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Motherwell play Rangers in SWPL1 on Sunday at Alliance Park.

Kick off is 4pm.

Come and Watch

There will be no tickets sold before the match on Sunday.

It will be pay at the gate only, with tickets priced at £5 for adults while kids go free.

Tale of the Tape

Motherwell last picked up points in this fixture back in April 2019, when they drew 3-3 with the Glasgow outfit.

Rangers came out 5-0 winners last time the two sides played.

Form Guide

Motherwell staged a remarkable comeback in their previous outing, against Partick Thistle, coming back from two goals down. Kaela McDonald-Nguah grabbed her fourth and fifth goal of the season, while Gill Inglis also got on the scoresheet.

The ‘Well last picked up three points against Spartans in January.

Rangers are top of the league in SWPL1, two points clear of Glasgow City but also have a game in hand over City.

The Gers have a perfect record in the league stretching back to October 2021, where they drew 1-1 with Glasgow City.

Motherwell fought back from 2-0 down to draw 3-3 with Partick Thistle on Sunday at Alliance Park. 

Kaela McDonald-Nguah scored two while captain Gill Inglis also got on the scoresheet.

Cara McBrearty scored from the penalty spot for Thistle, with Linzi Taylor and Teigan McCann also netting.

The deadlock was broken on six minutes, when Gill Inglis fouled in the penalty area and Thistle striker McBrearty took full advantage.

Thistle doubled their lead after 32 minutes. The ball was flicked through and Taylor finished cooly into the corner.

After finding themselves behind, Motherwell kept pushing to get the goal that would bring them back into the game, and on the stroke of half time they did just that.

McDonald-Nguah picked up the ball just outside the box and unleashed a fine strike which flew past the Thistle keeper. 1-2.

After half time, it was Motherwell who came out the traps flying. Inglis was fouled in the wide area and lined up the free kick. A looping effort which was destined for the top corner left the Thistle keeper helpless and the skipper levelled the game.

After coming back from 2-0 down, Motherwell were not finished. The women of steel were awarded a free kick which McDonald-Nguah converted. A fierce shot beat the wall and nestled into the bottom left corner.

However, their lead would only last a matter of minutes.

A ball into the box wasn’t dealt with and McCann was on hand to finish and level the score. 3-3.

There would be a chunk of added time at the end of the game, as Murron Cunningham was stretchered off after a suspected knee injury, but neither side could find the back of the net and the game would end in a draw.

Motherwell striker London Pollard has been called up to the Scotland Under 19s squad.

Scotland play three matches in round two of the UEFA Women’s Under-19 Championship.

The first match takes place on Tuesday 5 April, when the dark blues take on Kazakhstan at Ainslie Park.

They will then take on Estonia on Friday 8 April at Ainslie Park, before facing Kosovo at the Falkirk stadium on Monday 11 April.

London Pollard featured in Pauline Hamill’s previous Under 19s squad in February, scoring against Wales.

Motherwell play Partick Thistle on Sunday 27 March at Alliance Park in SWPL1. 

Kick off is 4pm. 

Come and Watch

Tickets will be sold on the gate only and they are priced at £5 for adults whilst children go free. 

Tale of the Tape

Partick Thistle have the upper hand against Motherwell this season. 

Brian Graham’s team have picked up a victory in the league and in the cup this season, whilst the third fixture was a 2-2 draw. 

Last time out, Partick Thistle came up with a second half leveller as the points were shared in a 2-2 draw. Kaela McDonald-Nguah and Amy Anderson got on the scoresheet for the women of steel that day. 

Form Guide 

Motherwell have faced a tough run of games, facing off against three of the top four in SWPL1 in the last three weeks. 

Motherwell’s last game ended in a harsh 6-1 defeat to Celtic, with Jemma Hughes grabbing her second goal of the season. 

Partick Thistle have also been on a difficult run. The Glasgow side last picked up points when they beat Hearts 4-2 in Edinburgh at the end February.

A difficult afternoon for Motherwell as the women of steel struggled to break down an organised Celtic side in a tough encounter at the Penny Cars stadium on Sunday.

Larisey Clarissa fired Celtic into the ascendency early into the first half before Jemma Hughes netted a spectacular equaliser minutes later. Annie Timoney restored the hosts advantage seconds before half time before Charlie Wellings added a third early into the second half.

