SPFL Weekly: Five Talking Points
Rangers’ second-half performance saves Barry Ferguson’s embarrassment, Hibbies go 14 games unbeaten and Hearts move into top six. There was also a debut home win for new ‘Well boss Michael Wimmer, St Johnstone closes the gap at the bottom, and Celtic win emphatically in unconvincing display. Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 28 in the 2024/25 SPFL season. AvenGERS thrust into blockbuster action A heroic second-half performance saw the Light Blues come from two goals down to defeat Killie 4-2. The script replicated a typical superhero blockbuster with the protagonist struggling against a grave threat, only to overcome it in the picture’s second half. Cyriel Dessers was the hero who saved Barry Ferguson, the man chosen as Phillipe Clement’s successor on Monday. Dessers’ two decisive goals carried the Light Blues into the lead to give the interim manager his first SPFL victory. Throughout the first half, Ranger’s defence was terrorized by Kilmarnock’s front two, Bobby Wales and Marley Watkins, prompting Ferguson to make the bold decision to hook French centre-back Clinton Nsiala after just 30 minutes. A goal from Vaclav Cerny ten minutes before half-time gave them hope, and the team talk from boss Captain Hamilton must have helped rally the gang as his team put on a gritty and determined performance in the second half. A tired Kilmarnock ran out of steam as the game wore on, and the Glasgow side only grew in confidence. Ferguson’s team must continue to perform to close the 13-point gap on Celtic. Is there a Hollywood ending in sight, or is it too little or too late? All eyes will be on this weekend’s sequel as Motherwell visits Ibrox. Unbe-Leith-able! Hibs march on Hibernian extended their unbeaten run to 14 matches after late goals from Kieron Bowie and Junior Hoilett, which gave them a dramatic 3-1 victory at Tannadice. Their goals came after Dundee United had a second-half leader disallowed for handball in the second half following a lengthy VAR check. Jim Goodwin was incensed by the decision, but referee Dermot Gallagher on Sky Sports’ Ref Watch agreed with the VAR’s decision that Sam Dalby headed the ball onto his arm. The positive vibes continue to build in Leith following the announcement that they have signed Aberdeen’s Jamie McGrath on a pre-contract deal, and Hibs owner plans to make £7m donation to cover club losses. Wimmer feels at home Michael Wimmer experienced his first taste of victory on his Fir Park debut following his arrival last week. Attendance last night was at 4,258, and the home fans would have been excited to see how their new boss got their team playing. However, it was set pieces where they looked most dangerous. Defender Dan Casey scored the two goals to stop the Lanarkshire side’s rot, leading them to their first win in eight matches. The game also saw a landmark for ‘Well midfielder Callum Slattery, who made his 100th appearance for the Steelmen, with his first appearance coming against Annan Athletic just over four years ago. The visitors, Dundee, will now look over their shoulder as they have now lost five games in a row, leaving them three points off bottom spot. Jammin’ Jambos into top six Hearts fought a challenging game, coming from behind to beat St Mirren 3-1, which saw them leapfrog the Paisley side. Victory has taken them into the top six for the first time since August. 17-year-old James Wilson got the equaliser and won man of the match, amusingly posing post-match with a bottle of rum that his parents probably don’t want him drinking. The goal that put the Jambos ahead at Tynecastle was by Calem Nieuwenhof, who was making his first start in almost a year. Hearts manager Neil Critchley told BBC Sport after the game: “It was a really tough game. I didn’t think we were at our best, but we’re finding ways to win games. “We weren’t clean or efficient in our play. I wouldn’t say sloppiness but not our usual selves on the ball. But moments went for us, and we showed real grit and resilience.” Hearts now have eight wins in their last 10 in all competitions. Their next game? Hibernian at Easter Road on Sunday. Saints close the gap St Johnstone’s 1-0 victory over top-six hopefuls Ross County significantly boosts their fight for Premiership survival. Only 3 points now separate them and Dundee, who are above them in the play-off relegation spot with 10 games left to play. Fans at McDiarmid Park will feel better about themselves after the win following back-to-back defeats. Mackenzie Kirk’s close-range finish was the decisive goal that, despite a slim scoreline, was a thoroughly deserved result. County ‘keeper Jordan Amissah put in an inspired performance to keep the Saints at bay and the scoreline respectable. Saints Manager Simo Valakari told BBC Sport about the importance of the result: “It was a big win. This match was our most must-win game for our hopes for the rest of the season.” “I’m most happy with how the players performed in this high-pressure game.” County came into this with four wins from their previous five away league games. Their fans were hopeful of the top six but now will have one eye on what’s happening behind them as they still are worryingly close to the relegation play-off spot.
