FC Kilmarnock Ladies welcomed Vale of Clyde Ladies to Blair Park, Hurlford for a Premier League Match that both teams would have been looking forward to after disappointing results last weekend.

The match began with Killie passing the ball about great on a heavy pitch, a massive contrast to last week. Chances were being carved out through some good movement from the front two of Laura Cooper and Jo Cooper, but the shooting was either off target or without any real power to trouble Alison Smith in goals. Clare McCombe hit a good strike only to see it go wide after some excellent work from Toni Mason and Kirsty McLaughlin in midfield. Linzi Bayne was also proving to be a handful using her pace to good effect with Sharon Hughes back in at left back supporting her. Time after time Killie were getting shots away, but could not get any real connection on any of them which was disappointing. A goal was a certainty to come, but to the shock of everyone at the game, it was Vale of Clyde that got it on 28 minutes when a long ball picked out Lisa Montgomery to break away and score past the helpless Rachael Dorrans who could do nothing to prevent it. It was a goal the defence were unhappy with as the girl appeared to be offside, but not according to the linesman. FC Kilmarnock Ladies 0, Vale of Clyde Ladies 1.

Killie now had to start capitalising on their chances, as the team was playing good football and dominating the possession, but goals win games and Killie were now in need of some. Tracey Burns lead by example at the back and was going into some tasty challenges with some of the Vale of Clyde players desperate to rally her team and get them back into the match. Vale of Clyde got their 2nd shot of the came when they won a free kick from 20 yards out, the free kick was hit direct, but it was straight down Killie Keeper Rachael Dorrans throat and she saved easily. A strange decision on 36 minutes bemused everyone at the game, when the referee stopped the game to allow for a Vale of Clyde substitution whilst the ball was still in play, in their keepers hands, with the game restarting a minute later with the keeper kicking from her hands. Strange ladies and gentleman, but true. Anyways, chance after chance went past until on 39 minutes, the longest 39 minutes of some players lives I think, Jo Cooper who was fantastic throughout this match, pulled away from her marker to drive the ball into the keepers bottom left hand corner leaving her no chance. FC Kilmarnock Ladies 1, Vale of Clyde Ladies 1.

It was a goal Killie thoroughly deserved and needed to get them going in this match. The Killie players left the field at half time level in the match, but shaking theirs heads at not taking the chances they were working hard to create.

Half Time: FC Kilmarnock Ladies 1, Vale of Clyde Ladies 1.

It was a fairly easy team talk for Killie Manager Robert Connelly at half time, with him looking for the same level of performance 2nd half, but a bit of composure was needed in the final third. So after the half time team talk and a good few cola bottles and gummi bears the players came back out for the second half ready to go. The officials did however after some calls from the visitors during half time re-look at the park as players from the opposing team were finding it hard to keep their footing. The referee had a look at it and decided the match was fine to continue, as it was just a heavy park, which teams would expect to find in the middle of November. Game on!

The second half just like the first half was a story of missed chances after some great passing movements making the park more like Rugby Park, the home of the men’s team. Every player was now involved in each move with full backs Sharon Hughes and Julie Smith using the channels well. Kirsty McLaughlin was denied second half when a left footed shot was saved by Alison Smith and Claire McCombe hit a shot from an identical angle later on but it was a bit of a grass tickler and did not trouble the keeper. A Claire McCombe free kick minutes later almost caught the keeper out when it was whipped in, heading into the top bag, only for the keeper to tip it over the bar. A header in the crowded box five minutes later was again sent over the bar by the keeper who was having a superb match, with Killie practically camped in their half at this point in the match. Bridie McDonald and her defence stood firm though and weathered the storm with more shots going towards goal, but unfortunately it was shots from distance that made life easy for the keeper.

Laura Cooper made way after 65 minutes to be replaced by Ainsley Kelly for Kilmarnock, hoping that Kelly with her lethal right foot could spark a Killie goal rush. The second goal did arrive when after 82 minutes Kirsty McLaughlin put a corner in which found Sharon Hughes who rose the highest in the box to send a bullet header past keeper Smith. FC Kilmarnock Ladies 2, Vale of Clyde Ladies 1.

Killie did not have to wait long until the third when a few minutes later Lindzi Bayne made a great run into the box and Jo Cooper, who alongside Julie Smith and Kirsty McLaughlin made some slick passes down the right hand side, picked out Bayne at the back post to give the home side a two goal cushion. FC Kilmarnock Ladies 3, Vale of Clyde Ladies 1.

Vale of Clyde to their credit kept plugging away, waiting for an opportunity and got it on 87 minutes when Lisa Montgomery who had worked hard up front all afternoon, but getting no real change out of Debbie Heggarty and Tracey Burns, cut inside her marker looked up and curled a great shot into the top right hand corner from 20 yards out. A shot which really caught Dorrans cold on an afternoon where she had not a lot to do, but could do nothing to stop a shot, which was something special. FC Kilmarnock Ladies 3, Vale of Clyde Ladies 2.

The match which lacked goals throughout was now starting to get good when it was almost over and Killie wrapped up the 3 points a few minutes before the final whistle when centre half Debbie Heggarty sneaked around the back of the Vale of Clyde defenders at a corner to seal the deal and make the score line, FC Kilmarnock Ladies 4, Vale of Clyde Ladies 2.

Final Score: FC Kilmarnock Ladies 4, Vale of Clyde Ladies 2.

Killie team: Dorrans, Heggarty, Smith, Burns ©, McCombe, Bayne, Mason, L.Cooper (Kelly), J.Cooper, Hughes and McLaughlin.
Subs: Ramsay, Quinn, C.Ferguson, Forsyth, Munro, Kelly & Docherty.

After the match FC Kilmarnock Ladies Assistant Manager Gordon Cunningham said “ It has been a long afternoon. The girls were disappointed in themselves last week, but straight from the first whistle we moved the ball about well and played great football, having a lot of possession and showing that what can be done at training can be transferred onto the park on a sunday. But on the other side of the coin, we need to start converting chances as it has cost us dearly this season already. It would be more of a worry if we were not creating the chances, but we will work at our shooting and be better next week. Full credit to Vale of Clyde, as they got players behind the ball and made it difficult for us and the longer the game goes without goals you begin to worry, but a win is a win and we will now look to finish the first half of the season on a positive note away to a tough Hamilton side.”