Scottish Women's Football

Leanne Crichton calls it "madness," Rachel Corsie says "it's incredible".

The Behind the Goals hosts can only be talking about the tied top four in the SWPL.

Due to Glasgow City and Celtic drawing on Friday night, and Rangers and Hibernian both winning on Sunday, all four sides are now locked on 51 points with one game left before the split.

Hearts and Motherwell will make up the top-half split come March, which Scotland captain Corsie says will be "a fascinating watch".

"All the games look like they're just going to be so competitive once we get to the split," she said on the BBC podcast. "It's just going to be fascinating to watch.

"You'd almost imagine that it could end up being that somebody new ends up top of the table just about every week, or is one team just going to be like, well, other teams might get points off each other, but we are just going to go on a run."

Corsie also heaped praise on Crichton's former team, Motherwell, who have secured a top-six finish for the first time in their history.

"I'm pleased for them [Motherwell] because I know you were there, we know Paul B [Paul Brownlie] and I know your brother's there," added the Aston Villa defender.

"They've got a good framework, they've worked hard to set that up. There's a structure, there's a plan. I like when I hear that, you see good things from those teams.

"I do worry a little bit for them because I think there is a gap between them and the teams above them. In a really respectful way I think that's fair to say, we're talking budgets, quality of players, infrastructure, all that stuff.

"It's great they're there, but I do feel like there's not that much scope for that goal difference to be reduced I don't think."

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Partick Thistle manager Brian Graham: "I thought for large parts of the game we were well in it, it was just key moments.

"Rachel Donaldson said the ball was out of play for the second goal, she said she made a mistake with the pass inside but if the ball was out, the ball was out. Rangers then go and score from that.

"There was only supposed to be a minute added on, we played three in the first half and we scored from a corner. I was left scratching my head at half-time because all of a sudden we were 3-0 down.

"You need concentration for the full 90 minutes against top sides and we got punished when we didn't."

Rangers manager Jo Potter: "I thought we scored some excellent goals, I thought we controlled the game.

"I didn't want last week's performance to be a one off and I'd asked the players to build on it so it was really pleasing to see.

"We knew what was up for grabs in the game, we've put ourselves in this position. We didn't want it to come down to goal difference again and we've given ourselves a nice lead just now.

"If that's how we're going to be at the top we'll take it."

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Hearts manager Eva Olid: "I am happy not just with the three points but also with the goals.

"After last Sunday it was so important that we took our chances today. It's not easy because they were well organised in defence, they had a good performance last week against Hibs so we knew it wouldn't be easy.

"We are in the fight, we believe totally. We have a full squad for the split and we are so confident."

Queen's Park manager Iain Robinson: "For me it's disappointing the way we conceded the goals.

"We thought there were moments when we attacked where we could have threatened more and we could have hold onto the ball better but the overall feeling is disappointment.

"We know there will be difficult challenges ahead, it won't be clear and easy games but we know we'll be able to manage batter against the teams around us."

Glasgow City boss Leanne Ross has quizzed Scottish FA refereeing head Willie Collum about recent decisions that have affected the SWPL leaders. (Sun), external

Read Sunday's Scottish gossip

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Captain Hayley Lauder says Glasgow City's "character shone through" in the thrilling 2-2 draw with Celtic.

Leanne Ross' side came from behind to lead Celtic 2-1 at half-time in the clash at Petershill before an impressive goal from Maria McAneny levelled things up for the visitors.

City remain top of the table on goal difference but will slip behind Rangers if the Ibrox side beat Partick Thistle on Sunday.

"I think hopefully it's a point gained," Lauder said of the 2-2 draw.

"There's aspects we're not happy about but the character again to come back, I'm proud of the girls and the performance.

"We always speak about adversity and sticking together and I think this group always does that. We always show up for each other. The character shone through and I'm so proud."

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Celtic captain Kelly Clark's pride at her team's performance in the 2-2 draw with Glasgow City was tinged with frustration over not edging victory.

Amy Gallacher opened the scoring for Elena Sadiku's side inside the first minute but the visitors conceded twice in quick succession and trailed City by a goal at the break.

A wonder goal from Maria McAneny got Celtic level in the second half and despite chances late on, neither side could find a winner.

