By Gethin Thurlow for Impetus at Petershill Park (8/2/26)
Above: Emily Whelan (Orange) and Maria McAneny (Green and White) battle for the ball Photo: Glasgow City FC
A draw between Glasgow City and Celtic closed the gap between the top four teams in the SWPL to just five points, with one gameweek to go until the split. On a day dominated by new faces, it was vintage SWPLers Nicole Kozlova and Morgan Cross on the scoresheet for their teams.
The Teams
Leanne Ross had a rather uncomplicated time picking her side, with Chloe Warrington coming in, as Lisa Evans continues to miss out. Hayley Lauder got the nod in defensive midfield ahead of Amy Anderson. New signings Codie Thomas, Lydia Sallaway and Emily Gray boosted a bench which was already notably strong – with Abi Harrison and Sofia Maatta on hand to bring freshness to the attack.
Manchester City loanees Poppy Pritchard and Tara O’Hanlon headlined the Celtic team news, both starting. For Pritchard, it was a second consecutive start – as she has seemingly won the striker spot over Saoirse Noonan for now. Morgan Cross, who started the season in such fine form has not enjoyed many minutes lately, but she started on the right wing. Celtic newbies Evie Rabjohn and Maddi Wilde made on the numbers on the bench in their first game for Celtic.
The Action
Glasgow City started the game in the ascendency, with Emily Whelan enjoying plenty of space on the right. Her first two shots didn’t trouble Lisa Rodgers, and Wrobel also shot from just inside the box, although it was a simple catch for the Celtic keeper. Despite the space being given up, O’Hanlon at left made some crucial tackles and impacted the game with her one-on-one defending.
The action was probably a bit too transitional for either of the Head Coaches liking, as both teams would commit to attacks and leave themselves exposed, leading to more fast breaks than structured attacks. On one such occasion, Emma Lawton was caught out, leaving Nicole Kozlova with a free reign down the left for City. She moved into the box, but her pull-back cross was cleared, and Lisa Forrest’s ensuing shot blocked.
Celtic repeatedly attempted to play in the speedy Pritchard – which is clearly an area Grant Scott identified as something which could hurt this City backline, and while nothing quite off early on, she certainly did show enough to be encouraged this was an effective tactic.
After Forrest clattered into Emma Lawton late, she picked up a yellow and Scotland right back Lawton had to leave the pitch, being replaced by Maddi Wilde, who’s on loan from London City Lionesses.
It was Celtic who started to then have the better of it, gaining consistent spells of possession inside the Glasgow City half for the first time. Particularly, the ball found it’s way to the feet of Maria McAneny on the left hand side. City still looked threatening though, with a high pressing Linda Motlhalo getting in behind the defence – only being stopped by a Claire Walsh tackle.
Celtic’s pressure told eventually, as Morgan Cross aimed a low cross straight to Poppy Pritchard in the middle, who smashed the shot wildly over the bar.
Poppy Pritchard showed that pace off early in the second half weaving past Lauder before Lana Golob timed a tackle perfectly to bring the attack to an end.
Whatever team talks were delivered, they didn’t impact the flow of the game, which remained a high paced open game. Glasgow City spurned an overload on the right when Wrobel’s pass trailed beyond Whelan for a goal kick, and minutes later some high pressing from Gallacher forced Lee Gibson into an awkward pass, although Amy Muir managed to deflect it off cross and earn a goal kick for her side.
The deadlock was finally broken by a mixture of great skill and silly mistakes. A long ball was launched towards the halfway line and beautifully headed on by Forrest. Wrobel stopped the ball dead in its place, before playing Emily Whelan in, who was unsurprisingly wide open on the right.
She cut inside, beating O’Hanlon and letting a left footed shot curl at Rodgers. What looked to be a routine claim suddenly bounced out, and Kelly Clark seemed to just let it go. That left Kozlova to stab the ball home into an empty net, and she was even able to mishit it and see the ball roll over.