A Chloe Craig double and Izzy Atkinson strike followed to settle a disappointing 6-1 defeat for Paul Brownlie’s side.

Looking to narrow the gap to bitter rivals Rangers, Celtic started on the front foot with Fran Alonso’s side testing Ciara Duff in the Motherwell goal.

Sarah Harkes powerful free kick ricocheted its way back to the feet of the American who picked out Clarissa with an intelligent through ball, but the strikers hopeful effort sailed wide of the target.

Minutes later, Celtic found their breakthrough. Harkes’ incisive through ball fell kindly to the feet of Olafasdottir Gros’ on the right, who skilfully worked her way into the box before firing an enticing delivery across the face of goal, and Clarissa coolly slotted her strike home at the back post.

Demoralised with the early setback, Motherwell toiled in search of a route back into the game. Kelly Clark’s mistimed clearance was superbly intercepted by Hughes at the edge of the penalty area, and the forward’s magnificent strike nestled perfectly into the top left corner.

Celtic continued to threaten the Motherwell goal and with the half time whistle looming, the hosts restored their advantage.

Wellings floated corner kick fell kindly to Timoney at the edge of the box and her audacious attempt evaded everyone before finding the bottom right corner.

The hosts continued to flood the Motherwell penalty area and added their third of the afternoon in the early stages of the second half.

Despite the game initially being halted for a Motherwell substitution, Celtic continued to play on and after an exceptional run from Bowie, Wellings escaped her marker to stab home a stealthy finish at the back post.

Minutes later, Celtic added a fourth from the penalty spot. After initially being impeded in the box, Craig stepped up and placed her composed effort past Duff.

In the dying stages of the game, the hosts secured their fifth. Wellings strike was superbly parried away by Duff, but only to the feet of Atkinson who fired home from close range. The striker appeared to score from an offside position, but the referee looked disinterested in the adamant Motherwell pleas.

Minutes from full time, Craig netted her second and Celtic’s sixth of the afternoon after latching onto Tyler Toland’s drilled corner kick to complete a disappointing afternoon for Paul Brownlie’s side.

Motherwell are back in SWPL1 action on Sunday when they face Celtic at the Penny Cars Stadium on Sunday 20 March.

Kick off is 2pm.

Come and Watch

There will be no tickets sold on the gate of the stadium.

Tickets for the game can be purchased here.

Tale of the Tape

Celtic last dropped points in this fixture back in March 2019, when they drew 0-0 with Motherwell.

Motherwell have failed to score in the last six meetings between the two sides.

Celtic have won 7-0 and 4-0 this season against the women of steel.

Form Guide

Celtic have lost three of their last five league games.

They most recently lost the Glasgow derby against Champions Glasgow City when they fell to a 2-1 defeat.

Motherwell have lost their last four games. They still occupy seventh in the table and are currently six points off of fifth place, where Spartans currently sit.

Motherwell will look to bounce back from defeat against the champions Glasgow City when they take on Hibernian on Sunday at the Tony Macaroni Arena.

Kick off is 4pm.

Tale of the Tape

Hibernian have the upper hand in this fixture this season.

They have won both games, 1-0 and 4-0 respectively this campaign.

Form Guide

Hibernian come into the fixture off the back of two defeats. The most recent coming against Edinburgh rivals Spartans, when they fell to a 2-0 defeat on Sunday.

The Hibees last league win came against Motherwell in January, when they won 1-0.

Motherwell were beaten 6-0 by champions Glasgow City on Sunday.

The women of steel have lost their last three games, with their last win coming against Spartans in January.

While women’s football continues to grow and advance, combined with the announcement of the SPFL taking over the SWPL last month, big things are coming towards Motherwell FC’s new girls academy.

The move to the SPFL aims to help clubs become more professional, give them better decision-making powers, and greater revenue streams. The Scottish FA has also promised to give the SWPL clubs access to their commercial and broadcast resources to further promote and improve women’s football, which the new academy will benefit from. Recently, I came across an article discussing how various sports leagues are leveraging revenue streams from new markets, with Georgia sports betting emerging as a key factor in boosting financial support for teams. The article highlighted how legal sports betting has created new sponsorship deals and increased fan engagement, offering a potential model for Scottish football to explore similar partnerships.