Rocky 33 – the story of a career reborn, fit for the silver screen
Hollywood could do worse than take a page out of born again Hibs hero Rocky Bushiri’s script. As he was being helped off the pitch, suffering an injury yet still somehow denying Jota on the line with his final act you could almost hear the whisper ‘Careful, he’s a hero’. For Rocky Bushiri has always had a touch of the super-heroic about him, even if it is Nicky Cadden who wears the mask these days. It’s not just the way he plays, but the way he speaks too. “You work in secret a bit, so you’re ready when you can go again,” he had said about the time spent out of the squad as the season looked set to pass him by. Lurking in the shadows, analysing from the bench as his teammates tumbled from bad result to bad result. Nowadays, Bushiri is his club’s own Superman, the beating heart of a Hibs back-three that has gone thirteen games unbeaten, including the victory over Celtic, condemning the league champions to a second consecutive defeat and resulting in one of Scottish football’s finest spectacles, the moment ‘Sunshine on Leith’ blasts out the tannoys surpassed only by the gusto of the fans who made their appreciation known to the players, “a special moment” to cherish as Gray put it. Yet far from sunshine and rainbows, Rocky’s career could have been the script for the film that carries his name if only Sylvester Stallone hadn’t lived it first, albeit the defender has never had to sell his dog to make it happen. From a young talent on the fast-track to notoriety, Bushiri was breaking records right from the start as he became K.V. Oostende’s youngest ever debutant. The now defunt club’s doors passed through by some familiar faces to fans in the country with none other than Fashion Sakala, Jack Hendry, Ante Palaversa and Ewan Henderson (who spent time with Rocky at Hibs no less) all plying their trade at Oostende at various intervals. There would be a successful loan with Eupen as he cut his teeth in the professional game, the centre-back’s star rising with appearances at the U21 Euros for Belgium and signing for then Premier League side Norwich City in 2019. Then, the 6 foot 2 motor stalled. Three years and no appearances for the Canaries. Loan spells didn’t help much either with a move to Blackpool in League 1 yielding just 7 appearances before being cut short. Manager Simon Grayson saying “We thank him for the bits he did for us, it didn’t quite work out that one”, the indifference for a 20 year old who had only recently uprooted from Belgium somewhat striking. Bushiri’s return to Belgium did little to get the engine going, spells at St Truiden, Mecheleh and a return to Eupen led to 21 appearances across three seasons. Not an ideal platform for development in your formative years. By the time he had joined Jack Ross’ Hibernian on loan in 2022, there remained excitement at the prospect of what the player could bring to a vastly under-perfoming side and whilst game time was forthcoming, the performances fans applaud today were less so. 12 games would bring 11 starts but also 5 yellow cards, including a double against Dundee. The season itself was as chaotic as the managerial changes suggest. Jack Ross (fired), David Gray (caretaker), Shaun Maloney (fired) before a return for caretaker Gray. 0′, 0′, 2′, 90′, 0′ minutes during the split showed just how much Gray believed in the young defender when it came to the crunch. An ignomonious end to a season but joy of a loan move made permanent was overshadowed by the rumours that the club had forgotten the agreement with Norwich had a clause that forced them to Bushiri after a certain number appearances. Hibs would call it a canard but the rumour was supported by the fact that Bushiri’s name appeared on the list of players set to leave the club at the end of the season. It didn’t stop there either, Bushiri’s name became entangled once again with a club failing to master the fundamentals of administration. Playing 90 minutes against Morton in the League Cup despite having been suspended, resulting in a 3-0 forfeit and swift exit from the competition. Rocky needed an Adrian, but he was surrounded by Paulies. Injury capped off insult for once as the next season saw Rocky miss 17 games with an ankle injury despite having gone from a player Lee Johnson said “he was probably happy to move on” to one “he wouldn’t sell for £10m”. Last season looked set to be a breakout season for the player who, whilst not exactly earning acclaim outside the confines of Easter Road, was at least starting consistently. Then came David Gray, and this time no more Mr Interim. This was a manager who hadn’t shown much faith in the defender’s abilities in the past and the signings of Warren O’Hora, Marvin Ekpiteta and Jack Iredale in the summer could have told you that he was didn’t have much of it for the future. And so it was, Bushiri would sit on the bench for 15 league games, giving his seat the appearance of memory foam, playing just 7 minutes of SPFL football. Hibs were rock bottom of the table, injuries began to bite the side and Gray was forced to bring the by now DR Congo international in from the cold. A 4-1 defeat to Dundee looked to be the last straw for both of them, and then … Pandemonium. There’s only one word for a game that made absolutely no sense. A flying Aberdeen side with just one defeat to date arrived in Edinburgh accompanied by a narrative that had been swelling with each passing week and looked set to unfold as expected. The side had conceded the most goals after scoring first had … conceded two goals after scoring first. 2-1 down with added time running out before the
SPFL Matchday 1: Five Talking Points
Rangers gave Philippe Clement his marching orders, Hibernian defeated a lethargic Celtic, there was no new manager bounce for Motherwell, and the cool-as-ice Kabangu kept Hearts ticking. Meanwhile, Ross County continued their push for the top six, and Aberdeen stave off capitulation with back-to-back wins. Here’s our round-up of the big talking points from Matchday 27 in the 2024/25 SPFL season. Clement sacked – Who’s next? Rangers 2-0 home defeat to St Mirren was the straw that broke the camel’s back. A dismal showing at Ibrox sealed Philippe Clement’s fate in a week filled with speculation about a potential US-led takeover by San Francisco 49ers’ investors. His dismissal came just hours after our report last night, which anticipated the club’s official announcement. After the match, Clement apologised to the fans, telling BBC Sport: “I can only say sorry and apologise [to the Rangers fans] from me and the team. This is not what Rangers teams need to show on the pitch. We all know this was by far below the standards we all expect.” However, for