Partick Thistle WFC v Rangers WFC – 10th May 2026

Following a break at the hands of the Scottish Cup, Partick Thistle returned back home as they welcomed Rangers to Petershill Park.

The afternoons visitors entered the match having left it late to taste success against bottom six side Montrose in the Scottish Cup semi final seven days prior, their rewards being an old firm showdown for the silverware at the end of the month. It was much a similar tune on the league front for Leanne Critchton’s side, who churned out a 1-0 win over last seasons champions, Hibernian to rectify the points dropped to Hearts 72 hours before, seeing them sat 2nd in the SWPL1 standings, 4 points off the pace of the Jambos in 1st .

Through the opening 15 minutes of the tie, the visitors were relentlessly on the press but seemed to lack in the final touch to ultimately get them anywhere threatening. In an almost copy to how the opening against Hearts went for thistle a few weeks prior, they had begun to frustrate the opposition who had been reduced to shooting from just about anywhere they could find space, none of them challenging Currie in goal.

It wasn’t just one way traffic though, a neat passage of play from thistle in the 15th minute drew the foul in an enticing spot, the resulting free kick from Isla Taylor landing just wide of the goal to deny them the opener.

On their next surge forward, the rangers threat was halted as Fraser was deemed to have tugged on Wilkinson, earning her the ties first yellow. Whilst the resulting free kick was forced behind the corner that came off the back of such granted to visitors the opener as Berry was on hand to head home the high in-swinging corner from the right-hand side in the 27th minute.

In a close to mirror image of the previous foul, Taylor was next in the book as she drew the foul near the box. The resulting free kick this time was sent in to a swarmed box of jerseys, the final touch looking goal bound for rangers, their celebrations halted before they could begin as Currie was on hand to reactively force it behind from close range to keep thistle in it as the tie neared the last 5 minutes of the opening half.

Despite another strong showing from thistle through the first half, rangers nicked a 2nd in the final moments of the first 45 as with little other available options, McLeary unleashed the stroke from considerable range, her effort striking the underside of the bar and over the line in what would be the final point of note from the first half.

The start of the second half saw Gary Holt’s first look towards the bench, where Fraser and Rennie departed for Syrjanen and McAllister, respectively.

The visitors put the game that bit more out of reach 1- minutes into the second 45 where the through ball was played into the box and broke the line, finding McAulay who quickly slid it past the out-bounding Currie before the defence could get near the goal-line for the third of the afternoon.

Their now almost constant attack was almost further rewarded just past the hour mark as another pacing attack saw the shot from close range rattle the crossbar before the rebound was worked to the edge of the box where McGoldrick earned her yellow card by drawing the foul but the resulting free kick was handled well by the Jags who dealt with the danger and sent it far into their own attacking half.

Looking to his bench next, Love departed the park in the 70th minute, replaced by Hollis.

Even though rangers didn’t look like slowing down, thistle didn’t look like a side ready to concede the tie entirely. With the game heading towards its final 15 minutes, the jags on the whole had held well, forcing the visitors into making mistakes when they got into threatening areas as their next shot from range fizzled out as it rolled well wide of goal.

The final change for thistle came in the 78th minute as King made way for Turner.

Thistle were still looking on the attacking front too, as a well worked team move from the back ended up in the box where the quick back heel found Taylor, whose shot had no choice but to curve around the rangers defender, falling just wide of goal.

Even through to the final moments of the tie, thistle were still on the hunt as the long ball from the back found Hollis, who was crowded out before she got a chance to drive through on goal. The visitor attempts had continued to fall too, with the majority of the play bouncing about the centre third as thistle continued to build the press.

Despite their efforts though, the full-time whistle signalled an unfortunately all too familiar story for Partick Thistle where the full time scoreline didn’t really reflect the performance at hand. The stand out chances of the tie brought the goals, but elsewhere thistle looked strong across the park, just lacking the last touch to build on as rangers took 3 goals and as many points back home.

The top six battle continues for Partick Thistle as they welcome the current league holders, Hibernian to Petershill on Sunday May 17th, kick off 1pm.