Motherwell’s attacking frustrations persisted on a disappointing return to East Kilbride, as Partick Thistle overturned an early deficit to secure their fifth successive victory at a rainswept K-Park.
Carla Boyce fired Motherwell into the ascendency from the penalty spot, but despite having numerous goalscoring opportunities, the women of steel were unable to capitalise, with Thistle racking up four goals. Kayla Jardine pulled one back in the latter stages, but it proved to be too little too late, as Thistle secured the three points.
Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made one change from the side who acquired their first point on the road to Montrose last weekend, as Kaela McDonald-Nguah returned to the starting XI, with Laura McCartney settling for a place on the bench.
Motherwell came closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening few minutes, as Carla Boyce escaped her marker before racing through on goal, but the strikers low effort was parried clear by Megan Cunningham.
The breakthrough came moments later, as Boyce’s close-range effort flashed across the face of goal, striking an arm in the penalty area. From the resulting spot kick, the forward calmly dispatched her effort into the bottom-right corner.
Motherwell continued to flood the opposing penalty area in search of a second, but the visitors hit on the counter-attack, netting an equaliser on the half hour mark. Amy Bulloch’s chipped delivery caused confusion in the high Motherwell backline, with Imogen Longcake shifting the ball beyond Emily Mutch before placing the ball into the empty net.
Less than two-minutes later, Thistle netted their second of the game, as Longcake found the target for her second of the evening. The striker coolly worked her way towards the edge of the penalty area, before drilling a dangerous effort beyond the reach of Mutch.
The hosts almost secured an instant response, as Boyce raced Cunningham to the ball at the edge of the Thistle penalty area, but the visiting stoppers late lunging tackle diverted the ball before the forward could react.
As the second half resumed, Thistle netted a third. Unmarked at the edge of the box, Rachel Donaldson’s skilful turn allowed the midfielder to shift the ball onto her stronger right-foot before firing an unstoppable strike into the top-right corner.
The visitors came close to a fourth moments later, as Longcake’s low delivery across the face of goal found Demi Falconer lurking in the six-yard box, but Mutch’s incredible reaction save kept the scoreline intact.
However, the fourth came moments later, as Falconer headed home a floated Leah Robinson free-kick to compound the women of steel’s recent frustrations.
Kayla Jardine narrowed the deficit in the final few minutes, with the youngsters header finding the bottom-right corner, but the reaction proved to bee too little too late, as Thistle earned the three points.
Motherwell will now face a short-international break before retuning to face title-chasers Rangers next month.