Rangers supporters, it was too little, too late. Some even set up a JustGiving page to fund his rumoured £1.2 million compensation fee. During his 16-month tenure, Clement showed rare glimpses of promise, particularly in Europe, where Rangers secured automatic qualification for the Europa League round of 16. Yet, he struggled to translate those performances into domestic success, leaving the club 13 points adrift of league leaders Celtic. Attention now turns to his long-term successor, with former Everton boss Sean Dyche, ex-Rangers title-winning manager Steven Gerrard, club legend Barry Ferguson, and former Light Blues midfielder Gennaro Gattuso all linked. Ferguson has been announced by the club to manage until the end of the season. VAR controversy mars heroic Hibs performance The heat on VAR grows with Brendan Rodgers’ latest comments following Celtic’s 2-1 defeat to Hibernian. An equaliser for Celtic was ruled out in the second half after the VAR overruled the on-field officials. Their decision was that Alistair Johnston crossed the ball after it was out of play, with the linesman originally calling it in. Regarding the controversy, Rodgers told BBC Sport: “I was very disappointed we didn’t get that, especially when the linesman didn’t think it was out. He probably has the best view. “I don’t know how you can tell the ball is definitely out from an image from the 18-yard line. We need to see evidence the ball was out. If you don’t have that, you’re having a guess.” However, the debate surrounding the decision has unfairly overshadowed Hibernian’s outstanding and fully deserved performance. They fought with grit and determination to withstand Celtic’s attacks while capitalising on a fatigued Hoops defence in transition. A defining moment came when Rocky Bushiri heroically cleared the ball off the goal line following a surging run from Jota, sparking a deafening roar from the home crowd. By the final whistle, as Sunshine on Leith echoed around Easter Road, there could be no denying that Hibs had earned their moment of celebration. No new manager bounce for the ‘Well One could forgive the neutral fan who gave little thought to this fixture last weekend. However, there has been renewed interest following the appointment of Michael Wimmer as Motherwell’s manager. The German spoke about bringing “intensity, energy, and passion” to proceedings. Still, there was little evidence of this in the first half of a 1-0 defeat to Dundee United. Both sides came into the game in poor form, but the Tangerines struck first and stopped the Lanarkshire side from having a new manager bounce. The visitors did react positively in the second half but lacked the clinical edge to get back into the match. On the second-half performance, Wimmer told BBC Sport: “We can work with the second half. It was really good. It was aggressive, we had opportunities, and we played forward. That’s what we want to see.” The Steelmen are now on their joint longest losing streak in ten years and worryingly looking over their shoulders at the teams behind them in the table. Kabangu injection saves Hearts Nine years ago, the Perth club witnessed a bejewelled Elton John in a stellar concert at McDiarmid Park, singing hits such as Crocodile Rock and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. This weekend, they saw another Elton dazzle before their eyes. Elton Kabangu, the January recruit from Hearts. The Belgian scored twice in a 2-1 away victory to see Hearts look towards the top six and European places. Putting aside last week’s disappointing home result to Rangers, where he failed to take his chances, he was a thorn in the Saints’ side throughout and put away two clinical finishes to take his toll up to six goals from seven games. Hearts boss Neil Crichtley told BBC Sport about his performance: “I’m delighted for Elton Kabangu to get two goals after his disappointment last week. He’s such a great personality to have at the training ground every day. I thought he was fantastic again.” The Saints are running out of games to turn things around, languishing six points adrift at the bottom of the table. Their manager, Simo Valakari, joined the club in October to do just that. With each passing game, that is looking increasingly less likely, and preparations for the Championship may lie ahead. Battle for top six Ross County is on an excellent run of form, with five wins from their last 9. Their only two defeats from that run came against the two Glasgow giants. They came from behind this weekend to beat Dundee 3-1. On the performance, Cowie told BBC Sport: “I was most pleased with how we responded to going behind, we were not spooked by it and deservedly got back in the game at 1-1. “We came out the traps flying after half-time and scored two goals. A fantastic win, and it keeps the momentum going.” The man from Inverness has given the Dingwall fans hope, as the club is only two points off the
Late United Winner Sinks Dundee as The Terrors Claim Derby Bragging Rights
Sam Dalby scored his 10th league goal of the season as Dundee United move up to 3rd in the table Dundee started the derby with 2 changes from their 2-1 win against St Mirren, with United making a solitary change from their victory over Aberdeen. The Dark Blues were searching for their first win in the derby since 2017 in front of a sold-out Dens Park. United started the brighter of the two sides and had a chance in the first minute of the game but Dalby’s header was easily saved by Carson. Dundee then had a golden opportunity to take the lead shortly after when the ball was cut back to Fin Robertson inside the box but his effort was cleared off the line by Strain. Adewunmi’s follow up narrowly went past the post. The momentum of the game began to shift in Dundee’s favour as their constant pressure was penning United back as the first half wore on. 2 more good chances fell their way with Fin Robertson again missed the target from range and Palmer – Houlden also failed to convert from inside the box. Against the run of play, United had a dangerous opening right before the end of the half. A great run from Ryan Strain through the heart of the Dundee midfield, allowed him to lay the ball on a plate for Trapanovski but his attempt went well clear of the Dundee goal. Half Time – Dundee 0-0 Dundee United Following a scrappy start to the second half, the first blow at Dens Park was struck in the 60th minute when the home side were awarded a penalty following a lengthy VAR check. A dangerous ball in from the left saw Simon Murray challenging Graham and Holt in the air, with the ball hitting Holt’s hand in the mix up. Murray made no mistake from the spot sending Walton the wrong way and giving the Dark Blues the lead in