Scottish Women's Football

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Rangers defender Rachel McLauchlan says the club "need to push forward" after Sunday's Scottish Cup victory.

McLauchlan opened the scoring at Hampden with a long-range strike as Jo Potter's side went on to defeat Hearts 2-0 and lift their first ever Scottish Cup.

"Thankfully the ball swerved the way I wanted it to," she said.

"That was a special one. You're always delighted to get a cup. I'm just happy to be on the pitch with these girls.

"Hearts are a really good side. We have a League Cup and a Scottish Cup. We need to push forward next year."

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Rangers captain Nicola Docherty says lifting the Scottish Cup gave her "goosebumps" and hailed their mentality in the 2-0 win over Hearts on Sunday.

Goals from Rachel McLauchlan and Lizzie Arnot earned Rangers their first ever Scottish Cup triumph, and Docherty says the performance made them worthy champions.

"It feels amazing," she said.

"I'm incredibly proud of the players. This season we've built good foundations to work on for next season. Hearts came at us at the last bit but we found a way to win and that's why we're champions.

"This group is special, I love being part of the leadership group and credit to them.

"I still get goosebumps thinking about it [lifting a trophy with Rangers].

"I've been a Rangers fan since I was a young kid so to have moments like this it could bring a tear to my eye because I love this club and I love these people."

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Hearts goalkeeper Charlotte Parker-Smith believes they are capable of challenging for a top-three spot in the SWPL next season.

The Edinburgh outfit were beaten 2-0 by Rangers in Sunday's Scottish Cup final having already secured fourth place in the top flight.

While the result stung, Parker-Smith says Hearts can kick on under manager Eva Olid.

"It was tough," Parker-Smith said. "It was 1-0 for quite a lot of game, we had chances to equalise and it didn't quite come off.

"When we conceded the second it probably killed it off for us so it was disappointing right at the end there.

"I think we need to build on what we've achieved this season. I think next season it's about pushing and possibly breaking that top three, getting good runs in both of the cups.

"We know it's in our sights now, it's realistic and hopefully next season we can improve on this season's results again."

As another domestic season comes to a close we want to hear your views.

Rangers fans - how pleased are you with the season your side have had? Is the disappointment of last weekend a distant memory after Sunday's Scottish Cup win?

Hearts fans - are you pleased with your side's performance at Hampden? What are you hoping to see next term?

Give us your thoughts here.

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Rangers head coach Jo Potter: "It's a tremendously proud moment for myself.

"You can see what it means to the players. I bang on about how good they are, how good they can be and to do a double is never easy, we've never won this cup before so to give it a new home is big for the club and big for the players.

"We can just keep going and who knows what we can do.

"You don't want to finish the season on a low. It was important for us to have another bite at the cherry today and to finish it with a trophy is massive.

"There was a bit of pressure because we were expected to win today but I wanted to the players to feel that anyway.

"Good players have got to play with a little bit of pressure and they managed to put in a performance and come away with a trophy."

Hearts manager Eva Olid: "I'm so proud. First half I thought we were a little deep. Second half we tried to be brave and I think we were better.

"It's a final, you need to try and score. We competed, that's the most important thing.

"We're going a step forward in this team. I know this is just the beginning.

"Our first final, we will come back. I'm sure we can win the next one."

Sean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers came to Hampden with some ghosts to banish.

Not only had they missed out on the league title by the finest of margins, but you could say it was a defeat to Hearts that saw the race move out of their control.

By putting the game Edinburgh side to the sword, they made it two trophies out of three in Potter's first season in charge. Not too shabby.

But Olid's side will travel home with pride in their performance.

Some of the defending against full-time opposition was truly immense, as was Parker-Smith in between the sticks.

The wait goes on for a first piece of silverware, but on another day, Hearts could have made history.

After a strike like that, who else could it be? A top performance from Rachel McLauchlan on the big stage.

You wonder if a showing like that in a Scottish Cup final will play on the national team manager's mind.

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Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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With the potential to sign off the season with a domestic cup double, Jo Potter has reflected on her "whirlwind" first year in charge at Rangers.

The former England international replaced Malky Thomson after last season's third-place finish and League Cup win.

Her side have defended that trophy, finished runners-up in the league and are one game away from a first Scottish Cup success, with Hearts the opponents in Sunday's final, live on BBC One Scotland.

“It’s been a great year, it feels like a bit of a whirlwind," Potter told BBC Scotland.

"It seems like I’ve been here an age but gone in an instant, too, but I’ve loved it.

"I’ve loved how busy it’s been – I’m not a person who likes to have a lot of time on my hands anyway. The schedule is busy, but it’s really good for us and I’ve enjoyed being in this facility and this training ground every day."

Potter brought a new way of play and a few fresh faces north of the border with her, but the receptiveness of the players already at the club has impressed the head coach too.

“I was really impressed by how quickly the girls welcomed me in, adapted to a way of playing and a style and everything I was asking them to do, because I didn’t expect them to do that so quick and for them to be so good at it as well," she added.

"I was conscious not to change too much too soon, but when I did see how quickly they could adapt and change, we threw everything at them.

"So, I was really impressed with the adaptability, openness and willingness of the girls to learn and take on more and be better.

"That’s all you can ask for as a coach and manager… they’ve been excellent.”

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Hearts striker Kathleen McGovern insists her side "have to be confident" they can defeat Rangers in Sunday's Scottish Cup final.

