RELENTLESS Rangers defeated Glasgow Women 14-0 at Broadwood in their opening match of the Scottish Women’s Premier League season this afternoon.
It was an impressive performance from Malky Thomson’s side as the defending champions entertained the crowd of over 700 in North Lanarkshire.
A double from Kayla McCoy and goals from Tessel Middag, Chelsea Cornet, Rachel McLauchlan and Nicola Docherty had Rangers 6-0 ahead at the break.
Goals from Kathy Hill and Jodi McLeary and doubles from Kirsty Howat, Lizzie Arnot and Brogan Hay added to the tally in the second-half.
There were four competitive debuts with summer signings Kathryn Hill, Hannah Davison, Dina Orschmann and Jenny Danielsson all named in the starting XI.
Rangers lined-up with Jenna Fife in goal and a back four of Nicola Docherty, Hannah Davison, Kathryn Hill and Rachel McLauchlan.
Kirsty Maclean, Tessel Middag and Chelsea Cornet are in midfield, with Jenny Danielsson and Dina Orschmann providing support up front for striker Kayla McCoy.
Rangers started with intent and looked bright in the opening five minutes as Chelsea Cornet got a shot away at goal from close range but it was blocked by Molly Reeve.
The early pressure paid off and the Light Blues were ahead with just over 10 minutes on the clock. Jenny Danielsson picked out the overlapping run of Rachel McLauchlan with the right back delivering an inviting ball into the box.
A Glasgow Women defender managed to get a touch on the ball but the clearance fell for Chelsea Cornet, she showed calmness to lay it off to Tessel Middag and the midfielder slotted beyond Reeve.
Kayla McCoy came close after getting on the end of a ball from Dina Orschmann before the Jamaican international was denied by Reeve after a lovely through ball from Kirsty Maclean.
Middag turned provider shortly after as she whipped a ball into the box with Chelsea Cornet beating the offside trap to rise above goalkeeper Reeve and get her head to the ball. It took a bounce in the box but Cornet was alert to get a foot to the ball to make sure it crossed the white line.
Rangers continued to pile the pressure on the visitors and it was 3-0 with just over 20 minutes on the clock. Dina Orschmann swung a corner into the box with Tessel Middag heading it towards goal. Reeve got a touch to block the effort but the rebound fell to Kayla McCoy who made no mistake in tapping home from close range.
It was 4-0 on the half-hour mark, a lovely pass from the back picked out Rachel McLauchlan and the right-back took a touch around the goalkeeper before slotting low into the back of the net.
Malky Thomson’s side were relentless and Chelsea Cornet almost had her second of the game as she rattled the crossbar with a long range strike.
It was soon to be five and it was incredibly a fifth different goalscorer for Rangers in the 35th minute. It was fantastic build-up play from the Light Blues with Jenny Danielsson picking out a Docherty on the overlap with a fine pass. It was a brilliant finish from Docherty as she guided the ball into the back of the net.
With five minutes to go before the break it was 6-0. Kirsty Maclean played a lovely pass to find Jenny Danielsson with the Finland international delivering the ball into the box and Kayla McCoy was on hand to finish from close range.
Malky Thomson made two changes to his side at the break as Hannah Davison and Dina Orschmann were replaced by Brogan Hay and Lizzie Arnot.
Reeve denied Hay early in the second-half as she stood tall the block a shot from the Rangers winger.
However, it didn’t take long into the second period for Rangers to get their seventh goal of the afternoon. Jenny Danielsson drove to the byline before cutting the ball back into the box in search of Chelsea Cornet. The midfielder’s shot was blocked but fell for Lizzie Arnot at the back post as she added her name to the scoresheet.
A few minutes later Arnot had her second of the game as she drove into the box and drilled a low ball across goal and beyond Reeve.
Rangers made three further changes with 25 minutes of the game remaining as Kayla McCoy, Jenny Danielsson and Rachel McLauchlan were replaced by Emma Watson, Jodi McLeary and Kirsty Howat.
It was only a few minutes before Kirsty Howat got herself on the scoresheet. The ball was flicked on by Brogan Hay into the path of the Rangers striker in the box and she took a touch to create space before firing beyond Reeve at the near post.
It was 10 in the 72nd minute and it was captain Kathryn Hill who got the goal on her competitive debut since joining in the summer as she headed home a Lizzie Arnot corner.
There was no stopping Rangers this afternoon and Howat got her second of the game in the 74th minute. Lizzie Arnot sent the ball through to Emma Watson but her shot was blocked by Reeve however, Kirsty Howat was alert to send the ball into the back of the net.
Jodi McLeary was next to get her name on the scoresheet as she tapped home a Nicola Docherty cross just two minutes later.
Brogan Hay became the 10th different goalscorer of the afternoon as she fired a lovely shot into the back of the net.
Just seconds later, Hay had her second as she got a touch on a long ball from Kirsty Maclean to touch it beyond Reeve.
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Davison (Hay, 46), Hill, McLauchlan (Watson, 65), Middag, Maclean, Cornet, Danielsson (McLeary, 65), Orschmann (Arnot, 46), McCoy (Howat, 65).
Subs not used: Esson.
Glasgow Women: Reeve, King, Forrest, Hoole (Mason, 58), Scott, Honeyman, Craig, Gallagher, Wilson, McGuire, Lyle.
Subs not used: McGoldrick, McCormack, Boyce, Duff, Whittle, Burgon.
Referee: Sean Murdoch Attendance: 720
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