the 61st minute. The tangerines responded immediately, however, and equalised through Vicko Sevelj. Dundee failed to clear a long throw into the box from Ross Graham and the Croatian was there to head the ball home inside the 6-yard box. Both teams had chances to score the 3rd goal of the match. A nice ball in behind the tangerine defence sent Palmer-Houlden through but he hit his shot straight at the United keeper. United had a good chance at the other end up both of former Dundee man, Kevin Holt’s shots were blocked by the Dundee defence. Just as it looked as though the game was heading for the 5th draw in 6 Dundee derby’s, Jim Goodwin’s late goal specialist’s won the game in the closing stages. A fantastic ball from Will Ferry set Holt up for a first time cross on the left wing, and it was United’s talisman, Sam Dalby, in the right place at the right time yet again. Dalby’s 88th minute winner sent the away fans delirious as the home fans headed for the exits. Tony Docherty’s men will be bitterly disappointed with the result as they will feel they deserved at least a point out of the game. The result leaves Dundee in 9th, 12 points behind their city rivals. As for United, the win see’s them leapfrog Goodwin’s former side, Aberdeen, into 3rd and will be looking for their 4th victory in a row on Sunday as they host Hearts at Tannadice. Dundee Lineup – Carson (GK) (C), Astley, Graham, C. Robertson, Mulligan, Sylla, Cameron, F. Robertson (Main 90), Adewumi, Palmer-Houlden (Tiffoney 90), Murray Dundee United Lineup- Walton, Strain, Adeboyaga, Holt, Ferry, Stephenson, Docherty (Odada 84) (C), Sevelj, Middleton (Van Der Sande 63), Trapanovski (Graham 46), Dalby Attendance – 11,585
Dundee 3-3 Celtic: Player ratings from Dens Park
Oluwaseun Adewumi’s shines against another Old Firm side whilst Auston Trusty can have no complaints. Dundee 3-4-2-1 Trevor Carson (capt) Continues to put his body on the line but should have done better collecting Kyogo’s low cross for second. 6 Clark Robertson Dealing with such a potent Celtic attack is no easy job but confusion with Carson leads to Celtic regaining lead. 6 Ryan Astley Kept Idah quiet all night and did little wrong despite the scoreline. 7 Aaron Donnelly Did not come off too badly in duel with Kyogo and got the better of Trusty to score an all important goal. 8 Josh Mulligan Lovely feet and worked absolutely tirelessly down the right hand side. His deflected cross for an own goal saw him end the night with an assist. 8 Ethan Ingram His biggest impact comes in attack and has shown he can mix it with the best taking on full backs. However should have tracked McCowan for opener and was beaten by Kyogo’s ball for second. 5 Mo Sylla Strong on the ball and continues to be a good outlet to build attacks. Unfortunate however to give away penalty with handball in dying moments. 6 Cesar Garza Built on a solid first outing for more of the same. A nicely balanced skillset and his tackle helped set Simon Murray off for the counter. 7 Finlay Robertson No Cameron no problem as the midfielder bagged not one, but fine assists on the night. A physical presence giving Celtic’s defenders no rest. 8 Oluwaseun Adewumi Almost followed McGregor to the bathroom at half time such was his proficiency in man marking. Attacked with verve and scored a terrific goal after a tidy bit of footwork to get space from Johnston. What a job Dundee have done to extend his loan. 8 Simon Murray Continues to be every defender’s most irritating opponent. Looking for contact and earning his side free kicks up the park. As mentioned, burst of pace helped create second. Yellow for abusing the referee put a dampener on the striker’s evening. 7 SUBSTITUTES: Seb Palmer-Houlden (for Murray 82′) n/a; Lyall Cameron (for Robertson 87′) Bedbound with illness this week but part of bench that had too little time to make a positive impact and were not at fault for equaliser n/a; Scott Tiffoney (for Garza 87′) n/a. Celtic (4-1-4-1) Kasper Schmeichel Little he could do about first and third but arguably could have covered himself with a little more glory as Adewumi’s effort slipped past him. 6 Alistair Johnston A player who has become almost irreplaceable for Rodgers, filling in at right back, winger, centre mid, you name it. However as he will no doubt know, little errors cost games and he did not cover openside of goal well enough for second. 7 Auston Trusty Performance tonight will give Kilmarnock and Young Boys a little boost. Almost gave away a penalty before being beaten in the air by Donnelly. 4 Cameron Carter-Vickers A strong presence in the first half but look unrecognisable after the break as he began to fade. Unlucky but conceded an own goal all the same. 5 Greg Taylor Lacks the same impact Johnston has down the right and wasn’t helped by a lack of chemistry with Yang. Was launching himself into tackles by the way, giving the impression of desperation. 5 Callum McGregor (capt) Barely got a sniff due to Adewumi’s marking but looked threatening with rare opportunities when he managed to get away. 6 Yang Hyun-Jun God loves a trier and the winger continues to give everything but often without meaningful end product. However he grabbed a much needed goal for his efforts after getting his positioning spot on the score a header. 6 Paulo Bernardo Game was his for the taking if he was looking to play himself into a more permanent starting berth but failed to grab it. Agonisingly close with a header that hit the crossbar but being taken off after an hour tells you about the belief Rodgers had in his ability to create a winner. Booked before coming off. 6 Luke McCowan An early goal gave Celtic a much needed head start. Found himself filling in a right back with Johnston went forward as his impact lessened before being subbed off to applause from both sets of fans. 6 Kyogo Furuhashi Even on his quieter days Kyogo is a different class. Couple of crosses not met by anyone before Yang finally made one count. Electric movement kept Dundee on their toes. Impact lessened when moved up front. 7 Adam Idah Another difficult evening for the striker whose last league goal dates back to November. Needs to show more of the player who won the Scottish Cup Final last year. 5 SUBSTITUTES: Arne Engels (for Bernardo 61′) Not a brilliant first half hour but delivered when it mattered to rescue a point with penalty 7; Nicolas Kuhn (for Idah 61′) Immediate impact before shot gave Celtic the penalty 7; Reo Hatate (for McCowan 61′) Did not quite match output of previous two but ammended sloppy passing in midfield 6; Luis Palma (for Taylor 71′) A couple of spurts down the left but not much more 6; Alex Valle (for Yang 71′) Game at that stage did not seem to require his contributions 6.