It’s no secret that the game in Scotland has been under-appreciated at times, but the academy has every ability to become a blazing force in the expansion of the female game.

Led by first team manager Paul Brownlie, the academy will provide young girls the opportunity to rise through the ranks from youth player to first-team player, and will help mould and build their talent.

Brownlie has been coaching both youth and adult teams for the last 17 years, and after joining Motherwell as head coach, he has transformed the side with innovative singings and has earned more points in half of the season than the club garnered across 2020/21.

The Women of Steel currently sit in sixth but have been in and out the top five all season as the rebuild continues to grow and improve.

“When I started in June there had been talks of the SPFL making a pitch to become the new governing body, I was excited,” he said.

“The new resources and opportunities that it brings will make a huge difference to both our first team and for the academy. We want to become a full-time club and show the girls coming through the ranks that they will have every opportunity to become a professional football player.

“The tools that will now become available to us as a result is fantastic.”

Motherwell’s academy is well known for creating exceptional players such as David Turnbull, Chris Cadden, James McFadden, Stephen Pearson, Stevie Hammell and also Allan Campbell. It will be hoping to produce female players of a similar if not even better calibre.

Currently the women’s first team has talented youth players that originated from Motherwell youth squads. One of those being 17-year-old Jemma Hughes, who graduated from Motherwell’s original youth system, and who scored the final goal to seal Motherwell’s first ever Lanarkshire derby win in September while receiving a Scotland call up in January.

She isn’t the only youth club talent in the squad as vice-captain Amy Anderson, who is a die-hard Well fan, started playing for Motherwell as a child and has worn the captain’s band when Gill Inglis has been unavailable to play.

Previously there wasn’t a concrete system for girls to advance into senior playing roles at Motherwell, but the new academy aims to rectify that.

With squads for under 11s, 12s, 14s, 16s and 18s, the academy will revolutionise Motherwell, and will hopefully bring the same levels of success as the boy’s academy.

“With my experience working alongside Steven Hammell, seeing what he has done with the boys and being involved at different clubs all around Europe, we really want to innovate and change the game,” said Brownlie.

“For us, it’s all about who can be the next Amy Anderson in terms of attitude and success.

“We will be asking a lot from our players, and we tell them that if you don’t perform in the classroom, you won’t perform on the pitch and instilling that into the girls from a young age is vital.

“They may need to make sacrifices and put hours in training before and after school, but it will educate them and provide them with not just good footballing skills but also good life skills as well with time keeping and personal responsibility.

“Their overall education is still hugely important and that is why we take this strict stance, we can’t have them excelling on the pitch but falling behind in their studies.

“We have plans to hopefully bring new sports scientists into the fold. We want to educate the girls on things like proper nutrition, and most importantly educate them on how to work as a team and how to grow as a footballer.

“We want to grow their minds and their talent to make them the best they can be.”

As a child, it is majorly important to have as many opportunities as possible to take part in hobbies you enjoy. With scheduled training sessions and regular matches, the girls will be able to develop their hobby into a potential career.

The Scottish FA performance schools have seen an influx of female football players applying and being accepted into the likes of Braidhurst High School in Motherwell. The academy aims to recruit girls from the local area by screening the potential of female footballers, while also being creative with their signings and trialists.

Academy football is a step up from local boys and girls club levels, and academies with links to the SWPL are hugely important in the success of future generations of players, whether it be from watching the first team train or play competitively, or from competing against other SWPL academy teams such as Glasgow City, Rangers, Celtic, Hearts or Hibernian.

“The academy is a long-term investment for the club,” added Brownlie. “What we’ve done at the first team level is crucial as now we have role models for the girls coming through that they can look up to. The goal is to try and bring the academy as close as possible with the first team.

“The girls have aspirations of playing at a top level, and all the girls involved have got the ability and that’s why they are here. Standards are extremely important to me and how they act on and off the pitch as they represent this football club now.

“The rewards of being connected to the club are higher than they have ever been, and we hope that being involved with the club will keep them on the right path, give them stability and a routine they actively want to follow.

“Not every player may be able to graduate into the first team and that’s OK, because the training and tools we have given our players means that they could go on to play for clubs that aren’t Motherwell and still be successful. That is what matters most to me.