles, D. Oyegoke, A. Forrester, B. Spittal (K. Vargas 80’), M. Boateng, C. Devlin, M. Drammeh (A. Forrest 61’), L. Shankland (c) (L. Boyce 94’), J. Wilson Substitutes: L. Boyce, Z. Clark, Y. Dhanda, A. Forrest, J. Grant, C. Halkett, A. Salazar, M. Tait, K. Vargas St Johnstone: J. Rae, A. Raymond (G. Carey 46’), B. Mikulic, J. Sanders, A. Essel (D. Keltjens 83’), B. Kimpioka, J. Holt (c) (M. Smith 83’), S. Sprangler, D. Wright, M. Kirk, A. Sidibeh Substitutes: A. Brookfield, G. Carey, B. Dair, F. Franczak, D. Keltjens, M. Kucheriavyi, J. McPake, R. Sinclair, M. Smith Referee: John Beaton