Scottish Women's Football

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Hibernian head coach Grant Scott says it has "been quite difficult" to pick up his players following Friday's derby defeat to Hearts, but he's backing them to respond against title-chasing Celtic.

Hibs are on the road to face the SWPL's second-placed side on Wednesday, with three places and 23 points separating the clubs.

But Scott says his team are in the mindset to make a "tough challenge" a "competitive" one.

"Friday was a sore one for us," the Hibs boss adds. "But we've finished our preparation and the girls look in good shape and spirits.

"Celtic are good vein of form, they've been like that most of the season, so it's a tough challenge.

"It's up to us to stand up to that this time. We give them good games, they're always competitive. We know we're a good match for the current top three teams.

"It can be intimidating, but you've got to clear that from your mind. Go and play with no fear and know you're competitive."

Glasgow City goalkeeper Lee Gibson tells the Behind the Goals podcast that second place may be the best her side can hope for after back-to-back defeats by the Old Firm left the defending SWPL champions seven points off leaders Rangers with just seven games left.

Rachel Corsie and Leanne Crichton are joined by Glasgow City and Scotland goalkeeper Lee Gibson on the latest episode of the Behind the Goals podcast.

Among the topics being discussed are the thrilling SWPL title race and Scotland's Euro 2025 qualifying campaign. Give it a listen here.

Jane Lewis
Sportscene presenter

Another dramatic week of SWPL action has come and gone, and competition was as fierce as ever to earn in spot in my team of the week.

Here's who claimed a place:

Lauren Perry (Montrose) - Saved a penalty at a crucial time to stop Spartans getting back into the game.

Claire Delworth (Montrose) - Helped her team to three vital points with an absolute cracker of a strike.

Tessel Middag (Rangers) - The Netherlands international was maybe not overly troubled against Glasgow City, but remained calm and collected when she had to be.

Chloe Craig (Celtic) - Assisted one goal, while also playing a key part in others as Celtic romped to a 5-0 win. The defender can pick a pass, that's for sure.

Bailley Collins (Motherwell) - Her introduction changed the game for the Fir Park side. Within a minute of her coming on, she assisted a goal before also setting up the winner.

Eva Thomson (Aberdeen) - The 19-year old had an excellent second half for Aberdeen. Assured in everything she did, she showed maturity beyond her years.

Megan Bell (Hearts) - Sealed the city bragging rights for Hearts with a cracker of a free-kick from more than 20 yards out in the Edinburgh derby.

Rachel Rowe (Rangers) - The Welsh midfielder won the penalty that got Rangers off the mark. She was constantly driving forward to create opportunities, including an assist for her side's third goal.

Murphy Agnew (Celtic) - She certainly enjoys Petershill Park, scoring twice against Partick Thistle in an electrifying performance.

Amy Gallacher (Celtic) - A hat-trick of assists, not a bad afternoon's work. The Scotland striker was lively and displayed some great link-up play.

Laura Berry (Motherwell) - The young Rangers loanee is thriving with regular first-team football. Another goal for the 16-year-old this weekend - sky's the limit.

Lizzie Arnot wants Rangers to keep the goals flowing when they visit Hearts on Wednesday night in the wake of a 4-1 thrashing of defending SWPL champions Glasgow City.

The winger's impressive strike put Rangers back in front at 2-1 and they went on to a secure a convincing win to stay a point clear of Celtic at the top.

“I am really happy we got the win coming into a big week where we have three games," Arnot told RangersTV., external

“It was important that we started off strong, so credit to the team as we did well and we deserved the win.

“As a team we want to get the ball down and play and to score four goals is really important for us. We need to take that into the next games coming.

“We have been working hard in training and our fitness is showing and in the final minutes we are still going for goals.

“Players come on who are fresh and they are contributing to the win as well.

“Jo [Potter] told us to take one game at a time and look after ourselves.

“Hearts are going well and they have threats, but we will recover and go with the same fight and determination on Wednesday.”

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Celtic forward Murphy Agnew is confident her side have what it takes to overhaul Rangers and lift the SWPL title.

Agnew scored twice as Elena Sadiku's side eased to a 5-0 win over Partick Thistle on Sunday to stay a point behind Rangers, who thrashed reigning champions Glasgow City 4-1 shortly before Celtic kicked off at Petershill.

"We always know how our opponents do and we always want to match them, keep up with the pace," Agnew told BBC Alba.

"I think we proved that on Sunday.

