Partick Thistle WFC v Rangers WFC – 16th Feb 2025

Partick Thistle 0 – 6 Rangers

Despite an early period of some hearty and successful defensive effort from Thistle, the now table-toppers’ intense attacking proved overwhelming and secured a comfortable win.

After a hard fought 1-1 draw away to Hearts and a stalemate at Aberdeen, Thistle returned to Petershill with two games to play until the split.

Going into the match, Rangers needed all three points to go even with Celtic and Glasgow City on points and top the table on goal difference. Thistle had six points to gain on Motherwell in sixth.

Battles for the ball came thick, fast, and early, as Shona Cowan’s first few minutes were spent being bombarded with attacks down the flank which she done well to see out or hit clear.

Mia McAulay slipped through what looked a dangerous ball to Rio Hardy to force a big closing down save from Jeni Currie, but the linesman’s flag went up anyway.

With Rachel Donaldson down for some time play continued and Rangers sent a dangerous high cross in from the left, but Jodi McLeary’s contact was off sending it high so play could finally be stopped for treatment.

After a Rangers breakaway came to a halt at the byline, Currie couldn’t quite claim the ball leaving a free pass to Kirsty Howat in the middle, who skied the opportunity.

Seconds later Thistle were the breaking team, with Tiree Burchill sprinting into the right hand side of the Rangers box with the ball and firing it low across the goalie who was able to get the touch to make it a corner.

The resulting corner met the head of Demi Falconer and headed goalward but Esson could catch it.

A ball squared from Brogan Hay to Katie Wilkinson around the penalty spot looked certain to open the scoring for the visitors, but Currie was able to dive across the ground and capture the ball as it headed for the back of the net.

A chance similar to Howat’s earlier came again, this time to Mia McAulay who made no mistake, keeping it low and putting the visitors ahead.

The lead was almost extended from almost the exact same spot by Wilkinson, but her shot rolled wide of the post.

And the lead was extended with just a couple of minutes to the break, coming via a neat flick on the ground from close range by Rio Hardy which took the ball beyond Currie’s reach.

Then in the last action of the half it became a three-goal lead, as a mix-up following a Rangers corner saw the ball trundle over the line despite Currie’s best efforts to claw it back.

Half-time: Partick Thistle 0 – 3 Rangers

Thistle looked to the bench for the restart of play, as Olivia King made way for Georgia Gray.

A ball floated towards Carla Boyce from the left was played first time towards the right where Burchill was waiting but the pass couldn’t escape the imposing defender.

McAulay’s break down the left ended in a ball played across the face and tapped home, but the linesman’s flag shot up as soon as the pass was made.

Rangers won a free kick in a threatening position at the edge of the D when McAulay was brought down to put an end to her run inside for which Amy Bulloch was booked. Wilkinson took it and struck the wall.

Looking for the spark, Brian Graham subbed Shona Cowan and Rachel Donaldson for Amy Richardson and Imogen Longcake with just over 20 to go.

A silky turn by Lucy Sinclair looked like it might bring a chance to send the ball the right way, but the attempted pass lacked the power to find a red and yellow shirt.

Leah Eddie had a pop from outside the box which was nicely parried by Currie, the second go at it from closer range was turned for a corner by a sea of defenders.

From the corner, Kathy Hill was there towards the back post to power it into the net with her head to make it four to Rangers.

A lofted delivery into the Rangers box fell towards Rosie Slater who took a side footed volley which was too high to worry Esson.

Not long after the fourth came a fifth. Kirsty Howat and Jen Currie rushed towards each other as the ball break towards the Thistle net, Currie scurried down to it and got hands on it but an unfortunate bobble bounced it away allowing Howat the tap-in.

And then a sixth, as substitute Camille Lafaix launched the ball past Currie from inside the box as injury time began.

Partick Thistle: Currie, Slater, Falconer, Docherty, Boyce (McAllister), Donaldson (Longcake), Bulloch (Robinson), Cowan (Richardson), King (Gray), Burchill, Sinclair