Despite dominating large spells of the game, Mariah Lee’s 80th minute goal secured the points for the hosts.
Malky Thomson named an unchanged side for the Old Firm derby as he stuck with the same starting team who beat Hibs 1-0 on Sunday in the SWPL.
Kirsty Howat was first to have a chance at goal for Rangers as she won the ball back at the half-way line before trying to lob a shot over the keeper from distance but it dipped just over the bar.
Malky Thomson had to make an early change after just 10 minutes as Howat appeared to twist her right-knee when challenging for the ball. It was a nasty one for the Gers’ striker who had to be taken off the Parkhead pitch on a stretcher, with Bala Devi coming on up front.
The first real opportunity of the game fell to Rangers with 20 minutes on the clock. Kirsten Reilly played a lovely ball out wide to Brogan Hay with the winger taking a touch beyond the Celtic defender before delivering a dangerous ball across the face of goal. Emma Brownlie got on the end of the cross but couldn’t keep her effort down as the ball drifted over the bar.
Hay was causing problems for Celtic down that right-hand side and picked out Sam Kerr with another good ball shortly after but the midfielder’s shot was just off target.
Jenna Fife was called into action for the first time in the 40th minute as the ball fell for Rachel Donaldson on the edge of the box but Rangers’ number one was alert and held the shot comfortably.
In the dying stages of the first-half, the home side were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position on the edge of the box but Lisa Robertson’s shot curled wide of Fife’s right-hand post.
Rangers continued to pressure into the second-half as they searched for the opener. Rachel McLauchlan’s ball into the box was headed down to Bala Devi but her shot bounced back off the crossbar before Celtic managed to clear the danger.
Kirsten Reilly was next to see a shot denied by the crossbar as the Gers midfielder found space 30-yards out and tried a shot from distance with her left foot but it bounced back off the woodwork.
Rangers were in control, but just couldn’t find that breakthrough as Chelsea Cornet was next to see a shot held by Celtic keeper Chloe Logan, before Bala Devi saw a header saved shortly after.
It was the home side who got the breakthrough against the run of play as Mariah Lee ran on to a long ball forward. Jenna Fife came out to clear but the ball broke for the Celtic forward and she slotted into the back of the net in the final 10 minutes of the match.
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Brownlie (Cornet, 65), Hay, Reilly (O’Neill, 87), McLauchlan, Arnot, Howat (Devi, 15), Kerr, Westrup, Swaby.
SUBS: Cunningham, Bourma, O’Neill, Girasoli, Gemmell.
CELTIC: Logan, Keenan (Atkinson, 79), Bartle, Craig, Robertson, Ewens, Donaldson (Lee, 65), Teegarden (Clark, 87), Hayes, Filbey, Warrington.
SUBS: Nicolson, Atkinson, Bowie, Johnstone, McGovern
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