Match Reports - Kilmarnock v Forfar 02 nov 08 SWPL

With so little football played of late Forfar were apprehensive entering this encounter that they might be a little off the pace. To the delight of the coaching staff Forfar made light of a difficult pitch, played some excellent football and ran out comfortable winners.

As early as the 10^th minute Forfar appeared to have opened the scoring when Caren Webster slotted home a cross from Alana Bruce only to be flagged offside.

The pace of Webster, Bruce and Emma Percy constantly challenged the Kilmarnock defence, particularly the outstanding Bruce whose tormenting runs regularly took her beyond the defence before delivering a stream of dangerous crosses.

Kilmarnock might have taken the lead against the run of play when on the quarter hour mark Fiona McNicoll was called upon to make a fine save from a free kick.

With more of the possession and looking dangerous whenever they were on the ball it was no surprise when Webster finally put Forfar into the lead in the 23^rd minute. Bruce, picking up the ball wide on the right, drove past two Killie players before sending over a pinpoint cross which Percy met at the back post with her head knocking it down into the path of Webster who made no mistake from six yards.

Minutes later Khym Ramsay denied the lively Webster a second goal with a good save.

Forfar secure at the back and building well from midfield continued to make the pressure build. Forfar made it 2-0 on the half hour. Clare Galloway, finally back playing having broken her wrist in the final match of last season, delivered a dangerous free kick into the six-yard box which Kilmarnock struggled to clear. Avril Gourlay, quickest to reach, scored from close in to register her first goal of the season.

Half Time 0-2

Kilmarnock began the second half knowing a goal would get them back into the game and for the first 20 minutes of the second half put pressure on the Forfar defence who demonstrated they were a match for anything Kilmarnock had to throw at them. Having weathered the storm Forfar gradually re-established their control on the match, finally putting the game beyond Kilmarnock in the 75^th minute. Bruce Forfar’s best pick from a team full of very good performances got her just dessert for all her unstinting work when she latched on to a Nicola Davidson defence splitting pass and smacked it passed Ramsay into the corner of the net.

This result lifts Forfar several places in the women’s premier league, a league that this year is at its most competitive ever.

Kilmarnock 0 - 3 Forfar