Leanne Crichton Happy To Get Off The Mark

Having to work for the three points, three goals towards the latter part of the game saw the Gers claim a 4-1 success at Links Park.

Speaking to RangersTV after the team’s SPWPL opener, she said: “A bit of a mixed bag if I am being honest, the most important thing was the three points to get us up and running.

“We knew how difficult it was going to be coming here coming here to Montrose, a good side, good side last season and have strengthened really well.

“They have added real bits of quality to their side and we know how they play in an aggressive nature.

“Really direct but better than a direct team, so we managed to deal with that at points.

“It wasn't easy, I think the manner in which we lose the goal in the first half is frustrating in terms of the quality, just not stopping the cross, not dealing with that essentially, first and second contacts, stuff that we speak about game to game, so that was a frustration.

“Ultimately what we looked at was the score today and we knew how important that was going to be.

“The starting team we knew wouldn't be the team that finished the game, but we are going to need everybody based on the schedule and what that has looked like and the type of game it was going to be and managing that dynamic.

“I thought over the course throughout the 90 minutes that came through in terms of the quality that we have got.”

The day saw a league debut double for summer arrival Bailley Collins and Chelsea loanee Eva Hendle also getting on the scoresheet, with Katie Wilkinson rounding off the afternoon’s work with Crichton paying tribute to the former Motherwell player for the early impact she has had on the team.

She continued: “Those are the real positives in terms of the performance.

“It is about the three points; we went to get up and running and get points on the board.

“We want to score as many goals again as we can this season, we want to concede fewer than we did last season so the frustration is about losing the goal in the manner in which we did but individual performances certainly shone through.

“I think Bailley you can see the quality; she is a player that has come from a part-time environment with a professional mindset and she has come into this environment and she is absolutely thriving with the opportunity that she has got.

“She has been a breath of fresh air to work with, the group have taken really well to her and you can see that in her performances.

“She is relaxed in terms of the roles, at points she has been in at full-back, she has maybe been slightly higher in the game. It doesn't matter where she is though she is adapting to what has been asked of her and again adding goals to her qualities as well is something that we are going to need this season from all over the pitch.

“Real quality, Eva again coming off the back of internationals this week, her and May we were without in terms of the training week. both of them coming into the game this afternoon and obviously Eva gets her goal as well and she is up and running so she is going to be a big player for us this season.

“I am excited to see what she can bring, certainly coming up here it was one we were really pleased that we could and obviously just managing that international load that we will have for the next number of weeks. Strength and depth is absolutely the focus.

Rangers now turn attention to their home bow for the season against newly promoted Spartans next week, with the Head Coach looking forward to playing in front of their own supporters once again.

She added: “It is about the structure now which is great. One game a week, obviously the Champions League schedule was good for us in terms of that condensed period.

“We can now start to look ahead, focus on what that one game weekly looks like until that next European game, but ultimately we are ready as a group.

“There is a few bodies we have been a little bit light through pre-season.

“Great to have Jodi back on the pitch this afternoon as well, a player that we were without in the run-in at the end of last season.

“A real frustration for her throughout pre-season and she has been desperate to get back amongst the players.

“Great that she has had a full training week this week, intrigued over the last number of weeks and now it is about building those players' minutes as well that are coming back in.

“It is exciting for us and we are looking forward to that home game, credit to the fans that travelled this afternoon as well that never goes without appreciation.

“We are going to need them this season absolutely and hopefully we see plenty of them next week.”