"Petershill is a really tough place to come to, Partick Thistle are a really difficult team to play against and we wanted to put them away early.

"We need to win every game, if we do that we'll win the league."

Amy Muir insists Glasgow City will bounce back after their "embarrassing" defeat to Rangers.

Despite going in level at half-time on Sunday, City conceded three goals in the second half to lose 4-1 to the league leaders.

Defeat leaves City seven points off the top with just seven games left, starting with Wednesday's derby with Partick Thistle.

"It's disappointing and it's embarrassing for us," defender Muir said of the heavy defeat to Rangers.

"Where we are in the league, we want to be competing well in those games. To come away with that result, we are all really frustrated, I think we expect a lot more and the fans expect a lot more.

"We just didn't show what we were like, and what we can be, at all.

"I'm really disappointed but we've got a game on Wednesday, lots of game still to be and the mentality is still the same - we want to win every game."

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Hibs captain Joelle Murray says the defeat to Hearts on Friday night was "unacceptable".

Hibs lost 2-0 to their Edinburgh rivals at the weekend and are now six points behind them in the SWPL table.

"I think it's unacceptable," Murray told HibsTV, external.

"For a Hibs team wearing this crest and these colours it is just unacceptable.

"We didn't do the basics right and we continued to do those wrong after Hearts went down to 10 players.

"When Hearts received the red card there was plenty of time for us to turn things around but we started forcing things, our decision-making was poor.

"That frustration is something we need to nullify, we got frustrated far too early, we were playing like it was the last five minutes of the game for so long. It is just unacceptable.

"We've got a really good squad in terms of quality and depth and I thought the players on the pitch were more than capable of competing.

"It was massively frustrating and there's a very disappointed dressing room."

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Spartans manager Jack Beesley

"I still have 100 per cent belief that we have got enough quality to pick up enough points to keep us safe.

"That becomes the objective on Wednesday. If we can win on Wednesday that obviously makes a big difference and we are confident."

Montrose manager Craig Feroz

"I thought we deserved the win.

"The first half was pretty even but I think we had the best chances and in the second half we showed our quality and it was a great result for us."

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Partick Thistle assistant manager Ross Stormonth

"They are a top side, they're challenging for a reason but I thought at 1-0 we competed.

"We played the four or five weeks ago and it was 6-0. We made it tough for them, I think Celtic would have felt in a game. I think the second goal maybe killed us.

"We've cruised into the top six this year with some really good results. We are getting there, the steps are there, the club's growing.

"You're going to be on the end of some of these results, they can do that to anyone.

"We have to roll with the punches and we go again on Wednesday against another good side."

Celtic manager Elena Sadiku

"Job done, three points, good performance.

"We had everything in control and that's something we've been trying to get the girls to do. The job is always to put in a good performance and we did that.

"I think we looked confident, we looked brave, we knew what to do and it felt like we were in control.

"I liked the mindset in the second half, we didn't slow down and created a lot of chances we could have scored in.

"We know everything is in our hands and we just need to focus on what we can do."

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Motherwell manager Paul Brownlie

"It was a tough game, we knew it would be so I'm delighted to pick up the tree points at the start of what'll be a big week for us.

"We've got strength and depth in the squad, it was difficult to pick a starting XI.

"We've got character in abundance, it would have been easy to feel sorry for ourselves [after the equaliser went in] but the strength of character shown form the players was magnificent."

Dundee United manager Suzy Shepherd

"I don't think we started great, I thought Motherwell were by far the better team in the second half and I felt we were lucky to go into half time at 0-0.

"In the second half we came out and I thought it was night and day compared to the first half. We worked our socks off and got ourselves back in the game. The frustrating thing is that only minutes later we concede.

"I can't fault the work and effort from the players, they put a shift in. There were positives to take but no points and we need to start getting points on the board."

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Aberdeen manager Clinton Lancaster

"It was an eventful game, we made it hard work for ourselves.

"In fairness to Hamilton, when you're a team in that position and fighting for every point, it is never going to be easy and we couldn't take for granted that we would beat them.

"In the first half, going in at 2-1 down they probably deserved the lead but we responded really well.

"I think there were spells in the game where we played some really good football and I was confident we would get the winner.

"Fair play to Hamilton because it certainly wasn't an easy game."

Hamilton Accies manager Robert Watson

"I thought the game was very even across the 90 minutes and probably could have gone either way.