"It was a high quality game, probably good for the neutral," Clark said.

"Four good goals, end to end, both teams went for it in the end. We're frustrated not to get three points but these games are really hard and we're happy with our performance overall.

"We're really aggressive, we really do try and prevent teams from playing football.

"When you can do that at the start of the game, start fast, you create chances from it. We take pride in it, it's the way we want to play and the stats say we do it really well."

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Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku: "I'm proud of the players. I want to give Glasgow City a compliment because how they scored the goals was amazing.

"How we play and how we are pushing on, it's really good to see. I was frustrated we were losing at half-time because I didn't think that was how the game played out, I thought we were the better team.

"We always want to win and that was the focus. I feel like we were pushing, I don't think they were too dangerous in front of goal and we should have done better.

"I love the players. I love the staff. We've been having a hard time with how busy the schedule has been but we keep pushing. Our focus is on winning the league and I think we're only going to get stronger and stronger."

Glasgow City manager Leanne Ross: "I think it was a really good, competitive game from two teams fighting it out for the title.

"It was close as I said it was going to be at the start of the game. It's a difficult opponent and still a lot to play for in the title race.

"I was a bit aggrieved at the start with a Celtic player being 30 yards in our half before the game kicked off, apparently it was a miscommunication between the officials.

"I said to the players at half time we needed to deal with the situation better but the character to come back was fantastic. In the second half we had a lot of sustained pressure on the Celtic goal but not that killer touch to get the three points."

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South Africa midfielder Linda Motlhalo has returned to Glasgow City on a deal until summer 2026.

The 26-year-old, who has 83 caps, scored four goals in 34 appearances in her first City spell before leaving a year ago to sign for NWSL side Racing Louisville.

''I'm so happy to be back," Motlhalo said. "This place brings back a lot of great memories. Glasgow will always be like a second home.

"When I first left Leanne [Ross] and all the staff said if you ever want to come back this will always be home. I didn't even think twice when they called to say I could come back.''

Head coach Leanne Ross is delighted to have the midfielder back in her ranks.

"A player with undoubted quality, Linda will bring an experience on the pitch and a personality off it which can only help us as we continue to work hard to achieve our goals for success this season," said Ross.

You'll struggle to find a tighter league than the SWPL.

Two points separate first and fourth, while the top two are locked on 50 points after 20 games.

Only goal difference keeps Glasgow City above Celtic, and it's fitting the pair meet on Friday night in front of the BBC Scotland cameras.

Leanne Ross' league leaders got the better of the reigning domestic champions in the Scottish Cup fewer than two weeks ago, and Celtic head coach Elena Sadiku said that "adds fuel" for her side.

"We always want to get back on and we always want to do better, but also I think we need to be confident because it was a good game," the Swede said.

"It fuels us because we had a really good first half, like everybody saw.

"It's going to be a tough, even game but I also do believe that the girls should be confident going into it because these are the games we want to play and these games that we should be very excited for."

The City camp are just as excited, too.

Determined to win back the league title which for so long was solely theirs, and show they can compete with the well-back Celtic and Rangers, their motivation couldn't be higher.

"It's interesting playing them so soon again, there's a lot to take from that game," defender Amy Muir said.

"There were a lot of good things in there that we'll look to do again by imposing ourselves.

"We're at home again and we've got a good record here, so I'm looking forward to it."

It may be Valentine's Day, but, there'll be no love lost between these two.

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"Vibrant" Freya Gregory will "fit in really well" when she joins the Scotland squad for the first time next week, believes captain and former team-mate, Rachel Corsie.

Former England youth international Gregory received her first call-up last week when interim head coach Michael McArdle named her in his first squad for the Nations League openers against Austria and the Netherlands later this month.

The 22-year-old joined Newcastle United last month having spent the previous five years at Aston Villa, where she was a team-mate of Corsie's.

"I'm actually really excited for Freya," Corsie said of Gregory - who spent the last six months on loan at Southampton - on the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"About nine months ago we had a conversation - she's spent a bit of time in Scotland in the last couple of years and she'll always send me a message whenever she's in Edinburgh exploring.

"I'm excited for her. She's a promising young player, she's got an excellent left foot, she's 100mph and she's very competitive - that's the football side of her.