The Edinburgh side are in their first final and are looking to clinch their first trophy.

"The vibes have been really positive," McGovern told club media, external.

"We've had the game in sight for a wee while now and everyone is just raring to go.

"We have to be confident. We are not here to make up numbers either so we'll give it our best shot and see what happens.

"To win the Scottish Cup would be a big achievement for me so hopefully we can do the job on Sunday."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Former Scotland international Shelley Kerr believes Rangers will use their league defeat to Hearts as extra motivation for Sunday's Scottish Cup final.

The 1-0 loss at Oriam last month was one of the results that pushed the title in Celtic's favour and ended Rangers' treble hopes.

But Jo Potter's side have the chance to complete a cup double by lifting the Scottish Cup on Sunday.

"I definitely think that Rangers are favourites," Kerr said.

"It's always hard to predict what a scoreline is going to be but I think Rangers will go in strong favourites, albeit I think Hearts have shown that they're capable on their day of beating Rangers.

"I think if Rangers need any added motivation, they will look to that previous league game of being the downfall of them not being able to get over the line in the league and coming out second best to Celtic. So I think that will give them Rangers added motivation.

"Both teams have got a chance of creating a little bit of history in terms of winning the Scottish Cup final.

"Hearts have got to show confidence going into that game that they're capable as a one-off of beating Rangers because right through the season they've been able to compete very well against the top three."

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts head coach Eva Olid has outlined her ambitions to abolish the "boring" talk of "the top three" in Scottish women's football.

The Spaniard's side have taken points off Celtic, Rangers and Glasgow City this season, including a win against the Ibrox outfit, on their way to securing back-to-back fourth place finishes.

And while Olid - whose team are the underdogs in Sunday's Scottish Cup final against Rangers - is aware progress must be made "little by little", she has set her sights high on ruffling feathers at the top table.

"We want to win more consistently against them," she said. "We celebrated big the win against Rangers but we want that to be normal, we want to do it more often.

“We want to stop talking about the top three, that’s the objective. It’s so boring. ‘Top three, top three, top three’, we want to stop that.”

Should they stun Rangers at Hampden, Olid believes it could be a catalyst to signing players of the calibre she needs to mix it among the three Glasgow clubs constantly.

“It’s important professional players trust us to come here as a project to keep growing," Olid added.

“A win would give us more opportunities, we could attract more top players that we need to compete against the big teams. It would just bring such confidence and belief… all positives.

“We have to believe we can beat them, because if not, what is the point? But at the same time, we have to enjoy, we don’t have any pressure."

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Dundee United match-winner Brodie Greenwood was delighted to help her side secure their place in the top flight for next season.

The midfielder, 18, spent the season on loan from Hearts and her last act in tangerine was to tap in the decisive goal in the play-off against Kilmarnock.

United were trailing 1-0 at half-time on Thursday night but goals from Georgie Robb and Greenwood completed a crucial comeback.

"It's a great feeling," the midfielder told club media, external.

"We came here with an objective to win and that's what we did. It wasn't great to go 1-0 down but we knew that we could all do and it there was no panic whatsoever.

"I don't score often so it makes it more special [when I do] and to do it in the play-off is even better. I'm just delighted I was able to keep the team up."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Hearts defender Emma Brownlie says her side aren't relying on Rangers still being in title shellshock when the teams meet in Sunday's Scottish Cup final.

Jo Potter's Rangers lost the league in the final minutes last weekend when Celtic scored a dramatic winner against Hibs to be crowned champions for the first time.

"I think it can go one of two ways," Brownlie said. "It either fuels the fire or you’re still hurting from it.

"We don’t take that into account. We know for them it’s the same as us, it’s one game, one cup final, winner takes all.

"We know Rangers have had the upper hand against us this season but I think the 1-0 victory against them gives us a bit of belief, gives the squad a bit more confidence and that’s exactly what you need going into this game.

"The pressure is on them, there’s no pressure on us at all and that’s something that can work for us."

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers aren't underestimating the threat of Hearts in Sunday's Scottish Cup final, says captain Nicola Docherty.

Jo Potter's side have come out on top in all but one of the meetings between the sides this season and have already lifted the SWPL Cup this season.

"I do believe we have more experience than Hearts but when it comes to cup finals anything can happen in football," said defender Docherty.

"You see it across the world, shocks happen all the time.

"They are obviously going to be motivated to win the match, they know they’ve matched us before so they’ll be going into the game with confidence.

"But we will be fully focused and ready to go."

Rachel Corsie and Leanne Crichton discuss Sunday's Scottish Cup final between Hearts and Rangers at Hampden.

Listen and subscribe to the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast

Charlotte Cohen
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers manager Jo Potter says it was "important" her side felt the disappointment of losing the league last weekend as they look to end the season on a high with Scottish Cup glory.

Celtic were crowned champions, winning the title on goal difference, but Potter insists her side must use that feeling as fuel for Sunday's Hampden meeting with Hearts.

"I wanted the players to feel the disappointment of the weekend, it was important," she said.

"We spoke after the game on Sunday, it wasn’t a nice feeling to have but it’s important for us to feel it, to remember it.

"It’s good that you can have a cup final to really look forward to. If that had been our parting note on Sunday it would have been tough because you can’t put anything right again and have another good feeling until next season.

"But we have the opportunity to do that again on Sunday. It was important for us to park it, put it to bed, feel it live it and not want to feel it again."