Queens Park Ladies v Kilmarnock - Premier League -24th. February 2008

 

Killie pick up 3 points on their Travels!

Killie travelled to Glasgow Green on Sunday to play Queens Park Ladies in the Women’s Premier League. The girls were keen to bounce back after losing 2-0 last week at Aberdeen and were keen to get back on track against Queens Park who Killie have already beaten twice this season, 3-2 at home in the League and in the Scottish Cup two weeks ago with the score line 3-0.

FC Kilmarnock Ladies Manager Robert Connelly had two enforced changes to make to his team with Khym Ramsay and Kirsty McLaughlin missing through suspension, so in came Rachael Dorrans and Laura Ferguson.

The match began a bit flat with both teams not really creating any clear cut chances with the final ball missing all the time. The passing in the early stages could also have been better as the passing at times was heavy. The Kilmarnock defence dealt with a lot of attacks with ease early doors, with Burns and Heggarty controlling everything. Tracy Burns and Sharon Hughes almost got the opener as they both got on the end of the first two corners of the match, but on both occasions the ball went agonisingly wide.

Rachael Dorrans at the other end was commanding her area well and denied Queens Park with a couple of fine 1st half saves.

Laura Ferguson and Claire McCombe also got strikes away, but were blocked well by a strong Queens park defence. Lindzi Bayne was making great runs down the right hand side and was through on goal but was brought down hard by the Queens Park player in a fair but firm tackle. It gave the young Killie winger a lot to think about, as she hurt her wrist in the fall, which later turned out to be worse than suspected. Half time came with the score level.

Half time: Queens Park Ladies 0, FC Kilmarnock Ladies 0.

The second half saw Kilmarnock come out the stronger with a couple of players asked to switch roles suiting Killie as they were looking to exploit the opposition in the danger areas. Sharon Hughes had the first chance of the second half after making a good run found herself in front of goal, but was denied by an excellent save from the advancing Queens Park keeper. The same Killie player then hit the post at a corner 5 minutes later, followed by her team mate Toni Mason who also hit the post from a corner. Lady luck was not with Killie today.

Jo Cooper who again was holding the ball up well all afternoon broke free and almost got the opener, but it hit the side netting.

Killie made a change bringing on Docherty for Hughes in search of a much needed goal to break the deadlock. Captain Tracey Burns found herself one on one with the keeper only to see her shot go agonisingly round the post. Astonishingly Jo Cooper found herself one on one with the keeper minutes later, but again the keeper pulled a save out the bag. Frustration was starting to kick in as Killie were chapping at the door.

The opener came when Substitute Clare Docherty made a great run down the line, cut inside and hit a shot into the keepers bottom left hand corner. Deadlock broken. Queens Park Ladies 0, FC Kilmarnock Ladies 1.

Queens Park were looking to get back into the match and could have within a minute of the restart as they caused confusion in the Killie defence with some neat one twos and had a shot put past the post. A close call for Killie, who knew another goal would be required. Queens Park had a free kick from 25 yards out minutes later, but it was powered over the bar. Toni Mason should have sealed the game, but she could not direct Jo Coopers driven cross into the net, and it sailed over the bar from I kid you not 4 yards. Peter Van Vossen was a player who jumped to mind at the time.

Anyways the talented Midfield dynamo more than made up for it later on as she sealed the Killie win with a header to make it 2 nil in Killie’s favour. Queens Park Ladies 0, FC Kilmarnock Ladies 2.
Substitute Kirsty Munro on for the Injured Lindzi Bayne was later brought off herself injured for young Laura Cooper who saw out the remainder of the match. A shame that Munro also got injured as like Bayne before her was making some excellent runs and was causing a lot of problems for Queens Park.

Final Score: Queens Park Ladies 0, FC Kilmarnock Ladies 2.

FC Kilmarnock Ladies team: Dorrans, Heggarty, Smith, L .Ferguson, T. Burns ©, McCombe, Bayne (Munro) (L. Cooper) , Mason, J. Cooper, Quinn & Hughes (Docherty).
Subs: L. Cooper, Docherty, Goudie, C. Ferguson, Forsyth & Munro.

Gordon Cunningham, Killie Assistant Manager said after the game “ That was a good win today and 3 points we needed to get after last weeks result. The game in the 1st half was a bit flat, but I thought we controlled the game throughout, but no one can be comfortable until the ball hit’s the back of your opponents net. The goal seemed to take an eternity to come, as we were creating a lot of good chances but just not converting them, but credit to the girls as they kept plugging away and we got our reward when Clare Docherty got her goal. Toni Mason also deserved her goal after working hard today and coming close a few times before getting the all important second goal.”

“The whole team deserve credit today as we looked strong throughout the park, so we are delighted with that and the clean sheet. I am gutted for Lindzi Bayne who looks like she may have broken her wrist and Kirsty Munro who had to be taken off with what looks like ligament damage in her ankle. Both players were excellent today and I hope they have a speedy recovery and are back playing soon. We have a strong squad here now with Laura Ferguson doing well today in place of the suspended Kirsty McLaughlin, so competition for places is getting fierce, which is great. With Hibs up next at Hurlford on Sunday in the Scottish Cup we will need to be at our best and take our chances when we get them, but I am confident the players will take those chances and that we can win next week as we are playing well just now and if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. So that’s next weeks aim.”