In a night of freezing cold, snow and thundering efforts, there would be no indication of a favourite for the SWPL title as the sides remained level on the night and consequently, neck and neck at the top of the table.
With less than a minute played, Celtic stunned the home supporters with the opener. Kimberley Smit’s attempt to clear the ball by the byline not connecting, instead landing at the feet of Amy Gallacher who rifled a shot past Lee Gibson.
It took until the 24th minute but City hauled themselves level after Celtic attempted to clear a curling corner from Hayley Lauder only to see it met by Amy Muir whose low driven shot took a slight deflection off Shannon McGregor to leave the keeper with no chance.
Just six minutes later the home side were in the ascendancy. A loose touch from Lucy Ashworth-Clifford allowed Emily Whelan to pick her pocket and lay the ball to Nicola Kozlova who curled a fabulous into the back of the net.
Not a team to leave the last word to someone else, Celtic responded in sumptuous fashion as Maria McAneny turned and launched a worldie from distance over a helpless Gibson
Both sides had their fair share of chances throughout. Kozlova came close to grabbing her first but the effort sailed fractionally over the bar.
Celtic’s Saoirse Noonan struggled produce the form that has made her the side’s leading scorer. A glancing header early on failing to trouble the City keeper.
With a free-kick in a good position outside the box, the Irish forward fired low and wide as the hosts breathed a sigh of relief.
Noonan would come again, this time by Gibson one on one. The City keeper kept on her toes tonight, produced a stunning point blank save to deny Luana Munoz mere seconds after the substitute’s introduction.
Title chasers don’t blink
Regardless of what the managers said, this game was always going to have a psychological impact come the tail-end of the season.
With the sides inseparable in the final weeks before the split, both teams will have a come into this looking to assert dominance over the other before meeting again.
A month ago, it seemed Celtic had their rivals’ number having beaten them in their first league encounter before dumping them out of the League Cup. However with their victory at this very ground in the Scottish Cup, City showed they are well and truly up for a title fight that looks set to feature four sides.
Tonight both managers walk away somehow frustrated and fortunate to share a point but they will meet again. The question is, who will land the final blow.
Line-ups:
Glasgow City: Gibson, Warrington, Van Diemen, Smit, Muir, Lauder (Fulton 90), Gambone, Wrobel (Lockwood 70), Whelan (Evans 80), Kozlova, Lovera Unused subs: Easton, Walsh, Love, Anderson, Maatta, Forrest
Booked: Lovera (53)
Goals: Muir (24), Whelan (30),
Celtic: Daugherty, Barclays, Clark, Lawton, Ross, Gallacher (Agnew 68), McGregor, Cross (Munoz 56), Ashworth-Clifford (Costa 68), McAneny (Cavanagh 84), Noonan (Harrison 84) Unused subs: Logan, Carstens, Westin, Loferski
Booked:
Goals: Gallagher (1), McAneny (54)
Referee: Ross Menzies
Attendance: 983