Friday 18th August, 2023 at 6:33pm
This Sunday 20th August, PTWFC take on Glasgow City at Petershill Park with a 1pm Kick off.
Thistle will be looking to continue on from the excellent opening day victory over Dundee United while Glasgow City will be looking to build on their victory over Hibernian.
📍Petershill Park
🕐Sun 20th August, 1pm
🎟️Adults: £7 / o65’s: £5 / u16’s: FREE
🎫 Pay at Gate by Cash or Card
📺 Live on BBC Sport Scotland
💻Updates on Twitter
💻️Highlights and reaction post match
There have been a number of changes to the make up of City squad that were crowned SWPL Champions, City clinching the title in the most dramatic of fashions in the very last minutes of the season.
The departure of Jenna Clark to Liverpool is clearly a blow but Head Coach Leanne Ross has made a number of astute additions to her squad and there is no sense at all that City enter this season any weaker. Quite the reverse.
Two players, Charlotte Wardlaw (Chelsea) and Kenzie Weir (Everton) have joined on loan for the season from WSL sides. Meantime Brenna Lovera has been recruited from Chicago Red Stars, Aleigh Gambone from Fortuna Hjorring and Coni Sullivan from Cruz Azul.
Like Thistle, City started the league season with a Petershill Park win. Just hours after Thistle had racked up four goals against Dundee United, City put three past Hibernian.
Anna Oskarsson provided them with an early lead but despite Hibs going down to ten after keeper Fraine was sent off it took a relatively late goal from Hayley Lauder and an injury time strike from Lauren Davidson to secure the win.
Last season City took maximum points from all four meetings in the ‘Petershill Park Derby’ but they didn’t get things all their own way, particularly in the very last encounter.
After a 4-1 defeat in November, Thistle had an afternoon to forget in February despite a spectacular goal from Rachel Donaldson.
Thistle went down to a 2-0 defeat in the first of two post-split fixtures between the sides before Thistle stretched City to the very limit in the penultimate fixture of a season nearing a dramatic last day shoot out involving the top three.
Lauren Davidson put City ahead just four minutes before the interval but Thistle were level through Rebecca McGowan on the hour mark.
There were just four minutes of the game remaining when Chinchilla scored a winning goal that broke Thistle hearts but in game that provided plenty of evidence that Thistle can compete against the big three in the division. Which is precisely what Thistle will be hoping to do on Sunday.
Thistle made an excellent start to their league season last Sunday with an emphatic 4-0 despite being reduced to ten players as early as the 21st minute when Clare Docherty was sent off.
By that time Thistle were already a goal with Cara Henderson opening the scoring, following an assist from Lucy Sinclair who was one of a number of players making their Partick Thistle debut.
It was another debut making Jag, Rosie McQuillan, who doubled the Thistle lead after 38 minutes following another Sinclair assist.
Thistle were always in control of this match and two late penalites converted by Cara Henderson, after fouls on Imogen Longcake and Emma Lawton, saw the new Thistle number 9 and last season’s top scorer complete an opening day hat-trick and seal and impressive win for The Jags.
Following her, controversial, red card against Dundee United Clare Docherty will sit this game out as she serves her one game suspension.
Rachel Donaldson and Linzi Taylor both missed the United game through injury and they will be subject to late checks before a final decision is made on their inclusion.
Aside from long term absentee Cheryl McCulloch, it is an otherwise full squad to select from.
There will be, however, be an absentee in the home technical area. With Brian Graham on duty with the men’s team at Tynecastle on Sunday he leaves the team in the very capable hands of his assistant Ross Stormonth and coach Danica Dalziel.
14th May 2023
GLASGOW CITY 2
(Davidson, 41′) (Chinchilla, 86′)
PARTICK THISTLE 1
(McGowan, 60′)