"If you were a neutral, it swung both ways. I am really proud of the team, I asked them to play on the front foot and I couldn't have asked much more of them.

"They played like it mattered and that's how we need to approach the next set of games."

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Image source, SNS

Rangers manager Jo Potter

"I thought we were dominant throughout, there was only really a moment where I can remember them having a real effort on goal and scoring [from it] which can be frustrating but the reaction to come out and produce that second half performance was very good from the players.

"I told the players that the moment they believe they're the best in the league it'll show and they certainly proved that in the second half."

Glasgow City manager Leanne Ross

"I'm really disappointed with the second half performance. We started quite well and then just collapsed. It wasn't good enough, not getting enough bodies back to support our teammates so we've got to be a lot better in those types of situations.

"It rocked us a wee bit when we lost Fi [Brown] really early on, she's a big loss to this team because of the quality and work rate she puts in. I thought we looked secure enough in the first half but the second half just isn't good enough at this level."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid

"It was so important to get the three points because we are so close in the league and it's a big step for us.

"We were unlucky to get the red card but these things happen, it's football and it's so good how we reacted to that. There are still a lot of matches to play, we just need to do our job and we'll be fine.

"We played really well with 10 so that's a big motivation to see how we can play with 11 on Wednesday."

Hibs manager Grant Scott

"We just didn't get close enough to the opponent. We've had an off day, we had to change the team a wee bit but that didn't affect the game, I think Hearts were the better team on the day.

"It was very frustrating for us. Credit to Hearts, I think they caused up some problems on the break and overall it's just very disappointing.

"We've beaten them twice this season so they had to have a go at us."

Were you at any of the SWPL matches on Sunday? What did you make of your team's performance? We want to hear from you.

Give us your thoughts here.

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Erin Cuthbert has been named as the Scottish Football Writers' Association women's international player of the year.

The 25-year-old set up Sophie Howard's winner against Slovakia in a Euro 2025 qualifier last week, and scored in a Nations League draw against Belgium last December to take her international goal tally to 22.

The Chelsea midfielder was shortlisted for the award alongside Rachel Corsie and Nicola Docherty.

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Kirsty Howat says Rangers are eyeing up more silverware having already secured the SWPL Cup.

Jo Potter's side are one point clear at the top of the SWPL table before they face Glasgow City on Sunday.

“It is a massive couple of months for us," Howat said.

“We have already got a bit of silverware and I think we can really use that to kick us on.

"We are hungry to win more trophies, we are at Rangers we are expected to win trophies so will definitely put that pressure on ourselves and we will use that win against Partick Thistle in the final to go on and really kick on and try get the other two trophies.

“It is a massive game on Sunday. It is quite hard during international breaks as we have a lot of players away.

“We will regroup and prepare the same way as we have been all season.

“We will do our analysis on City and be ready to go come Sunday."

Eilidh Davies says Dundee United "have a point to prove" in their post-split games.

United are currently 11th in the SWPL table but are joint on points with last-placed Hamilton Accies.

They take on seventh-placed Motherwell on Sunday.

"We've been looking forward to the games in the split because we know we've got a point to prove," Davies said.

"We've definitely had performances where we think we should have done better and we've been working on that in training."

Image source, SNS

Image source, SNS

Elena Sadiku says Celtic are "working towards writing history" as they prepare to face Partick Thistle.

Celtic are currently second in the SWPL table, joint on points with Glasgow City and only one behind league leaders Rangers

“I think for us as a team we put in our focus into the next game,” she said.

“That’s the only thing we can control, we can’t control what is coming after.

“Even though our focus is on Partick Thistle, we know what is coming up. For me personally, where we are working towards, it is no secret that we want to write history.

“We are working towards writing history, and everybody knows that. Celtic hasn’t won the league yet, and that is something that we go in for training every day, and I can sit here and say confidently, that the girls have been doing amazing.

'They also know that is what we are working towards. To be able to share that with all our amazing fans, there is nothing else that we want to do.'

“Just as much as we deserve to win if we win all the games, it’s going to be something that we share with our fans because without them, we are nothing.

“That is something that means everything for us. I know that everybody knows that when it comes to Celtic.”

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Man City have confirmed Scotland goalkeeper Sandy MacIver ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament while on international duty.

MacIver had to be subbed off in Scotland's 0-0 draw with Serbia and City have now confirmed it was an issue with her ACL.

The 25-year-old has undergone successful surgery this week and will begin her rehabilitation with the club.