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Motherwell headed into the new year on a positive note, as the women of steel cruised past Dundee United to end their six-game winless spell at a windswept Foundation Park on Sunday.

Jo Addie converted the only goal in a promising afternoon for Paul Brownlie’s side, with the defender latching onto Sarah Gibb’s pinpoint delivery for her second goal of the 2023/24 SWPL campaign.

Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made two changes from the defeat to league leaders Rangers last weekend, with Kaela McDonald-Nguah and Carla Boyce returning to the starting XI, as summer acquisition Morgan Cross secured a place on the bench following a three-month spell on the sidelines.

Keen to replicate their dominant display over the Tangerines at K-Park in October, Motherwell started firmly on the front foot, with the visitors attacking setup forcing United into trading possession deep into their own territory.

The breakthrough almost came in the opening few minutes. Addie pickpocketed her opponent on the right flank, before chipping a dangerous delivery across the face of goal, as Boyce connected at the back post, but the strikers attempt failed to trouble the United stopper.

Moments later, Gibb’s first corner kick of the afternoon, floated precisely into the centre of the six-yard box, with Chelsie Watson’s initial attempt ricocheting off of the crossbar before falling to the feet of Louisa Boyes, who was denied on the rebound.

Less than a minute later, Watson was again denied by the woodwork. The referee adjudged a handball at the edge of the penalty area following a Bailley Collins strike, and from the resulting free-kick, Watson’s curling right-footed attempt rattled the near post.

As the half-time whistle neared, and Motherwell’s attacking frustrations continued to mount, the breakthrough finally emerged.

Gibb’s threatening delivery from the left continued to cause the hosts problems, with Addie rising highest above the United backline, to prod home at the back post.

Forward Morgan Cross returned to competitive action in the second half, and immediately impressed with her quick turn of pace. The winger teed-up teammate Bailley Collins after a driving run on the right, but Collins’ drilled effort connected with the crossbar for the third time of the afternoon.

United tried to rally late on, but the women of steel stood resolute to record a vital result, that narrows the gap to the top-six, ahead of a three-week hiatus over the festive period. Brownlie’s side will return to action in the first week of January, with a short-trip to Petershill Park to face Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup.

Match Preview – Dundee United (A)

All roads lead to the City of Discovery this Sunday, as the women of steel prepare to descend upon Dundee, with a crucial encounter against Dundee United awaiting at Foundation Park.

Motherwell’s last domestic victory came against the Tangerines in October, with a Bailley Collins double and strikes from Jo Addie, Gill Inglis, Kayla Jardine and Laura McCartney sealing an exceptional 6-0 victory at K-Park – concluding a five-game winless run.

Seeking to replicate their successes in East Kilbride on the road, Paul Brownlie’s side will be prepared to conclude the 2023 calendar on a high.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

A positive performance over league leaders Rangers last weekend failed to be accurately reflected in the scoreline, as the Glasgow outfit cruised to a comfortable five-goal cushion.

As the festive period, and a four-week break from domestic football approaches, victory on Sunday will be vital in establishing the squads ambitions for the remainder of the campaign.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie will continue to have additional options at his disposal, as the squad continue their promising development from persistent injury woes. Morgan Cross will be doubtful after returning to full-contact training in the past week, with Eve Donald also making progress towards a return to action. Morgan Hay will remain unavailable for a place in the matchday squad.

Dundee United

After narrowly staving off relegation from the SWPL, with a four-point advantage over local Lanarkshire rivals Hamilton in the playoff position last season, United sit precariously above the congested bottom-three in the table.

Sunday’s hosts have also endured a turbulent domestic spell, with one solitary victory over Spartans in their last six league fixtures, yielding the sides only points in the last two months.

Strikes from Rachel Todd and Maya Knight overtured an early Montrose opener last weekend, as United looked to have regained some optimism, but a quickfire double in the dying stages of the game ensured victory for the Gable Endies

Ticket Information

Supporters can purchase tickets online, with cash & card payments are also available for this fixture on matchday

• Adult – £5
• Concession – £0

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match.

The women of steel’s positive return from the international break failed to materialise, as league leaders Rangers coasted to a commanding five-goal advantage at a rainswept K-Park on Sunday.

An early Libby Bance opener was soon strengthened with a quickfire Sarah Ewens double, as the visitors coasted to a comfortable three-goal cushion in the opening quarter of an hour.

Motherwell regrouped and started to find their rhythm in the game, limiting Rangers to few chances across the remainder of the first-half, with Rangers netting two late second-half goals to secure the three points in East Kilbride.

Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made four changes from the defeat to Partick Thistle prior to the International break, with Kaitlyn Canavan, Murron Cunningham and Sarah Gibb returning to the starting XI. Laura McCartney also secured a place in the midfield against her former side.

Rangers’ intense opening to the game forced the women of steel into trading possession deep into the own territory, and moments later, the visitors netted the opener. Mia McAulay’s driving run across the right flank allowed the winger to drill a low pass across the face of goal, with Chelsea Cornet’s initial effort denied by Emily Mutch, but Bance calmly followed up from two-yards out.

The league leaders doubled their advantage minutes later, with Lizzie Arnot deceptively escaping the high Motherwell backline, as Ewen’s prodded home the forward’s chipped through ball.

On the 15-minute mark, Rangers had three, as Ewen’s netted her second of the evening. The forward darted across the edge of the penalty area, latching onto Michelle Colson’s perfectly-weighted through ball and the experienced striker coolly dispatched a low strike off of the near post.

Despite a relentless opening period to the game, Motherwell started to find their rhythm and established a foothold in the game, but a decisive goal failed to materialise.

Despite numerous exceptional saves from Emily Mutch, the visitors netted two-late goals in the second half, with Jane Ross and Rio Hardy finding the target to extend their lead at the summit of the SWPL league table.

Motherwell will return to action next weekend, with the women of steel travelling to the City of Discovery to face Dundee United.

Making the switch to ML1 in the summer, award winning goalkeeper Rebecca Cameron made the step up to the SWPL after an exceptional campaign with SWPL2 outfit St. Johnstone in the previous season, with the 23-year-old named the Saints Player of the year.

Since putting pen to paper, Cameron has had to bide her time for her competitive debut, with impressive performances from Emily Mutch providing the Perth shot-stopper with competition for a place in the starting XI.

However, Cameron insists that this competitive environment has maintained high standards in the goalkeeping department.“Football is always about developing yourself as a player and facing new challenges,” Cameron said.

“I knew that taking the step up to the SWPL and moving to Motherwell would mean I wouldn’t be guaranteed a starting place, but I understood that if I wanted to continue to develop, facing that challenge was the best decision for myself.

“Emily and I have a great friendship off the pitch which helps in training, as we are always pushing each other to high standards and want to see each other succeed. [Paul and Leanne] made it very clear from the start that this team is very competitive to earn a starting place. They have both told me to continue to work hard and have spoken about areas in which I can improve.

Since trading the Fair City for Lanarkshire, Cameron has continued to work behind-the-scenes in preparation for her competitive debut, and acknowledged that the intensity and standard of training was the initial attraction to playing football in ML1.

“The standard of goalkeeping training is on another level. Paul and Leanne have set a high demand on the players and created a brilliant atmosphere to learn and develop, which is what initially attracted me to the club.

“Colin, our goalkeeping coach, has made the transition much easier with the way he has supported me both on and off the pitch. I definitely think it is the hardest position on a football pitch. The physical and mental side to the game is demanding, with no room for error as any mistake will risk the ball ending up in the back of the net.“I want to continue to work hard and develop in this competitive environment which will hopefully lead to my first competitive debut.

The women of steel return to competitive action this weekend, with the two-week hiatus from the domestic calendar coming to a close, as Motherwell seek to conclude their recent turbulent run of form when they face league leaders Rangers at K-Park.

Paul Brownlie’s side have secured one win from their last five SWPL fixtures, with a comprehensive six-goal thriller over Dundee United ending a frustrating month-long goalless drought, but replicating that prolific display since hasn’t materialised, with a late equaliser in Montrose denying Motherwell their first victory on the road this season.

“We know we aren’t where we would’ve liked to be at this stage in the season,” Cameron explained.

“A lack of consistency in certain games and disappointing performances has been frustrating, but the coaching team have been really positive in ensuring we all stay focused and are all on the same page as to where we want to go as a team.

“The morale is still very high within the team. Everyone is very motivated and focused on the next run of games and hopefully we can get achieve the results we know we are capable of.”

The two-week hiatus from competitive action concludes this afternoon, as the domestic calendar returns to the forefront, with the women of steel looking to regain their early signs of momentum, as they face league leaders Rangers at K-Park.

Three wins from their opening five SWPL encounters had Motherwell looking positively to the season ahead, but only a victory over Dundee United has materialised since, with the women of steel picking up one point from their last four.