Rangers put fourteen past Queen’s Park in free scoring weekend and more in SWPL 1 Round-up
All the action from the weekend’s SWPL 1 football … New Queen’s Park manager Iain Robinson could do little as his side endured a 14-0 slaughter at the hands of second place Rangers. Goals from Lizzie Arnot, Mia McAuley, Oliva McLoughlin and Rio Hardy made sure the game was won by half time but Jo Potter’s side did not take their foot off the gas. In fact, they pushed just about as far as it could go with McAulay and McLoughlin each adding another goal before pressure forced Ciara Bonner to turn the ball into her own net. Three goals in four minutes from Brogan Hay before a Katie Wilkinson double made it ten but the visitors did not stop there. Camille Lafaix was the third player to get a double with a Dionne Brown own goal in between. Adding insult in injury time was Jane Ross to complete the rout for the side that has racked up an astonishing 91 goals in 18 league games but still trail leaders Glasgow City by five points. Strugglers Queen’s Park meanwhile sit just three points off the bottom. Competition leaders Glasgow City made light work of a visiting Aberdeen side, coming out of Petershill Park comfortable 6-1 winners. In a frenetic opening fifteen minutes, Nicole Kozlova’s double was swiftly followed by goals from Brenna Lovera and Natalia Wrobel to make it four. Aberdeen held out for over half an hour but substitute Lisa Forrest added her name to the scoresheet for Lovera made it a brace. It was little more than a consolation but Aberdeen’s Nicola Jameison got the last word to deny to the home side a clean sheet with the game’s final goal. Defeat leaves the Dons in 10th, four points off of Queen’s Park albeit with two games in hand on the Glasgow side. Celtic meanwhile overcame a resilient Partick Thistle with a 4-2 win to keep their hopes of a title challenge alive. What looked set to be a relatively comfortable afternoon following Saoirse Noonan’s early opener proved to be very much the opposite as Carla Boyce continued her goalscoring form to level the game just before the hour mark. However the visitors’ resistance was well and truly broken by a three goal flurry that saw Noonan, Kelly Clark and Maria McAneny put the tie to bed. Captain Demi Falconer brought the score back to two with a bullet header but it proved too late as the Elena Sadiku’s side took all three points at Neww Douglas Park. Having played two games fewer than Glasgow City, they will hope to cut the nine point gap down with games against Aberdeen and Hearts approaching. Thistle now find themselves five points off the top six, with Motherwell having played a game more. Continuing their impressive season, Hibernian were 6-0 winners against Spartans at Meadowbank. Eilidh Adams’ opener just four minutes in set the tone for a difficult afternoon for the visitors. Midfielder Michaela McAlonie added her name to a quickly growing list and was soon followed by two former Rangers players in Chiara Grant and Kirsten Reilly before Adams rounded off the scoring before the break. There would only be one goal in the second half with Kirsty Morrison adding the gloss to an excellent performance from the Edinburgh side who could find themselves level on points with Rangers should they win away to Dundee United on Wednesday. Spartans’ hopes of making the top half look slightly more complicated after defeat as face a nine point deficit. A Laura Berry hat-trick ensured Motherwell strengthened their ambitions of a top half finish, downing bottom side Dundee United in a straightforward 6-1 win away at Foundation Park. Following two Berry goals including a well taken penalty, Chelsie Watson added two of her own before Freya Brien responded brilliantly for the home side with a goal from kick-off. Ultimately the resistance proved futile as Berry added her third before Sophie Black made it six. It has been a difficult season for United who sit bottom with just four points, having conceded 93 goals.
