LIZZIE Arnot’s second-half strike was the difference as Rangers picked up an important victory against Motherwell in Park’s Motor Group SWPL 1.
It was a hard-fought win for the Light Blues at Alliance Park with the three points securing Rangers a UEFA Women’s Champions League spot next season for the first time in the club’s history.
Malky Thomson named five changes to his side from last weekend’s 6-0 victory at home to Hearts with Megan Cunningham, Chantelle Swaby, Jane Ross, Brogan Hay and Kayla McCoy all coming into the starting XI.
Rangers lined-up with Megan Cunningham in goal and a back four of Demi Vance, Brianna Westrup, Chantelle Swaby and Nicola Docherty.
Tessel Middag and Sam Kerr are in midfield with Jane Ross, while Lizzie Arnot and Brogan Hay will provide support for striker Kayla McCoy.
The hosts came out looking to put Rangers under early pressure at Alliance Park and came close to taking the lead inside the opening 10 minutes. A dangerous corner was swung into the box and met the head of Kodi Hay. Megan Cunningham managed to get a touch on the header to push it onto the bar before the danger was cleared.
Rangers had their first sight of goal with 15 minutes on the clock as Demi Vance’s corner met capitan Brianna Westrup but her glancing header was just wide of Khym Ramsay’s right-hand post.
The Light Blues were still trying to find their rhythm in this match but created another opportunity as Jane Ross held the ball up well just inside the Motherwell half before finding the run of Demi Vance on the overlap but Kayla McCoy couldn’t get a strong enough touch on the cross to send it towards goal.
In the closing stages of the first-half, the hosts were continuing to cause Rangers problems as Megan Cunningham came out to punch clear another corner.
However it was the Gers who managed to get the breakthrough in this match with 57th minutes on the clock. Brogan Hay delivered a dangerous ball into the box from the right which met Lizzie Arnot at the back post and she fired low beyond Khym Ramsay.
Shortly after, Jane Ross did well to turn and drive towards the byline before cutting the ball back into the box. It opened up for Nicola Docherty on the edge of the area and the right-back curled a shot towards goal but it was just wide of the target.
Rangers came close to doubling their advantage with 15 minutes of the game remaining. Sam Kerr played in Lizzie Arnot and she took a touch just inside the box to go onto her left foot but her shot came off the keeper before bouncing back off of the bar.
Motherwell were still looking for a route back into this match and a free-kick was swung into the box by Leanne Crichton and fell for Anderson on the edge of the box but her shot was held comfortably by Megan Cunningham.
Substitute Kirsten Reilly forced a save from Khym Ramsay shortly after as she curled the ball towards goal from distance but the Motherwell keeper managed to get a hand to it to deny the midfielder a goal.
In injury time, Motherwell came close to an equaliser as Gardner curled a shot towards goal and it bounced just inches wide of Megan Cunningham’s left-hand post.
Despite Motherwell’s efforts, Rangers saw out the final stages of the game to take all three points from this afternoon’s match.
RANGERS: Cunningham, Docherty, Swaby, Westrup, Vance, Kerr, Middag, Ross, Arnot (Howat, 85), Hay (Bell, 85), McCoy (Reilly, 61).
Subs: Fife, Arnth, Ness, Grant
Motherwell: Ramsay, Doran-Barr (Crichton, 70), Addie, Watson, Inglis, Anderson, Rice, McDonald-Nguah, Hay, Gardner, Pollard.
Subs: Adams, Hughes, Napier, Buster, Halpin.