,In a first half that had a bit of everything, Olivia Chomczuk fired the hosts ahead early on before they were reduced to 10 players following a last-ditch foul on Wilkinson. The striker then showed her quality with a fantastic free kick before turning the match around from the penalty spot to give the away side the lead at the interval.
The Gers turned the screw in the second period with the forward heading home to claim the match ball as well as goals from wingers Mia McAulay, Brogan Hay and the returning Kathy Hill set the away side on their way to three points in Head Coach Leanne Crichton’s first competitive match in charge.
It was the hosts who started the game brightly as they probed in the final third without creating any real chances. At the other end the Gers had their first opening, Jodi McLeary from right-back combined well with Brogan Hay ahead of her, but her cross failed to find any of her teammates inside the area.
After a fast start it was the home side who took the lead to register the first goal of the new season. A ball forward found Kaela McDonald-Nguah, she found fellow forward Olivia Chomczuk who hit a quite superb strike across goal which beat Jenna Fife via the post to put her side ahead.
Just moments later they had another sight of goal. Liv McLoughlin was robbed of possession inside her own half, it was Sophia Martin this time who tried her luck from range but it was comfortable for Fife. Quickly at the other end, Kirsty Howat was sent clear for the first time as she was in one-on-one and rounded Lauren Perry in the Montrose goal, but her effort could only find the side netting at the angle.
It was all action from there on in as the hosts fast start was put to a halt as they were reduced to 10 players. A long ball over the top sent Katie Wilkinson through for the Gers before captain Cassie Cowper brought down the striker and denied a goal scoring opportunity in the process.
After hitting the resulting free kick into the wall, last season’s top goalscorer was then on hand to produce a moment of brilliance to get her team back on level terms. Again from a set piece situation and similarly to her Sky Sports Cup semi-final goal last season, she curled the ball into the keeper’s side to level things up and make the most of the player advantage.
That theme continued thereafter. Just moments later the returning Camille Lafaix nicked ahead of Louise Brown inside the area, she brought the Gers number 20 down before Wilkinson dispatched the resulting penalty into the left corner.
Crichton’s side looked to make the most of the player advantage as Mia McAulay had a chance to make it three. Played in by McLoughlin her touch saw her beat the covering defender for pace before Jade McLaren got round in time to make the block.
Despite being down to 10, the home side still looked to try get forward and almost level up the match again after a mix up for the Gers. Eilidh Austin and McLoughlin got in each other’s way which allowed goalscorer Chomczuk to pounce, she drove towards goal but hesitated and allowed the covering players to get back in time to preserve their lead going into the half time break.
Following the restart the Gers really took the initiative. From the off they almost put clear daylight between themselves and their opponents as Hay picked out Wilkinson, her header towards goal was touched onto the bar by Perry as the frame denied the forward a hat-trick.
Goalkeeper Perry then hesitated and almost presented a chance for Wilkinson but then reacted well. In the next phase of the play the Light Blues did go on to make it three. A ball down the line from the captain set Howat away, she cut it back for McAulay who patiently worked an opening before dispatching the ball into the bottom corner to give the away side a two goal advantage.
The goals started to flow from there on in. A quick throw in gave Howat the chance to provide a second assist as Brogan Hay opened her account for the campaign, before a clever piece of skill saw Lizzie Arnot provide the cross to allow Katie Wilkinson to head home an opening day hat-trick.
In the closing stages Crichton’s team continued to press for more. McAulay picked out Howat, on a day she did everything but score her shot went just wide of the target before the crossbar denied her just minutes later.
There was still time for the returning Kathy Hill, earning her first minutes after injury, to volley home Alice Griffiths’ cross at the back post to round of the day’s scoring and hand the visitors a winning start to the new campaign.
MONTROSE: Perry, McLaren, Gover, Martin (Innes, 86), McDonald-Nguah (Brien, 76), Fleming (Taylor, 70), Brown (Delworth, 86), Cowper, Robertson, Chomczuk (Guthrie, 76), Robb
SUBS: Carter, Ross
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Hay (Berry, 70), Howat, McAulay, Austin (Hill, 62), Lafaix (Griffiths, 45), McLoughlin (Arnot, 45), McLeary, Connolly-Jackson, Wilkinson (Cruft, 79)
SUBS: Ivarsdottir
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