Hibernian 3-1 Motherwell: Player ratings from Easter Road
Nectar Triantis ran the show as Stephen O’Donnell struggled wearing the armband. Hibernian (3-4-1-2) Jordan Smith Little do before being beaten by the free kick. 6 Jack Iredale Looked untroubled until his needless foul outside the box allowed Motherwell back into the game. 6 Rocky Bushiri Confident on the ball and strong in the tackle. Enjoyed a relatively quiet night. On his way to cult hero status in Leith. 7 Warren O’Hara Like his partners at the back was solid at the back and kept a close eye on Maswanhise, keeping the forward who was brought on to shake things up quiet. 7 Nicky Cadden The talisman took an early knock to the face leaving a bit of blood. Brought off before he could really make an impact. n/a Dylan Levitt Solid on return to the team. Looks to be doing the things asked of him by the manager. Clearly blowing by the time he was brought off on the hour mark. 7 Nectar Triantis Couple of wayward passes but ran the game from the middle of the park. Strong interception followed by a lovely finish capped off a fine evening. 8 Chris Cadden Found space down the right early but nobody to meet the crosses. Won his duels with Sparrow. 7 Josh Campbell Pulled up his shorts in anger after wasting a good attacking opportunity. Like the other two, kept things simple which was what the game required. 7 Dwight Gayle Looks every bit the experienced player his CV suggests but frustrated by like of chances created for him. No doubt he will know the three points come first. 6 Martin Boyle (capt) Good position for opener with a cool, calm and collected penalty for the second. A player reborn in recent weeks now with four goals from his last two games. 8 SUBSTITUTES: Jordan Obita (for N. Cadden 19′) Difficult job in replacing Cadden but did very well. Assist for the first and defended resolutely in unfamiliar role 8; Lewis Miller (for C. Cadden 62′) Strong in the air and combined well with Hoilett 7; Junior Hoilett (for Gayle 62′) Kept Motherwell defenders on back foot to see out game 7; Hyeokku Kwon (for Levitt 62′) Brought the energy required maintain control of the game without having too much work to do 7; Nathan Moriah-Welsh (for J. Campbell 77′) Had little time to make an impact but no errors is all you can ask for at that stage 6; Motherwell (3-5-1-1) Archie Mair Not an ideal debut but as was not at fault for any of the goals. Will hope for a more positive outing after the first 24 hours of his time at the club. 6 Shane Blaney The yellow card he earned showed just how on the ropes Motherwell were before the break. 5 Kofi Balmer Hardly a frenetic game but struggled when it counted. 5 Paul McGinn Composed presence until head injury forced him off early on. 6 Ewan Wilson Sloppy in possession and at fault for the second goal. Hooked at the break. 4 Kai Andrews Added a bit of dynamism on the ball but like teammates, lacked bravery going forward. 5 Andy Halliday Game passed him by. Taken off with Wilson at half-time. 4 Tom Sparrow A few runs down the left but was easily contained. Looked more dangerous when cutting in but did not try it enough. 5 Stephen O’Donnell Captain in the absence of Lennon Miller. Did not step up to the plate. Gave away penalty that killed the game and had little to no impact going forward. 4 Tony Watt Not the most potent goalscorer but tries to use physicality to occupy defenders. Should have done better with the two headers he put over the bar. 5 Jack Vale Not much you can do when starved of the ball but ended the game with a straight red as the game had seconds to go. Punishing an already threadbare squad even further. 4 SUBSTITUTES: Dan Casey (for McGinn 33′) Struggled to command the backline in place of captain 5; Tawanda Maswanhise (for Halliday 46′) Showed flashes of what has made him one of the side’s best but couldn’t get into gear 5; Marvin Kaleta (for E. Wilson 46′) Had a half to make an impact but hardly saw the ball 5; Callum Slattery (for Sparrow 70′) Fantastic free-kick and had some impetus going forward at least 7; Moses Ebiye (for Watt 70′) No league goal since September and didn’t look like to end the drought tonight 5.
Late flurry sees Celtic run out winners over dogged Thistle
A Saoirse Noonan double saw Celtic through what proved to be a challenging test, despite the scoreline. Victory tonight means they are nine points off the top with two games in hand on leaders Glasgow City. Thistle made themselves narrow and compact but it wasn’t long before the deadlock was broken, Noonan finishing a cut-back to give the home side the lead just seven minutes in. Carla Boyce responded in stunning fashion with a long range effort from 25 yards over the head of keeper Chloe Logan after Caitlin Hayes’ was dispossessed outside the box. On hand for her second of the night, Noonan restored the lead after turning Demi Falconer. Turning on the style, Kelly Clark and Maria McAneny put the game to bed with two goals in just three minutes. Captain Falconer responded in the closing stages with a stunning header that ultimately proved little more than a consolation. Celtic were dominant for large parts of the game. Pressing to double their lead in the first half, former Thistle Emma Lawton fired a header from an in-swinging free kick but could only direct it into the hands of a grateful Jeni Currie. Struggling to get themselves in the final third, Thistle went long Rachel Donaldson long range effort into the arms of Logan, familiar to striker having played for the visitors against Hibernian in November as part of an emergency loan. After recovering the ball with tenacity, Mathilde Carstens attempted another cut back, this time met by a bullet header from Amy Gallacher which saw Currie produce a strong save and recovery to step the ball rolling over for a second. Growing increasingly frustrated Celtic looked to test the keeper from distance, Shannon McGregor’s long range effort unable to make Currie work. Noonan came agonisingly close to second but flying Thistle bodies saw the ball out for a corner which Currie