Rangers women’s side returned to Scottish Women’s Premier League action at Ibrox today looking to return to winning ways against pointless Hamilton Accies after back-to-back league defeats to title rivals Glasgow City and champions Hibernian in their previous two fixtures.
Leanne Crichton made five changes to the side that lost at Hibs including replacing goalkeeper Jenna Fife with Icelandic stopper Telma Ívarsdóttir.
The visitors got the match underway shooting towards the Copeland Road stand but the Gers took control from the offing and would lead after only four minutes, a great run and cutback from Mia McCaulay was only half cleared by the Accies defender and summer signing Quinty Sabajo tapped home for her first at Ibrox since joining from Ajax in the summer.
Top scorer Katie Wilkinson would make it two shortly after, cutting inside from the left into the area and curling an unstoppable effort past Erin Halliday in the Accies goal. Laura Berry, who netted four against St Johnstone two weeks ago, scrambled home a third on the goal line after her first effort touched the post to ensure a commanding lead inside the opening quarter of an hour.
Mia McAulay would get in on the act herself, unleashing a thunderous driven strike from the edge of the area which clipped both posts before sneaking past Halliday. Last year’s top scorer Wilkinson would make it five on the half hour mark with a well-placed header from inside the six-yard area. She looked to have added another minutes later but it was ruled out for offside.
Wilkinson would not be denied a hat-trick for long however, taking Eilidh Austin’s cross from the right on the half volley and finished home with class and composure. Shin Ji Kim would make it seven right on half time, beating the onrushing Halliday to a Sabajo through ball to poke home with an outstretched leg.
A duo of half-time changes saw Jess Pegram, Lizzie Arnot and young Fallon Connolly-Jackson replacing Hill, McAulay and skipper Docherty giving the starters a much-needed rest ahead of some big matches.
There would be no drop off initially despite the changes as Wilkinson headed home her fourth and Rangers eighth only a minute into the second period after a great cross from Sabajo. The game would then begin to slow; Jodi McLeary and Camille LaFaix were introduced midway into the half to inject some pace and light into the side again.
And the impact would be immediate with Laura Berry reaching Halliday’s pushed away save first to fire home a ninth. Defensive midfielder Alice Griffiths struck from range to take the game into double figures. Wilkinson would add her fifth late on – showing great quick feet to escape her marker and unleashed a ferocious strike from range past sub-keeper Abi Paton. Berry went close to making it 12 for a second consecutive Ibrox match but her shot hit the side netting and it would finish at eleven.
Double figures for the second home match in a row and a return to winning ways in the league for Rangers, but it needs to be sustained now. Next up for the Gers is a trip to Hearts, who Crichton and her side can leapfrog with a victory and kick their title challenge up a gear.