The women of steel impressed under the floodlights of K-Park, closely challenging defending champions Glasgow City, but their assured performance was again left unrewarded, as the visitors stuck against the run of play to secure victory on an evening of mixed-emotions in East Kilbride.
Scotland International Lauren Davidson netted twice across both halves, with her third goal adjudged to have ricocheted off of Bailly Collins and beyond Cameron in the Motherwell goal.
“I’m proud of the team,” Head Coach Paul Brownlie said.
“The performance was excellent. We created numerous opportunities and some of the football was magnificent. I’m gutted for them in terms of the result.
“I was delighted with the level of application, I was just desperate for them to score and it is just that defining moment that needs to come for them.”
Brownlie made three changes from last weekend’s frustrating Lanarkshire derby defeat to local rivals Hamilton, with Rebecca Cameron returning in goal, Eve Donald partnering Chelsie Watson in the centre of the Motherwell backline and weekend goalscorer Laura Berry leading the line alongside Morgan Cross.
The hosts had the closest opportunity within the opening phases of play, as January acquisition Laura Berry battled her way from midway through the Motherwell half to the edge of the Glasgow City penalty area, with the forward teeing up Gill Inglis from roughly 12-yards out, but the skipper couldn’t apply the finishing touches, as her low strike fell wide of the target.
The hosts continued to threaten, with Inglis’ floated delivery sailing dangerously across the City six-yard-box, but the looping cross fell agonisingly beyond Berry, who was lurking at the back post.
Motherwell’s early attacking determination was soon undermined, as City netted the opener against the run of play, with Davidson powering home a headed effort from close-range.
Cameron was soon called into action moments later, with the Motherwell shot stopper reacting quickly to parry Davidson’s deflected effort, that flashed towards the bottom-right corner.
As the second half resumed, Motherwell continued to build themselves into the ascendency, with Morgan Cross narrowly denied after connecting on the half-volley, but the strikers effort fell inches wide of the far post.
Less than a minute later, the women of steel were again denied the equaliser. Chelsie Watson’s close-range free-kick curled accurately towards the top-right corner, but City stopper Lee Gibson somehow manged to claw the ball clear from what looked a certain goal.
Moments after being denied the equaliser, the visitors caught the women of steel on the counter-attack, reinforcing their advantage with a decisive second, as Davidson’s low delivery deflected off of Collins before nestling into the bottom-left corner.
Motherwell rallied late on, but City capitalised on the hosts attacking formation, with Davidson picking out the bottom-left corner to secure all three points for the defending champions.