punched clear. Called upon once again before the break Currie made a strong save by her near post to deny Gallacher. Celtic began the second half with intent, working the ball into the box with Noonan twice hitting the woodwork after the break. First, firing an effort into the post before rattling the crossbar with her second later on. Lawton came close with some nifty footwork followed by a shot blocked for a corner which Hayes could not direct on target with her header. Looking to put the game out of reach, Celtic continued to pepper the goal with Natalie Ross and Noonan both forcing excellent saves from Currie. Relentless pressing and touch of class up front Celya Barclais had her pocket picked by Imogen Longcake but the midfielder found herself swamped within seconds of gaining the ball. Celtic’s relentless counter-pressing saw the right back earn it back almost immediately. Logan was guilty of fielding a sloppy pass and Longcake was on hand to attempt to deliver an equaliser but was once again smothered by the defence which refused to let Thistle breathe, forcing searching balls and resulting in a pass accuracy rate of 45%. Despite allowing the visitor’s to draw level, the squad’s class proved too much. Noonan’s seventh goal in three league games were crucial in beating an inspired Jeni Currie on the night to take her tally for the season to 22. Promising signs despite winless run Five at the back and one lone striker usually means one thing, your primary concern is closing up shop for the evening. Little wonder that was the plan given both the gulf between the sides or the fact that Thistle’s last game took place almost a month prior. Neither of those things meant much to Carla Boyce, whose fine goalscoring form continues after bagging her fourth in three games. Ultimately it wasn’t enough as the side’s wait for a league win stretches back to their 2-0 victory over Queen’s Park in October. However, having drawn with professional side Hibernian and running Celtic right until the end, there is evidence to suggest it’s just a matter of time before they take three points home. What the managers said Celtic boss Elena Sadiku: “We played on Wednesday in Gran Canaria, we had a great performance. Obviously it’s different when you play in the league when you have that pressure on and I think that’s something that can affect the players but overall I think that was pretty good. “It’s going to be a bit rusty but I do think that the players tried and I think that’s good but sometimes I want them to be more ruthless like ‘give me the ball’. “[Saoirse Noonan] She’s amazing when it comes to being in the box, she’s a great finisher. She’s going to be important. “I said to the girls when the score is 1-1 that’s when we push forward ‘okay we need to switch on’. I think that mentality needs to start earlier.” Partick Thistle boss Brian Graham: “There’s moments in the game if our quality’s slightly better, we go on and hurt Celtic. “We let them off the hook and then Celtic go in and punish you. That’s why they were in the Champions League, that’s why they were champions of the league. “We need everything on the day for the result to go our way to get a result against these top sides, that’s just the nature of the beast.” Line-ups: Celtic (4-2-3-1): C. Logan, C. Barclais, C. Hayes, Bruna Lourenco (K. Clark 46’), E. Lawton, A. Gallagher (M. McAneny 74′), S. McGregor (C. Cavanagh 64’), N. Ross (c), M. Carstens (L. Ashworth-Clifford 84′), M. Cross (J. Smith 64’), S. Noonan Substitutes: L. Ashworth-Clifford, C. Cavanagh, K. Clark, L. Rodgers, M. McAneny, L. Munoz, A. Richardson, J. Smith Partick Thistle (5-4-1): J. Currie, S. Cowan, D. Falconer (c), C. McCulloch (K. Hay 81′), C. Docherty (R. Slater 62’), C. Gibb, R. Donaldson (H. Robinson 74′), A. Bulloch, L. Sinclair, I. Longcake (E. Craig 81′), C. Boyce (T. Burchill 61’) Substitutes: T. Burchill, E. Craig,
Amissah heroics can’t stop Celtic trouncing to open 18 point gap
Ross County 1 (0) J. White 60′ (pen) Celtic 4 (1) K. Furuhashi 40′, 81′, A. Engels 90+6′ (pen), L. McCowan 90+8′ An inspired Celtic met County’s resistance with brute force, putting four past the home side despite the heroics of keeper Jordan Amissah to extend their lead to 18 points, albeit having played a game more than Rangers. Having banged on the door for forty minutes, Kyogo Furuhashi was the heartbreaker as he met Alistair Johnston’s bouncing cross for a cool finish. Unfortunately the right back was at fault for County’s response, having pushed Phillips in the back as he tried to meet 14s cross with Jordan White making no mistake from the spot. That was as good as it got for the home side as Arne Engels escaped his marker to send a dipping ball into the box met by the onrushing Kyogo with nine minutes of normal time left to play. Once opened, the floodgates could not be closed in the dying moments of the game. James Brown’s foul on Yang Hyun-Jun saw Engels convert the penalty with his second attempt after Amissah’s save was denied after he was adjudged to have stepped off his line. Demonstrating the gulf in class, Luke McCowan added the fourth eight minutes into added time as the midfielder completed a devastating counter attack for the visitors. Striker Adam Idah had a chance to add a goal of his own early on, collecting the ball from Kyogo’s effort but could not hit the target. Getting himself involved on the wing, Idah provided an accurate cross to tee up Alistair Johnstone’s flick behind the leg but Amissah was equal to it. County will rue not having taken their chances when the score was level, Josh Nisbet having poached the ball off Auron Trusty laid the ball into the feet of Noah Chilvers who should have done better than fire wide. In yet another moment of class, Amissah’s reflexes were on hand to deny Kyogo as Celtic pushed for an opener after Idah’s header back to the Japanese forward’s feet was brilliantly stopped just in front of the line. At hand to deny Celtic yet again, the keeper produced a terrific double save to first keep Idah out before batting Kyogo’s effort