Following the disappointment of Sunday’s Sky Sports Cup final defeat, the Gers responded with three vital points to cut the gap at the top of the table to just two following results elsewhere.
Leanne Crichton named four changes to her side from the final defeat three days prior. There was a first start since early September for Brogan Hay following injury, whilst Eilidh Austin, Jess Pegram and Laura Berry were in from the off.
Rangers looked to get on the front foot early and respond to Sunday’s cup final setback. A pass down the line from Pegram found Calliste Brookshire on the flank, she slipped her captain Nicola Docherty in down the side, but her cross to came to no avail despite Berry’s best attempts to make something happen in the opening stages.
The hosts’ best moment of the early part of the game came thereafter. A pass down the right released full-back Eilidh Austin, her delivery picked out the arriving Camille Lafaix, but her header was collected by Jennifer Currie in the Thistle goal.
Gary Holt’s side would be encouraged by the start they made in Cumbernauld. Limiting Rangers to little clear-cut chances they were winning it high on occasion as they looked to pose their own threat in the opposing box. Having ran the Gers’ Old Firm rivals close recently, Crichton’s side had to be wary of what they were coming up against and remain switched on.
The home side looked to take the ascendancy in the game. Brookshire again involved, her cross seeked out Katie Wilkinson before the half clearance fell for Kim Shin Ji, but her shot was deflected wide of the target.
There was a moment to scare the Gers as Sienna McGoldrick almost profited off a loose back pass from Docherty. She closed down goalkeeper Jenna Fife with the shot stopper playing it off the Thistle player only for the ball to flash wide of the target.
Just as the contest remained relatively even, Rangers benefited from a set piece chance to take the lead. After a corner came to no avail the second phase of another wide free kick saw Shin Ji volley it past Currie despite the keeper’s best efforts to keep it out to put the home side in front.
The Jags looked to respond and Olivia King’s shot required blocking from Pegram but it was the hosts who went at the interval with the slender advantage.
A goal to the good at the beginning of the second period the Gers knew a second would be crucial should it arrive. They started fast with Berry having an effort from the off inside the box, but Currie was level to it at the near post.
Laura Rafferty almost headed home a rare goal from Brogan Hay’s corner, but her effort was cleared off the line with Lafaix close by before the Northern Ireland international was forced off with an injury and replaced by Li Mengwen.
Quinty Sabajo and Jodi McLeary were also introduced as Rangers tried to up the anti in search of a second. Berry again tested Currie from close range this time on her left foot, but not for the first time on the night the Partick Thistle goalkeeper was level to it.
Pegram went close with a header from a corner as the Gers kept pushing for a second towards the end.
McLeary won it and found Berry; she played it to sub Mia McAulay whose shot was well saved before Currie was level to Wilkinson’s header from the following corner.
The Light Blues were defensively sound in the latter stages and didn’t look like letting their lead slip as they saw out the contest for a vital three points to cut the gap at the top to just two ahead of Monday’s Old Firm derby encounter in the final outing before the international break.
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Pegram, Rafferty (Mengwen, 60), Hay (McLeary, 62) Austin, Berry, Lafaix (Sabajo, 62), Brookshire (McAulay, 75), Wilkinson, Shin Ji
SUBS: Kelly, Arnot, Connolly-Jackson, Black, Boyce
PARTICK THISTLE: Currie, Handley, McCulloch, Falconer, King (McAllister, 82), Rennie, Donaldson (Syrjanen, 75), Fraser, Taylor (English, 67), McGoldrick (Tweedie, 45), Longcake (Hollis, 67, Love 90)
SUBS: MacNair
RANGERS STORE: Shop all the latest offers at the Rangers Store in-store or online
SOCCER ACADEMY: Kicking off from 18 months old, with classes across Scotland and Northern Ireland, available term-time and holidays
ASK RANGERS: A dedicated platform where fans can access essential Q&As on ticketing, VIP hospitality and MyGers, and contact our Supporter Services team