A brace by Abby Callaghan, in the first half, earned Queen's their first win in this season's SWPL 2 yesterday in the heat at New Tinto Park.
Queen’s welcomed Gartcairn to New Tinto Park yesterday in their first meeting in SWLP 2 following Gartcairn’s promotion to SWPL 2 from the Championship South.
Queen’s were looking to bounce back after losing out to St Johnstone in Perth last Sunday. Gartcairn were looking to build on their opening 4-1 win over East Fife.
Head coach Craig Joyce made two changes to his side who lost last Sunday with Nicole Cairney and Abbi McDonald replacing Hannah Fulton and Gill Sloey, who took her place on the bench.
Another very hot and sunny greeted the players to the large New Tinto Park. Planned water breaks were certainly welcomed by players and staff.
Early chances fell to Abbi McDonald and Leah Daly before, in the 13th minute, a ball played over the Glencairn defence found Abby Callaghan who lifted the ball over the advancing keeper into the centre of the net.
Two minutes later Glencairn were level when Robertson intercepted a passback, rounded Gibley and hit home for a tight angle.
Lia Tweedie was causing the Gartcairn defence problems with her direct running. In the 20th minute she beat a defender before firing a low shot across the keeper only to see the Gartcairn keeper pull off a fine save.
Leah Daly was next to two attempts on goal. First, she received the ball wide left. She beat a defender, cut inside and headed for goal. Her shot hit the side netting when a square pass to an advancing Abby Callaghan looked the better option. A few minutes later Leah found herself through on goal. This time her shot was saved by the Gartcairn keeper. Eleanor Smith headed in the rebound only to be pulled up for off-side.
In the 36th minute Queen’s took the lead once more. Lia Tweedie took advantage of a mix up in the Gartcairn defence to square the ball to Abby Callaghan who under no pressure knocked the ball into the empty net from six yards out.
Half-time: Queen’s Park 2 Gartcairn 1
Queen’s started the second half looking to increase their lead. Six minutes into the half Lia Tweedie intercepted a pass, turned and shot from 25 yards out only to see the ball fly narrowly past the post.
The game developed into a midfield battle with neither side gaining an advantage. Chloe Gibney was more or less a spectator with any action being played out in the Gartcairn half. The heat was, by now, a major factor in the play.
Queen’s were being caught off-side on too many occasions which disrupted the flow of the game.
As the half progressed Queen’s did have chances to increase their lead with Leah Daly, Lia Tweedie and Gill Sloey all through on the Gartcairn keeper. Unfortunately, none of them manged to score.
Full-time: Queen’s Park 2 Gartcairn 1
Queen’s Park: Gibney, Fraser, Kane, Smith, Davis, Fitzsimmons, Cairney, McDonald, Daly, Callaghan, Tweedie.
Subs: Caddell, Ray, Sloey, Wood, Chisholm, Clark, Gill, Boyce.
Gartcairn: McPhie, Davies, Arbuckle, Hawksworth, Hogg, Holmes, Wands, Kerr,Wardlaw, Robertson, Brown.
Subs: Watt, Moran, O’Toole, Bustard, Devine, Howie.
Attendance: 70
