SEVEN different Rangers goalscorers set them on their way to a third consecutive victory as they ran out 9-0 winners over Queen’s Park in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League at Broadwood Stadium this evening.
A first Kirsty Howat goal, followed by further strikes from Chelsea Cornet, Brogan Hay, Rio Hardy and Kathy Hill had the Light Blues in a commanding position at the break before further were to follow through Katie Wilkinson, Howat’s second, Laura Berry and an own goal secured another win for Jo Potter’s side.
The Gers looked to continue their positive momentum at the start of the campaign as they headed into their first midweek fixture off the back of scoring 15 goals in their opening two league games without conceding. As Jenna Fife, Tessel Middag and Kirsty Howat all came into the starting lineup.
After a start with few chances for either side Rangers started upping the anti-seven minutes into the game. They worked the ball from left to right as Brogan Hay collected it down the flank as she fired a cross into the box. Lizzie Arnot met it as she cut the ball across the box for Kirsty Howat as she seeked out her first goal of the season, but was denied on the line by the covering Ciara Bonner who made a superb block.
Queen’s Park got a bit of encouragement as they had an opportunity from a Rangers throw inside their own half. Leah Eddie took it as Laura Rafferty hesitated, Ellie Kane was close by and got a shot away but the Northern Ireland international did well to recover and make a block.
Howat had another chance to open the scoring this time from a corner. Arnot took it short as Tessel Middag delivered the ball from a different angle, it broke for the forward inside the area but her half volley was straight at McGregor who held.
The striker did however open her account for the season in the next phase of play. Another corner from Arnot was taken short as Nicola Docherty was close by, she chopped onto her right foot as her cross was met at the front post by Howat who saw her header go in off the crossbar as she broke the deadlock for the hosts.
That was the catalyst for the Gers as the goals started to follow. Another delivery from Arnot seeked out Howat who tried to meet it on the stretch but couldn’t get anything on it before Chelsea Cornet arrived to tap home her second goal in three days.
Two became three shortly after as Brogan Hay scored her first goal of the season. A clever reverse pass from Cornet was met by Howat, she fired it across the box as Rio Hardy initially attempted to turn it over the line before the winger scrambled it over the line to add the third of a wet and windy evening at Broadwood.
Hardy got herself on the scoresheet next and it was all the striker’s own work. After winning it high off Darcy Molley she raced through on goal before dispatching the ball well into the far corner on her left foot as she made it four.
The Gers still had time to add to their lead before the break as there was a fifth different goalscorer in the opening 45 minutes. Arguably the pick of the bunch with a goal off the training ground a low free kick was taken by Arnot once again as it was stepped over by Cornet before Kathy Hill had the simple task of tapping the ball into the empty net.
Rangers looked to start the second half as they finished the first. After a period of few chances after the restart, Cornet tried her luck from range which clipped the top of the crossbar and stayed out as they looked to add to their five first half goals.
An Ellie Kane effort from long range almost caught out Jenna Fife as Queen’s looked to get on the scoresheet in the game. The standout player in the SWPL 2 last season tried her luck from a free kick but saw the effort flash wide of the post.
Rangers did however add to their tally as Wilkinson set up Howat for her second of the evening. A ball down the side from the former Southampton player was latched onto by the forward as she rounded McGregor before finishing it off at the angle.
The forward then added her eighth goal in a Rangers jersey already as her initial free kick hit the wall before she recovered and laid it off to Hay. She continued her run into the area as the winger picked her out as she controlled it and dispatched the ball beyond the goalkeeper to add a seventh.
The two substitutes were next to combine to add an eighth as Mia McAulay crossed the ball was which initially spilled before Laura Berry was on hand to turn home the rebound as she added her second goal of the season.
There was still time towards the end for the Gers to add another. A long ball from Nicola Docherty was anticipated by Hill before the unfortunate Hannah Cunningham turned the ball into her own net which rounded off the scoring as the Gers now prepare to head up to Montrose at the weekend to round off their three-game week.
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Eddie, Hill, Rafferty (McAulay 62), Middag (Black 77), Hay (Austin 77), Howat, Hardy (Berry 62), Arnot (Wilkinson 45), Cornet
SUBS: Esson, Boyce
QUEEN’S PARK: McGregor, Hay, Cunningham, Bonner (Robertson 52), Cairney, Kane, Callaghan (Muir 52), Harty (Wright 74), King, Molley (Macara 90), Quigley
SUBS: Inman, Craig, Graham, McLintock, Mcquillan