"I'd describe her as a vibrant character with a lot of personality, I think she'll fit in really well. I know the girls will look after her and I hope she has a really good week and she trains really well because I know that she'll be very nervous."

Gregory will have a familiar face in Kirsty Hanson, who she also shared a dressing room with at Villa, but, she won't have Corsie herself who suffered another set-back on her return to fitness.

"I was a bit down last week and I wasn't mentally in a position to talk about it, it was very raw," the 35-year-old, who hasn't played for Scotland since July, said.

"I was meant to be back with the team this week and I got a little scare, I thought I'd irritated something worse than I had.

"It's not as worrying as I thought it might have been - I'm still probably a couple of weeks away from being back in with the team - at one point it was looking like a few more weeks than it actually is going to be.

"When you've been injured you feel everything a bit more and that just brings a bit of anxiety with it and I panicked.

"I'm feeling a bit better this week and just trying to get over this hurdle."

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

Manager Paul Brownlie says a top-six finish for part-time Motherwell would be an "incredible achievement".

Should Brownlie's side beat Aberdeen on Sunday they will confirm their top-six place with a game to spare before the split.

"We're within touching distance, we're nearly there, and it would be an incredible achievement for everybody at the football club," he told the BBC's Behind the Goals podcast.

"Until it's done, we can't take our foot off the gas. But when it is done, we'll enjoy it.

"I understand the task we have this weekend, we play Aberdeen, a tough game, Scott [Booth] has done a lot of work to try and develop the squad at Aberdeen.

"We went there just before the turn of the year and won 6-0. It was one of our best performances of the season, especially for the second half, we went in 0-0 at half-time.

"The players in the second half that night were unbelievable, and that was a huge turning point for us."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Jennifer Currie (Partick Thistle): Produced save after save in the draw with Hearts. But for the 28-year-old, Hearts could have been out of sight in the opening 45 minutes. She also made a vital stop at 1-1 towards the end of the match, helping her side to a good away point.

Kimberley Smit (Glasgow City): Dutch defender came on at the start of the second half against Montrose and hit the ground running. Was heavily involved in City's sixth and grabbed the seventh while also helping her side to a clean sheet.

Demi Falconer (Partick Thistle): Impressed at the back with some crucial blocks. One moment summed up her commitment as she chased back and made a brilliant timely tackle to stop Hearts getting a shot away.

Katie Rice (Motherwell): Scored a timely opener in the win over Spartans as half-time loomed. Fast becoming a goal threat for the side while doing her job at the back.

Morgan Cross (Celtic): The 23-year-old attacker, who joined from Motherwell last summer, is finding her feet at Celtic. Impressed in the rout of Dundee United, proving a menace on the wing with her pace and power.

Kirsten Reilly (Hibs): Headed in Hibs' second to make things a bit more comfortable against resilient Queen's Park.

Aleigh Gambone (Glasgow City): The American scored her fifth goal of the season with the opener against Montrose which set the tone for a dominant display.

Rio Hardy (Rangers): Handed a start and grabbed her opportunity, scoring two and could have had more in the 10-goal thrashing of Aberdeen. The 28-year-old set up the opening goal too.

Carla Boyce (Partick Thistle): Instant impact off the bench. Held the ball up well and scored the equaliser. Not only did it get Thistle back in the game, it provided a real shot in the arm as they mounted more attacks.

Katie Wilkinson (Rangers): The striker's incredible scoring form continues as she grabbed a hat-trick to take her season's goal tally to 34. Her opener was a special one for the club - it was Rangers' 700th professional goal.

Abi Harrison (Celtic): The Scotland striker marked her first start for Celtic with her first hat-trick for the club. So composed in front of goal, what an addition she is to the Celtic attack.

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Queen's Park head coach Iain Robinson: "We've got to defend moments better.

"We're conceding goals at bad times. It's two mistakes but overall I thought we defended well.

"Losing the second goal was a real kick in the teeth for us. The second half was a positive for us but ultimately we need to start picking up points."

Hibs assistant manager Stewart Hall: "I think we had a very sticky performance. Defensively I thought we were structured well but I felt in possession we were scrappy and tried to force things in the final third which is out of character for us.

"The main thing is three points, a clean sheet and we'll focus on the next one now."