A PAIR of hat-tricks for both Katie Wilkinson and Laura Berry helped Rangers to a 10-0 win over Dundee United in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League at Foundation Park this afternoon.
After taking the lead inside a minute, six further first half goals were to follow as the Light Blues took a seven-goal lead into the break. Three further second half strikes came thereafter as the Gers continued their fantastic start to their league season and warmed up for their Champions League qualifying fixture against Arsenal in midweek in style.
Head coach Jo Potter named five changes to her starting side from the win over Montrose, with Jenna Fife, Tessel Middag, Mia McAulay all coming in as well as Eilidh Austin and Laura Berry earning their first starts in the league this season.
Rangers took the lead inside 30 seconds at Foundation Park as they got off to the best possible start. Laura Berry didn’t give up on a ball down the channel as she retrieved it close to the touchline. Getting her head up she spotted Katie Wilkinson unmarked and on her own at the penalty spot as the striker was found to then dispatch the ball into the bottom corner as she continued her red hot form at the start of the campaign.
The away side took momentum from the early opener as they pressed for a second four minutes later. A fantastic long through ball from Mia McAulay allowed forwards Kirsty Howat and Berry to combine with the latter getting an opportunity to try her luck from the edge of the area. It was initially saved by Beth Rennie before the youngster fired over the top from the rebound.
The Gers did double their advantage in the next attack through an unfortunate own goal. McAulay involved again down the side she whipped a ball across which hit Megan Burns and flew into the back of her own net.
Chances continued to flow as Potter’s side almost added a third. Combination play at the edge of the area from Howat and Liv McLoughlin allowed the midfielder to try a shot at goal, it looped over the United shot stopper before coming back off the crossbar and staying out.
The hosts looked to work themselves into the match after being dominated in the early stages. After working their way forward Freya Brien had space on the edge of the area to try work goalkeeper Jenna Fife, but the effort was comfortable for the shot stopper who held.
After their first moment of the match United found themselves three behind. A quick corner taken by Lizzie Arnot found McAulay on the left hand side of the area, after riding multiple challenges she acknowledged Kirsty Howat in space, she worked the ball onto her left foot before placing it into the near post beyond Rennie as the Light Blues further stretched their lead before the 20-minute mark.
Five minutes later the Gers got their fourth through Laura Berry on her first start of the season. McAulay on the right flank sent the striker in behind the defence as the two youngsters combined, homing in on goal she picked her spot before placing it into the far corner as it found the back of the net off the post as the away side continued to assert their early dominance.
Before the half-hour mark Berry found her second and the fifth goal of the afternoon. Arnot, who was on red hot assisting form prior to the match, added to her tally as she delivered the ball into the area for the striker whose initial header was almost kept out by Rennie, before the ball tumbled over the line.
After a period of possession, the away side added to their lead through Wilkinson’s second. Combination play down the side involving McAulay and Berry allowed the latter to fire the ball across goal to give the English forward the simple task of tapping the ball into the back of the net to make it six.
A third hat-trick in four games for Katie Wilkinson was to then follow as the forward’s outstanding form continued. A pass from Howat into the area allowed the striker to collect the ball before placing it beyond Rennie into the far corner.
The away side looked to begin the second half the way they begun the first. After going on the attack straight away, Berry was involved as she held the ball in well, she combined with McAulay as she laid the winger off, but her effort flashed over the top of the crossbar.
Dundee United were holding firm at the start of the second as the Gers looked for more goals on the hour-mark. Berry picked up the ball inside the box after receiving a pass from substitute Brogan Hay, she laid off the midfield runner in Tessel Middag but her left footed shot was comfortably held by Rennie.
Rangers did find a second half goal as two of the substitutes combined to add an eighth. Hay from a wide area fired a low ball across the box as the sliding Rio Hardy met it and managed to bundle it over the line at the second attempt as they made their period of possession and dominance after the restart count.
Berry was pressing for a hat-trick and her strike pulled off a fantastic save from Rennie. After Hardy moved the ball on to the forward she spun on the half turn and got her shot away, but the shot stopper smartly turned the effort behind to prevent the Gers from stretching their lead further.
The moment did arrive for the youngster who tapped in a ninth at the near post as she claimed a hat-trick. Eilidh Austin, who was operating in a left-back role for the second half found herself well advanced down the flank, she crossed the ball to the forward at the near post as she finished it off to cap off an impressive individual afternoon.
After a period of possession but continued dominance, the Light Blues did find the back of the net for a 10th time on the day. After working the ball down the left side a pass across resulted in a clever dummy from Jodi McLeary which was collected by Tessel Middag, the midfielder picked her spot from the edge of the box and fired the ball into the bottom corner to round off the scoring on yet another impressive afternoon for the Gers.
DUNDEE UNITED: Rennie, Frew, Robertson, Christie (Martindale 45), Cowie, Steedman (McFadyen 63) , Osborne (Sidey 45), Burns, Brien (Taylor 45), Timlin, Hutchison
SUBS: Mowatt, Moodie, Logan, Steedman
RANGERS: Fife, Austin, Rafferty, Docherty (Eddie 45), McAulay, Middag, McLoughlin (Hay 45), Arnot (Lafaix 72), Howat (McLeary 45), Berry, Wilkinson (Hardy 57)
SUBS: Esson, Hill, Black