Report: Partick Thistle 0-8 Rangers

In a rampant mood from the off, five first-half goals, including strikes from Katie Wilkinson, Nicola Docherty, Kathy Hill and a Laura Berry double, saw the Gers in a comfortable position at the break.

Berry bagged her second hat-trick in a row after the restart, before Wilkinson’s second and Leah Eddie’s header secured their last four spot as the Light Blues continued in their search for winning the trophy for the third season in succession.

Leanne Crichton named four changes to her starting side for the cup tie. Eilidh Austin, who was recently named the league’s January player of the month, was back in, as was captain Nicola Docherty, Jodi McLeary and winger Calliste Brookshire.

A side in form, unbeaten in their last 10 outings, looked to stamp their authority on the cup tie and did so inside just two minutes in Glasgow. After a free kick down the right from Calliste Brookshire, the second phase moments after fell to Jodi McLeary, who clipped the ball into the area from the right. Well placed was Katie Wilkinson, who made no mistake on the spin, turning the ball home with the outside of her foot to get the Gers off to the perfect start.

It was a positive opening 10 minutes for the Light Blues, who looked a threat from the get-go. Sustaining attacks consistently, it was May Cruft who was next to test Jennifer Currie with a shot from range, but the effort was straight at the goalkeeper as the 16-year-old looked to repeat the feat that saw her open her Rangers account on the same pitch back in September.

That sustained pressure paid dividends as captain Nicola Docherty was on hand to score her first goal since late 2023 with a left-footed finish to double the lead. A cross from the right-hand side was fired in by the skipper in an overdue moment, which beat Currie at the front post despite her best efforts to keep the strike out.

Continuing on their goalscoring form from seven days prior, and for Laura Berry in particular, she added to her hat-trick at Hamilton by firing in a quickfire third. After good work down the right from Eilidh Austin, she found the fellow academy graduate inside the box who shifted the ball into a scoring position and smashed it into the far corner to put Crichton’s team firmly in control of the tie inside a quarter of an hour.

Wilkinson went close with a header at the back post following a Brookshire corner, with the Light Blues at their fluent best and looking to book themselves in Monday evening’s semi-final draw as quickly as possible in their penultimate fixture before the international break.

Having turned provider for the third Austin went within inches of making it four after getting on the end of her captain’s cross. From one full-back to another, the defender almost finished off a good move from the away side, but her volleyed effort went just wide of the target from close range.

Before the half-hour mark, it was four; however, Rangers made the most of another set-piece chance. Brookshire’s delivery found Austin at the back post, who headed the ball back into the danger area. Similar to the opener but on the half volley it was Kathy Hill this time on the swivel to turn the ball into the back of the net beyond Currie and strengthen Rangers’ position in the game.

After finding the target on three occasions last Sunday, Berry was on hand to grab her second of the afternoon and subsequently add a five. Following good play down the middle, the forward players combined as Wilkinson set up the 18-year-old to finish beyond the Thistle shot stopper from close range.

Currie did well to push away a Wilkinson free kick from wide on the left channel, as the Gers went in five goals to the good at Petershill in a rampant first-half display, continuing their fine attacking display in the weeks prior.

Crichton made a double switch after the restart as she introduced Laura Rafferty and Quinty Sabajo into proceedings. Their attacking intent continued from the off once again, and just as it looked as though Currie was going to smother Lafaix’s through ball, Wilkinson reacted first and laid it back to Berry to fire it into the empty net and claim a second hat-trick in succession.

Rebecca McAllister had Thistle’s best moment of the afternoon, a few minutes later, as Jenna Fife had to stay alert to preserve her clean sheet. After getting through the middle of the Rangers' defence, the number 11 homed in on goal but was denied by a smart stop from the goalkeeper from close range before the rebound was fired over.

At the other end, it only seemed a matter of time before Wilkinson would add to her advantage and that she did by curling in a seventh. Berry worked it inside the area before teeing up her forward partner. She composed herself and finished beyond Currie at the near post with the help of the woodwork.

Having not found the back of the net since November 9, 2024, Leah Eddie was on hand to score her second Rangers goal and first in the Scottish Cup. From McLeary’s corner, she rose highest to head beyond Currie at the far post in a special milestone moment to make it eight.

Sabajo went close to adding a ninth with a clever half-volleyed effort from the angle. The Suriname international popped up on the left side of the area following a set piece and tried her luck, but Currie saw it over the top of the crossbar.

PARTICK THISTLE: Currie, Slater, Handley, McCulloch (Fraser, 72), Falconer, King, McAllister, Donaldson (Hollis, 61), English (Rennie, 49), Ferguson, Longcake (Syrijanen, 61)

SUBS: Macnair, Love, Tweedie

RANGERS: Fife, Austin, Eddie, Hill (Rafferty, 45), Docherty, Cruft (Sabajo, 45), McLeary, Lafaix (Black, 60), Berry, Brookshire (Hay, 60), Wilkinson (McAulay, 60)

SUBS: Kelly, Pegram, Shin Ji

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