Carla Boyce fired Motherwell firmly into the ascendency in the opening few minutes of their last fixture in East Kilbride, but a late second-half resurgence ensured Thistle returned to Glasgow with the three points.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

The women of steel will be poised to reclaim their domestic dominance in Lanarkshire after successive defeats to Aberdeen and Partick Thistle undermined what has been an excellent start to the season at K-Park, with Motherwell securing four wins from their opening six.

Motherwell started brightly in their previous SWPL encounter with Partick Thistle, as Carla Boyce drilled a composed finish from the penalty spot to give Motherwell an early advantage, but complacency emerged, and Thistle coasted to a comfortable three-goal cushion. Kayla Jardine salvaged a late consolation, but it proved to be too little too late for the hosts.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie will be nearing a full squad, as Motherwell’s persistent injury woes show promising signs of improvement. Eve Donald will be eligible for contention in the matchday squad after returning to full-contact training prior to the international break. Morgan Hay and Morgan Cross will both be doubtful for this afternoon’s meeting with Rangers, as they continue to return from recent spells on the sidelines.

Rangers

Rangers head to Lanarkshire buoyed by their impressive start to the 2023/24 SWPL campaign. The league leaders have maintained a narrow one-point advantage over fierce rivals Celtic, with the visitors securing 13 wins from 14 and 12-successive victories in all competitions.

The Gers have confidently netted the second-highest goal tally in the league this campaign, with forwards Rio Hardy and Kirsty Howat collectively racking up 31-goals.

Ticket Information

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £8
• Concession – £3
• Under 11s – Free to enter.

*Concession tickets apply to those over 65, and to 12–17-year-olds, with full-time students also eligible with a valid matriculation card.

Additional information – no pets allowed within K-Park.

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match.

From Stateside to Strathclyde, Scottish forward Morgan Cross returned to Scottish football this summer following a five-year stint at the University of South Alabama, where she netted 23-times in 89 appearances under a full scholarship at the Jaguars.

The 22-year-old, who has received international recognition for the Scottish national team at U15, U16 & U17 age categories, impressed scouts on a summer youth tournament in the states and secured the next step in her career as a result.

“Playing across in the US had a huge impact on me as a player,” Cross said.

“My first introduction to women’s football was playing for Central Girls. We played in a summer tournament in Florida and that’s where I was seen by my University coach.

“From there he reached out about the opportunity to play Division 1 football and it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

“One memory that particularly stands out is our 2020 Sunbelt tournament final. We were one-nil down with five-minutes to go and I scored twice to win our second tournament in a row. I’ve never felt an adrenaline rush like it, and I still look back on the game as one of the best I’ve ever played in.

“Playing alongside girls from almost every continent that also dreamed of going professional in the future really helped drive our standards and keep our program successful during my time there.”

A spell at English second-division side, Coventry United followed, but recurring injuries curtailed the 22-year-olds progress in the West Midlands, with Cross unable to find consistency in the English Championship.

“After graduating, I had ambitions to keep playing at a high level and had the opportunity to join Coventry United in the English Championship,” Cross explained.

“I failed to get a consistent run of games due to injuries and receiving a concussion 40-minutes into my first game was definitely not what I envisioned. However, I still really enjoyed my time there and would love to play in England again.

Looking to re-establish a consistent run at senior football, Cross returned to Scotland after five years, with Head Coach Paul Brownlie seeking to enhance his forward line at K-Park.

The Dunfermline-born striker signed on the dotted line, as the women of steel’s 12th acquisition of the summer transfer window, with Cross making her debut in a 3-1 victory over Montrose.

“After a period of five-years being away from home and coming off my first hamstring injury, I felt it was a good time to come back home and be closer to family,” Cross outlined.

“I was attracted to Motherwell because of Paul. We’d previously worked together at Scotland U15s and almost at the National Performance Centre, so I was delighted with the opportunity to play under him again.”

However, historic hamstring injuries resurfaced, leaving the forward out of matchday contention and forced to recover from the sidelines, as the women of steel faced a turbulent run of form.

“The game against Montrose, when I got re-injured and the process since then has been one of the most frustrating and difficult challenges of my career,” Cross noted.

“It’s the longest I’ve been out through injury and not being able to help contribute to the team especially through the current spell has been difficult.

“The recovery process has been slow, but I’m starting to get back out on the pitch, so hopefully I can be back playing very soon.

Defensive indecision and attacking complacency have continued to undermine the early signs of optimism for the women of steel, with the squad picking up one win from five, in a six-nil thriller over Dundee United.

With an international break and a two-week hiatus on the horizon, Paul Brownlie’s side will look to regroup and respond ahead of a crucial tie with Rangers next month.

