Rangers Women’s head coach Leanne Crichton praised her side’s spirit, resilience and ability to adapt after they battled through a difficult first half to claim a dramatic Old Firm victory under the lights at Ibrox last night.
Speaking after the 3–2 win, Crichton admitted her team were stretched, second-best in the early stages, and forced to withstand relentless Celtic pressure - but insisted the mentality shown by her players was exactly why they walked off as winners.
“I don't think you can allow the teams in front of you [in the table] to get too far in front,” she said.
“We want to try and stay on their coattails and be as competitive as we possibly can just now with the challenges that we've faced.
“I'm really pleased with the character and commitment to get us over the line.”
Slow start but a big response
Crichton was blunt about her side’s early struggles, acknowledging the opening half hour was well below the levels she expects.
She said: “Celtic probably started a lot quicker tonight in that opening 10 minutes and put us on the back foot but the way that we moved the ball just wasn't good enough.”
She openly admitted Rangers rode their luck at 1–0 down but stressed the response and mental toughness were what transformed the game.
She said: “We’re really frustrated with our own performance again, but we showed character and resilience to weather the storm.
“Certainly, the dynamic of the game changes when you get in at half-time and it’s 1–1.”
The equaliser before the break, courtesy of Laura Berry, proved pivotal.
Laura Berry’s evolution
Crichton was quick to praise the striker – operating on the flank last night post-match – on how quickly she has adapted to first-team life at Rangers, returning from a loan spell at SWPL rivals Motherwell in January.
On Berry she said: “She’s having to learn as she goes that the expectation here is to win every week.
“Now the pressure for her is to be here, to score goals and to be scoring in the big games.”
Berry’s loan spell and positional flexibility, including being deployed off the right, reflect the coaching staff’s trust in her development.
The tactical shift that changed everything
Crichton credited her staff and players for the bold in-game adjustments that altered the flow of the match.
“We just changed the shape back to a 3-5-2, reshuffled the pack and looked to try and contain and be a bit more compact and pick our moments to stretch the game,” she explained.
The tweak calmed the side, improved the structure, and allowed Rangers to wrestle back control after an erratic first half.
A stretched squad showing maturity
With injuries piling up and several academy graduates forced to step up, Crichton praised the professionalism and competitiveness of her group.
She said: “The players that are fit and available are giving us everything on the pitch.
“The young players that we've promoted from the 17s have been fantastic, they’ve took to it like a duck to water.”
She emphasised how vital it was to lean on match-fit regulars as the derby grew more intense: “In these types of games, you don't often want to change too much in certain moments.
Rangers used only two substitutes during the match: Shin-Ji Kim replacing Quinty Sabajo at half time and Camille Laifaix coming on for Jodie McLeary near the end to help see it out.
Crichton expressed her delight at some players who fought through knocks to complete the game tonight – particularly Leah Eddie.
She said: “Leah's one that is trying to build up those minutes.
“Tonight she's come through the game in the full 90 minutes which is excellent.”
She also praised Shin-Ji’s moment of brilliance to play in match winner Mia McAuley for the final goal, despite the midfielder still getting back up to speed after a recent knock.
She said: “She's got the moments of quality. in terms of the assist.
“It’s a tough game to come into, but I'm delighted she was out there tonight and we got good minutes into the legs with her.”
Maverick McAuley
The match-winner earned perhaps the strongest praise of the night.
“Look, she's a maverick. She's a top, top footballer,” Crichton said of McAuley.
“We see it every day and the world's her oyster. I'm really glad she's here.”
Crichton highlighted McAuley’s humility, quiet personality and natural affinity with Rangers as part of what makes her special.
She said: “She probably has a bit of everything and she goes about her business pretty quietly.
“We'll enjoy her while she's here at Rangers.”
The Ibrox edge
Despite the cold and heavy rain, Crichton said the Rangers support played a significant role in pushing the team to victory.
She said: “The attendance was excellent. The fans give you the edge. I love it when they're here.
“I would love there to be thousands more but the ones that were here tonight gave us absolutely everything.”
Willed on by the crowd at 2–2, Rangers surged forward again, and McAuley delivered the decisive moment to wild celebrations.
A test of character passed
For Crichton, the win was not just about points, it was about resilience, adaptability, and the belief that this team can stay firmly in the title fight despite injuries, squad limitations and recent defeats to title rivals Hearts, Glasgow City and champions Hibernian.
The performance wasn’t perfect. She knows that but the response under pressure was everything she demanded.
Rangers showed they’re still very much in the hunt.