Above: Rossvale (yellow and red) battle against Ayr United yesterday. Photo: Kelly Nielson.
3/4/23
SWF Championship
Livingston continued their push for top spot with a 3-0 win at Hutchison Vale. Shannon Mulligan put the visitors ahead early in the game before two goals in the final five minutes from Sharon Hughes-Lee and Brogan Anderson sealed the points.
Renfrew are second, eight points adrift after a 4-1 win at Morton. Two penalties from Erin Gould, plus strikes from Michaela Brown and Emma Baird put the visitors in the driving seat before Laura Darroch’s late consolation from the spot.
Rossvale remain third after a 3-2 win at home to Ayr United. Laura McCulloch’s penalty put the Glasgow side ahead with eight minutes played before Megan Whiteford’s strike seven minutes before the break. The visitors hit back with goals from Clare Docherty and Kimberly Dick, but the home fans were thrilled as Morgan Anderson’s late goal sealed the points for Rossvale.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle gained a 4-2 win over Dryburgh Athletic. Two goals from Kayleigh McKenzie plus further strikes from Ioana McArthur and Rhea Hossack earned the three points for the Highlanders. Derrian Gollan and Emily Arthur were on target for the visitors.
SWF League One
Edinburgh Caledonia have secured a top-six finish win a 4-1 win over Grampian Ladies at Meadowbank on Sunday. A double from Margeux Durand-Watson and goals from Joanne Russell and Natalie Brown saw the capital side leapfrog the northeast team into the top half of the table.
Caley will now face St. Mirren at home on Sunday, followed by an Edinburgh derby on 16th April.
FC Edinburgh could win League One as early as this Sunday as they are 13 points ahead with 15 potential points in play, but they face a challenging trip to second-place Westdyke in Aberdeenshire.
Falkirk are level on points with Westdyke and open their post-split ties with a derby against local rivals Stenhousemuir on Sunday followed by an away trip to St. Mirren.
With the Championship being expanded to ten teams, the top two sides in League One who meet entry criteria will be promoted.
There will also be one team relegated from League One to the regional Biffa SWFL, while three teams will enter the national league to keep League One at 12 teams for next season.
Current bottom side Gleniffer Thistle are five points behind Dundee West and face Giffnock SC on Sunday, while the Dundee side host Grampian. Tenth-placed BSC Glasgow face Airdrie Ladies on Sunday knowing a win will all but secure their place in the national leagues.
Commenting, Scottish Women’s Football CEO Aileen Campbell said: “The move to four national leagues in women’s football in Scotland above our regional SWFL is a sign of the rapid growth in our game and League One has been an absolutely fantastic advert for that this season, with growing exposure in the local and national press.
“I want to congratulate Edinburgh Caledonia for securing that top-six place on the last day before the split and commiserate Grampian Ladies, who have also had a very good season so far.
“There will clearly be some fairly intense competitive ties to come in the remaining five games as we find out who will secure promotion to the Championship and who will be relegated to the regional divisions. Best of luck to all the League One teams for those final games.”
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