CELTIC LFC  MATCH REPORT

21-goal salute from celtic

Joe Sullivan

Scottish Women’s Premier League

 Lennoxtown Training Ground,  Sunday, August 30, 2009

Celtic 21
 Grant 5, Hammill 5, Love 4, Crichton 4, Scott, Bisland, Melrose

Kilmarnock 0

CELTIC (4-4-2): Fay (Ramsay 55); Burns, McDonald, Penglase (Ferguson 55), MacMillan (Seagrave 55); Love, Crichton, Dempster (Scott 60), Bisland (Melrose 60); Grant, Hammill

 

 

FRESH from a 6-0 away win over Boroughmuir last Wednesday, Celtic Women returned to Lennoxtown and maintained their excellent start to the season with an astounding 21-0 victory over Kilmarnock.

And it took them only 49 seconds to get off the mark when Rebecca Dempster went on a great run and crossed for Rebecca Bisland to slot away at the back post – and although Dempster didn’t get on the scoresheet, the 18-year-old signing from Inverness had a hand in six or seven of the goals.
Other recent signings, Tracy Burns, Amy McDonald and goalkeeper Kim Ramsay arrived from Kilmarnock and all played a part in the destruction of their former team.

Team manager Robert Docherty said: “Rebecca Dempster had a great game and the three signings from Kilmarnock have definitely made a difference to our squad along with other recent additions like Gemma Fay and Suzanne Grant.

“We’ve had half-a-dozen new players come in and we are beginning to see signs of them gelling together.

“This is our third clean sheet and we asked the players at the start of the game to be professional with a good attitude and go about their business in the proper manner.

“They did that and their play was outstanding as were the goals which came thick and fast throughout the game.”

Suzanne Grant carried on from scoring the winner against Spartans by netting FIVE during the game and she was joined on that tally by Pauline Hammill as the goals rolled in.

Leanne Crichton and Jo Love were no slouches in front of goal either as they hit FOUR apiece while Julie Scott and Julie Melrose joined Bisland on the scoresheet with single counters.

Docherty added: “It was a wonderful result for us, winning any game 21-0 is absolutely incredible and we got off to a flying start.

“To score 21 goals is no mean feat in any game and their play was outstanding. The movement and the tempo with the quality and delivery of the finishes were nothing short of outstanding.”

Indeed it was very nearly a good old-fashioned 10-21er as the Celts went in 9-0 up at half-time.

The Hoops also had no fewer than 34 attempts on goal with a remarkable conversion ratio of basically two out of every three shots hitting the net.

The manager said: “It took me back to our first game of the season against Aberdeen when we created a barrow-load of chances and really dominated the game but had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

“So I’m really pleased that we were clinical on Sunday and Suzanne Grant has been nothing short of outstanding for us up front for us with her movement and work-rate ably supported by Pauline Hammill, Leanne Crichton and Jo Love.

“I’m also delighted that we kept a clean sheet with both keepers, Gemma Fay and Kim Ramsay – with Kim making two fantastic saves to keep the door shut at the back.”

The girls now play a table-top battle with Hibernian on Sunday at Lennoxtown with the Edinburgh side on the same 10-points tally as the Hoops – although, unsurprisingly, it’s the Celts who have a healthy lead in the goals-difference stakes.