“I think this season we haven’t always got what we deserved out of certain games,” said Cross.
“I’m certain the team has enough quality to keep creating chances and hopefully we can be more ruthless in-front of goal going forward.

“I would love to contribute however I can to the team, whether that be goals, assists or just working hard for the players around me. My targets for the rest of the season are to get back playing consistently and remain injury free.”

Motherwell return to action this weekend, looking to kickstart their SWPL campaign after narrowly conceding what could’ve been their first victory on the road to Montrose last weekend.

Chelsie Watson fired the visitors into the ascendency late into the second-half with a precise header from a floated Kayla Jardine delivery, but Montrose rallied late on, and denied Motherwell the three points from the penalty spot.

As the focus shifts firmly to the arrival of Partick Thistle this weekend, Paul Brownlie’s side will look to head into the forthcoming international break on a high.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

The women of steel will be poised to reclaim their domestic dominance in East Kilbride after defeats to Aberdeen and Hibernian derailed what has been a magnificent start to the season at K-Park, with the women of steel securing four wins from their opening six.

The hosts’ previous encounter with Sunday’s opponents looked destined to conclude in a goalless stalemate, as both sides defensive displays were on show, until a late Megan Robb strike left Motherwell returning from Glasgow empty-handed.

Brownlie will potentially have more options at his disposal this weekend, as Eve Donald returned to full-contact training in the past week. Morgan Hay will be doubtful for this weekend’s encounter after the defender faced an unexpected setback following a brief return to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Partick Thistle

Brian Graham’s side are in fine form, securing four back-to-back victories in all competitions, netting nine times across that spell. The Jags sit five-points behind defending champions Glasgow City in third, as the Glasgow side look to secure successive top-six finishes.

There will be numerous familiar faces in the red and yellow on Sunday, as Emma Lawton, Kodie Hay and Claire Adams all return to face their former side.

Ticket Information

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £8
• Concession – £3
• Under 11s – Free to enter.

*Concession tickets apply to those over 65, and to 12–17-year-olds, with full-time students also eligible with a valid matriculation card.

Additional information – no pets allowed within K-Park.

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match.

Misfortunes on the road persisted in the North-East coast, as Motherwell failed to capitalise on their dominance in possession and countless goalscoring opportunities, with Montrose netting a late equaliser to deny the women of steel their first away victory of the 2023/24 campaign at Links Park on Sunday.

Chelsie Watson netted her first goal of the campaign, pouncing on a dangerous Kayla Jardine corner late into the second half, as Motherwell looked certain to finally earn their rewards from performances in recent weeks, but a late Louise Anna Brown penalty kick restored a point for the hosts.

Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made two changes from the side that suffered a harsh defeat to Aberdeen prior to the international break, with Katie Rice and Laura McCartney returning to the starting XI, as Tara McGonigle and Sarah Gibb settled for a place on the bench.

Seeking to redeem themselves following their Sky Sports Cup exit at Links Park in October, Motherwell started firmly on the front foot and almost netted the opener within the opening exchanges.

Amy Anderson’s chipped through ball fell kindly to the feet of Bailley Collins who fired a low effort to the left of Montrose stopper Lauren Perry, who reacted well to deny the forward before gathering the follow-up effort from Jardine.

Motherwell continued to flood the hosts penalty area, with Laura McCartney’s drilled delivery flashing across the face of goal, but Carla Boyce’s resulting finish narrowly evaded the near post.

The women of steel’s composure in the final third failed to materialise, as the half drew to a close, with countless efforts evading the Montrose goal.

As the second half resumed, Jardine almost broke the deadlock after latching onto Watson’s floated delivery, firing a precise volley towards the bottom-right corner, but Perry again reacted well to produce a smart stop.

Motherwell’s frustrations in-front of goal seemed destined to persist as the full-time whistle neared, but with 10-minutes remaining, the visitors finally found the breakthrough.

Jardine’s floated delivery from the left sailed invitingly into the path of Watson deep into the Montrose penalty area, and the towering defender powered home a precise header for her first goal of the campaign and establishing the slimmest of margins to defend in the final few minutes.

However, Motherwell’s disappointment and frustrations on the road were compounded, as Montrose secured a penalty in stoppage time, as Charlotte Gammie fell theatrically under the challenge of Collins. Brown stepped up, and despite Emily Mutch guessing the correct way, the strikers low effort narrowly creeped into the bottom-right corner.

Motherwell will return home next weekend, as Partick Thistle travel to East Kilbride in what will be a vital encounter for the women of steel, as they seek to turn around their recent run of form.