Different personnel but same outcome; there was a familiar movie played out at New Douglas Park yesterday as Rangers emerged triumphant from the first Old Firm meeting of the season.
Leanne Crichton is a newbie to the fixture but the former Scotland internationalist was unaffected by any of the baggage that can go with this game. She has suggested pre-match that it might be nice to get a taste of the bragging rights with second-half goals from Mia McAulay and Eilidh Austin making sure she got what she wanted.
In truth, there was never any real ambiguity about the outcome of the game. If the opening period was cagey with both sides manufacturing a couple of chances, the second period belonged exclusively to Rangers. Indeed, the margin of the win might well have been higher when consideration was given to the chances missed by Katie Wilkinson, McAulay and Lizzie Arnot.
It is a win that does more than just take Rangers to the summit of the SWPL. It will also lend a conviction to a team that is undergoing a period of transition with Crichton accepting that there is a psychological element to draw on from the win.
“There's pressure with the fixture,” said the former Scotland internationalist. “I think we embraced that today and we're really pleased with the performance and the result. Every week we're growing and we're getting better but this was the type of fixture that we know you don't get cut an awful lot of slack in it.
“And to have dropped more points today would have probably just added to the hysteria on the outside. But, yeah, I think it's important. It certainly gives you things to look on as the season goes on. I think you can always look back at these performances and reflect the next time you come back round again we'll be able to revisit the things that we did really well.
“The reality just now is that it is three points and it keeps the consistency going.”
For Celtic, this is not a new movie. Their dismal run of results against Rangers now stretches to eight games without a win across all competitions against their rivals. Sadiku, of course, was dismissive of the impact that has but there can be no question that there are major question marks to the fact that Celtic do not seem able to perform when it comes to the games against their immediate rivals for the title.
They were toothless against Rangers with no real attacking impetus within the game. There was a Morgan Cross chance to look to in the opening period and a half shout for a penalty – ‘I don't want to talk about the refs today because I think they were not the main problem,’ – but they failed to muster a single shot on target in the second period.
“This is not going to define us or define us how we're going to do in the league,” said Sadiku.
“This is still very early in the league. This is a setback in our journey and we're going to make sure that we learn from it.
“I don't think that is totally true,” she added in reference to the apparent mental block her side have when they go up against Rangers. “Before this game I know that all the players were really excited, they looked forward to the game and they were really eager to get the three points home. It didn't happen but I don't think it's because they can't handle the pressure or whatever you call it. I think it just comes to we need to deal with certain things much better.”
Elsewhere in the SWPL, champions Hibs suffered their first league defeat as Hearts claimed a 2-0 win at Tynecastle.
A Georgia Timms penalty and a Jessica Husband goal gave Eva Olid’s side all three points.
Grant Scott will now need to lift his side ahead of this week’s game against Inter Milan in the Europa Cup qualifier.
Glasgow City maintained their perfect start to the season with a 5-0 win over Montrose. Leanne Ross’ side are the only team who can boast a 100% record – a win from their game in hand would take them to the summit of the SWPL.
Paul Brownlie’s Motherwell thumped Hamilton Accies 4-1 with the newly promoted side still looking for their first points of the season.
Aberdeen denied Partick Thistle a win with Bridget Galloway netting in added time to cancel out Lia Tweedie’s goal.
