LEANNE CRICHTON was happy to see her Rangers team register another three important league points this afternoon.
Scoring the vital first goal after a close beginning at Petershill, a further two followed either side of half time as the Gers claimed a 3-0 victory in their penultimate away outing of the season.
Speaking to RangersTV to look back on the win, she said: “I am really pleased, first and foremost with the three points, it is absolutely vital for us at this stage of the season.
“We know how important every game that we come into now is and what that looks like and I felt the performance for the most part of the game was there.
“I think we dominated in huge spells, moved the ball really well at points.
“Probably took a little bit to get going, certainly in the first half. You're always looking for that first goal to try and settle the game down so delighted that we got that and the timing certainly in the game that we did.
“Then we have created so many chances and probably had real good opportunities.
“Loads of shots, loads of blocked shots, too many shots probably off target as well but I get where we are this stage of the season.
“Ultimately it is about winning football games, if we can couple that with a performance then we'd be pleased and we got that for the most part today so we are comfortable with the day and how it has looked.”
The former Scotland international was delighted for goalscorer Jodi McLeary, whose special first half strike doubled the advantage on the day, before the squad depth was highlighted with Mia McAulay coming off the bench to secure the victory.
She continued: “Jodi’s goal? It is a cracker; I had actually tuned in and always watched certain parts of the warm-up and she actually bagged two very similar in the warm-up where she had reversed it from in to out.
“It has not happened by chance; I don't know whether she has just found that confidence in the warm-up and felt it was something that she could go and execute
“For Jodi she has played at points this season, obviously much deeper in the game as well.
“Whether it has been at right full-back or as a holding midfielder and there was points today that we asked her to be that player that got higher in support and it was more a midfield rotation with the three in there.
“It was probably an opportunity for her to get more involved higher up in the game and she has absolutely took her chance.
“We know she has got that in her locker; it is just not where she has been deployed this season but it is great to see the ball hitting the back of the net for her.
“The strength of the group has been there. Still lost a couple of bodies last week as we know another one in midweek and Jess [Pegram] picked up a knock within training, which we know again these things can happen and that is where the strength of the group is.
“You just wish everybody could have equal playing time and it could be a real collective, but it doesn't matter what the players contributions are whether they start games or they're coming off the bench or there are players that are not getting themselves onto the pitch, the training and group environment that we have got day to day just now is giving us a real edge.
“It is keeping us in the race and I can't thank the players enough for that, they have been outstanding thus for and today probably just amplifies and signifies the importance of the group.”
The Gers now gear up for the final Old Firm league meeting of the season next Sunday and Crichton hopes they will be able to continue an impressive run of form in the fixture to date.
She added: “It is great, I think it is good that we have got just that one game each week as well.
“It is not too demanding, I think you can see in the group today as well there is tired legs and bodies out there. It has been a huge demand across the season in terms of the squad that we have carried as well where we have been really light at points.
“You can start to see that but I think this group have always responded when it comes an Old Firm game.
“We have got a really good run of form within that fixture but we also understand that form probably at this stage of the season goes out the window.
“We will batten down the hatches this week, we will rest and recover, we will look forward to tomorrow and get the players back together and it is prep just as normal.”
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