away. Yang and Alex Valle would have their turn at trying to beat the shot stopper but the German loanee made sure their names would not be added to the score sheet. Despite three wins from five, County could find themselves in the relegation play off place should Hearts get a result against Aberdeen. Attendance: 6,254 Line-ups: Ross County (3-5-1-1): J. Amissah, E. Campbell, K. Lopata (J. Grieves 53’), A. Wright, G. Harmon, N. Kenneh (J. White 46’), C. Randall (c) (V. Loturi 85’), N. Chilvers, J. Brown, J. Nisbet (S. Allardice 85’), R. Hale (K. Phillips 46’) Substitutes: S. Allardice, J. Grieves, J. Hamilton, R. Lamie, V. Loturi, K. Phillips, J. Reid, C. Telfer, J White Celtic (4-1-4-1): K. Schmeichel, Alex Valle (L. Scales 85’), A. Trusty, C. Carter-Vickers, A. Johnston, C. McGregor (c), Yang Hyun-Jun, R. Hatate (L. McCowan 73’), A. Engels, K. Furuhashi, A. Idah (J. Kenny 73’) Substitutes: D. Cummings, Paulo Bernardo, J. Kenny, L. McCowan, A. Montgomery, A. Ralston, L. Scales, V. Sinisalo, G. Taylor Referee: Matthew MacDermid
Quickfire double sees Hibs join defeated Motherwell in top half
A Martin Boyle double saw Hibs come away with the all important three points, sending David Gray’s side into the top six as Motherwell left the capital with just one win in seven. Boyle continued his fine form to open the scoring, finishing a pass into the box by substitute Jordan Obita, who entered the fray early on after Nicky Cadden’s knock to the head. Just minutes later Ewen Wilson was caught in possession by Nectar Triantis, the Australian bursting clear and firing a low shot past Archie Mair, whose signing was announced less than an hour before kick off. Time crept on as the home side looked to see out the win but Jack Iredale’s silly foul just outside the box allowed Motherwell back into the game, substitute Callum Slattery firing in an excellent free kick. Motherwell made sure this was little more than consolation as Stephen O’Donnell gave away a cheap penalty whcih Boyle duly converted for his fourth goal in two games. Hibernian did well to see out the game but in truth Motherwell offered little threat going forward. Tony Watt had a couple of headed chances on either side of half of the break but could do little more than send the chances over the bar. Nectar Triantis came close to getting his second as the ball met him at the far post but Mair put enough pressure on the midfielder to force a shot into the stands. Motherwell’s frustrations continued to bubble and eventually Jack Vale earned himself a straight red for a foul on Boyle with seconds to go. Hibs march on with one eye on Europe Just over a month ago, the chat around Easter Road was about how the side would cope with relegation. Now, Europe is talk of the town as Hibs powered into the top half. And why not? The side have always looked to two good for the bottom places, let down by what was perceived as mental fragility that looks distant memory. Martin Boyle has four in two games but more than numbers, the striker has become a leadership figure and his tireless running an embodiment of Gray’s desire to not let his side take their foot off the gas. Speaking in the post match conference, the manager was unequivocal, they will focus on chasing the next team down rather than look to far ahead. That will not however, stop the fans from dreaming of booking a trip to continent come next season. Lack of spark kills Motherwell’s chances Despite the single victory in seven, Motherwell remain four points clear of the bottom half. Helped in the past by their ability to eek out victories by single goal margins and more recently by their opponents fumbling the bag in their own attempts to push up the table, Motherwell might need to find a solution fast if they are to prevent a slow drift in the rankings. Without the titanic Aston Oxborough in goal and missing the creativity of Lennon Miller, the side lack to guaranteed points the two bring. Their lack of bravery going forward was exposed in the continued absence of their captain, Tony Watt and Jack Vale waited in vain for the ball to progress its way up the park towards them. Stuart Kettlewell spoke of the fatigue, both mental and physical setting into the side as the congested fixture list wore heavy on the side featuring six changes from their draw in Kilmarnock. With a Cup game coming next week, Kettlewell will need to dig deep to find the solutions for what he called the most difficult period of managerial career thus far. What the managers said: Hibs boss David Gray: “The return, one defeat in the last ten games, is fantastic. A hell of lot of work’s gone into it. “Probably didn’t create as many chances as I would have liked but controlled the game. “We’ve given ourselves a real opportunity to push on, tasked before the game to try and get into that top six. We’ve still got ten games to go before that’s settled we need to make sure we keep picking up points quickly and make sure we’re in it.” Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell: “I think it’s a case of three individual errors cost us. “That’s my biggest frustration, the mental fatigue as well as physical that started to set in. “To give that penalty away at that stage quite clearly gives Hibs a lift that they needed and it gives them a platform they needed just to see the game out.” Attendance: 15,829 Line up: Hibernian (3-4-1-2): J. Smith, J. Iredale, R. Bushiri, W. O’Hora, N. Cadden (J. Obita 19’), D. Levitt (Kwon Hyeok-Kyu 62’), N. Triantis, C. Cadden (L. Miller 62’), J. Campbell, D. Gayle (J. Hoilett 62’), M. Boyle (c) Subsitutes: R. Molotnikov, L. Amos, J. Bursik, J. Hoilett, Kwon Hyeok-Kyu, H. McKirdy, L. Miller, N. Moriah-Welsh, J. Obita Motherwell (3-5-1-1): A. Mair, S. Blaney, P. McGinn (c) (D. Casey 33’), K. Balmer, E. Wilson (M. Kaleta 46’), T. Sparrow (C. Slattery 70’), A. Halliday (T. Maswanhise 46’), K. Andrews, S. O’Donnell, T. Watt (M. Ebiye 70’), J. Vale Substitutes: D. Casey, M. Connelly, M. Ebiye, M. Kaleta, J. Koutrombis, T. Maswanhise, S. Nicholson, C. Slattery, D. Zdravkovski Referee: Colin Steven
