Monday 22nd November, 2021 at 11:04am
A visit of league leaders Rangers is often a daunting prospect but although Thistle would lose this encounter there was much to take heart from in the display though it would be hard to make a case for suggesting it was anything other than a deserved win for Rangers.
Injuries, as they have so often done this season, limited the options open to Thistle manager Brian Graham and with Rosie Slater, on loan from Rangers, unable to play against her parent club his options for this game were further restricted. The experienced Kim Murphy was drafted in to replace Slater and such was her impressive display that she won the Player of the Match award from Match Sponsors M. A. S Electrical & Security Systems.
As anticipated Rangers were quick to assert themselves on proceedings and the last thing Thistle would have wanted was to concede an early goal. Unfortunately that’s precisely what happened with Rangers scoring after just 10 minutes. Chelsea Comet’s long range effort leaving McGregor in the Thistle goal with little chance of saving.
It might have been thought that that early goal would open up the floodgates especially given the final score when the two sides met earlier in the season but the Thistle defence were in resolute mood and did well to limit the opportunities that came the way of Rangers.
Ross dragged a shot wide and a McLauchlan effort wasn’t too far wide but it was really in the closing stages of the first half that Rangers genuinely looked as if they might add a second goal.
A Bell shot was deflected over the bar two minutes before the interval and right on half-time McGregor made an excellent save low to her left to deny Arnot.
Only fleetingly though were Thistle able to offer an attacking threat of their own with Cunningham making a comfortable save from McBrearty after 21 minutes in a rare first half Thistle attack.
Still with just one goal in it there was always the chance that a hard-working and spirited Thistle side might conjure something in front of the Rangers goal.
The second half though followed a similar pattern to that of the first with the bulk of the game spent in the Thistle half but with Rangers restricted to mostly long range efforts.
They did have the ball in the net just four minutes after the restart but by then the flag had gone up for offside.
With 64 minutes played Lauren McGregor made an excellent stop to tip a Vance free kick onto her crossbar and McGregor again saved three minutes later when Westrup was able to poke the ball towards the Thistle goal after a free kick had only been partially cleared.
Thistle were seen more of an attacking force in the second half although chances would remain limited.
Cunningham had to be sharp off her line to collect the ball ahead of McBrearty after 57 minutes and a minute later Christie and McBrearty were able to combine well on a Thistle counter attack but McBrearty in turn wasn’t able to find Docherty, who had made a good forward run, to her left.
Thistle’s best chance of an equaliser though came after 69 minutes as Docherty, after collecting the ball inside her own half, tried to burst through the centre of the Rangers defence. She was able to advance towards the box but with defenders in hot pursuit wasn’t able to get enough power into her shot to truly trouble Cunningham.
Team: McGregor, Murphy, McCulloch, Falconer, Docherty, McBrearty (Trialist), Dalziel, MacDonald (Trialist), Bulloch (Rigden), Christie (Smith)
