Motherwell go into the summer break on top of the SWPL2 table after running out 7-0 winners over Glasgow Girls at a sun-basked Braidhurst on Sunday.
Suzanne Mulvey and Caitlin Russell bagged a double each, while Kerry Montgomery, Kirsty McLaughlin and Megan Burns were also amongst the scorers in an emphatic win.
Straight from the off, both sides went toe-to-toe in search for an early goal to make their stamp on the game.
Mulvey had a huge chance to put the ‘Well ahead in the first minute. Russell got the better of her marker and crossed the ball to Mulvey, who was unmarked in the centre of the box. She couldn’t make the most of it though as she sliced her shot wide.
Motherwell continued their early attacking pressure and they were rewarded for their efforts in the sixth minute ,when Montgomery put the women of steel in front. Mulvey pounced on a defensive error and unselfishly played the ball to her team mate, who picked her spot from close range. Montgomery’s right footed shot beat the keeper at her near post and nestled itself into the bottom right corner.
What would follow would be a series of half chances for the girls in claret and amber. With Montgomery and Burns pulling the strings from midfield, they tried to make the most of the space in behind the defence by distributing high balls for the wingers to run on to. The idea was good but the execution wasn’t there, as time after time the linesman had his flag up for offside.
The missed opportunities were nearly punished as Lauren Evans nearly snuck a goal back to level the game. A mix up between Nicholson and Johnston at the back enabled Evans to get the extra half yard over the defence. But her shot was a tame effort and the ‘Well defence escaped unharmed.
Chances would continue to fall the Steelwomen’s way. In the 30th minute, Mulvey got her second of the match to extend the Motherwell lead. A great delivery into the box by Russell wasn’t dealt with by the Glasgow defence and Mulvey was on hand to deliver a poacher’s finish to smash the ball home.
The ladies continued where they left off at the start of the second half and managed to grab another early goal. Mulvey was on hand yet again to finish off a good counter attacking move. Montgomery broke through the Glasgow defence and unselfishly passed to Mulvey to get her second of the match in the 49th minute.
Straight from kick off, Motherwell had a superb chance to go 4-0 up. A low driven cross by Cunningham was met at the back post by an unmarked Lauryn Reside, but the defender managed to put in a superb block to deny the winger.
With just over an hour played and the weather beginning to take its toll on the players, Russell bagged a double in the space of five minutes. Her first came in the 63rd minute, bursting through the Glasgow defence before calmly slotting home her finish under the onrushing keeper.
Russell’s second goal came in the 68th minute in confusing circumstances. A great delivery by Cunningham into the box looked to have been put in at the back post by Russell. But the Glasgow players protested saying it went through the side net, through a hole in the netting. In what would’ve been resolved by going to the VAR, unfortunately such facility was not on hand, so the referee had to consult his linesman to get the final verdict. However they both agreed that the goal should stand and Motherwell moved into a 4-0 lead.
Refusing to take their foot off the gas, Motherwell continued to extend their lead and in the 77th minute two goals came just minutes apart for the ‘Well. The first from McLaughlin who got a well deserved goal after some great interchanging passes between Montgomery. A one-two into the box enabled her to produce a tidy finish into the bottom right corner.
The goals continued to come thick and fast for Motherwell as they grabbed their seventh of the game on the 80th minute. Megan Burns added her name to the scoresheet with one of her trademark long distance shots. The midfielder rifled one into the top right corner from range to all but rap up the victory.
The win means that Motherwell go into the summer break 13 points clear at the top of the table. And with only eight games remaining, they only need four more wins to secure promotion to the top flight.