The goal only seemed to empower and relax City, as just ten minutes later they had another chance. Some great determination from Wrobel saw her chase down a seemingly lost chance, pulling it back for Kozlova, who’s shot was blocked by Clark. Leanne Ross would rue that miss, as Celtic went down the other end and levelled the game. A switch from Maddi Wilde on the right picked out McAneny, who was benefitting from the freedom of Glasgow on the edge of the box. She lashed a delightful cross along the face of goal, before Morgan Cross beat her defender and turned it home.
With a renewed belief instilled in the visitors and City pushing to restore their lead, a period of madness was unleashed. From a freekick, Lee Gibson had to make a brilliant one-handed save to claw the ball from crossing the line, and Emma Brownlie had to nail a volleyed clearance. Luckily for Leanne Ross, she did.
Then, a nice passing move between Wrobel and Forrest looked to have unlocked Celtic’s defence, but Forrest’s killer pass was intercepted. With the 90 almost up, McAneny gave it a good go from a freekick on the left, but lee Gibson dived bravely and punched it clear.
Once injury time was called, for the first time both teams took their time and actually realised that a draw was not such a bad result, allowing the three minutes to expire without note.
Player of the Match Emily Whelan
Whelan was a constant thorn in the side of Glasgow City. She spent all her 69 minutes finding herself open again and again. She linked up really nicely with Brownlie behind and Wrobel alongside. Whilst her part in the goal wasn’t the greatest shot you’ll ever see, it was a just reward for her work all day.
Whelan is known for her pace, but today was also a day full of skillful dribbling, clever passing and vision in attack. While City as a whole struggled for that decisive clinical edge once they progressed into the final third, Whelan had that in bags. Tara O’Hanlon had a decent first start in Green and White, but it was made to look like a poor outing thanks to the display from Whelan. Sofia Maatta has started on the right throughout the majority of the season, but Emily Whelan has well and truly grasped that opportunity recently.
Where this leaves the teams
Much like the Rangers 1-1 draw, this avoided disaster, but it moves everyone else a little closer and City will be starting to feel them in the wings. Leanne Ross has won plenty of SWPL titles through her career in Glasgow, and she knows how to get over the line like no one else on the planet. However, from a position of seeming dominance at the winter break, a tough run of fixtures has ensured that three teams sit within five of Glasgow City.
The major concern for City will likely be the manner of draws. Against Rangers and Celtic, they had the slight better of it overall and were leading relatively late in each game before giving up an equaliser. Whether this is a natural consequence of teams attacking more freely when down a goal in those scenarios, or a deeper issue within this current team one thing is for sure: with the split presenting two more matches with Hearts, Rangers and Celtic, this title is far from secured.
While Grant Scott would’ve been dreaming of leaving the Peasy just two points away, keeping that gap at five rather than extending it to eight means it was a successful day. While Celtic didn’t enter City’s box many times, the attack looked good and Poppy Pritchard’s speed will certainly come in handy. Maddi Wilde also looked at ease covering for Emma Lawton on her debut, while Tara O’Hanlon had a respectable outing. Once the new signings fully embed into the squad, with 11 games left in the season the title is still their for the taking.
TEAMS: GLASGOW CITY (4-3-3): Gibson (c), Warrington, Brownlie, Golob, Muir, Wrobel, Lauder, Motlhalo, Whelan, Forrest, Kozlova. Substitutes: Maatta (for Whelan 69’) Amy Anderson (for Lauder 86’), Emily Gray (for Wrobel 86’).
Scorer: 1-0 Kozlova 62’.
CELTIC (4-2-3-1): Rodgers, Lawton, Walsh, Clark (c), O’Hanlon, Nakao, Robertson, Cross, Gallacher, McAneny, Pritchard. Substitutes: Emma Westin (for Nakao 86’), Evie Rabjohn (for Gallacher 86’).
Scorer: 1-1 Cross 75’.
Referee: Lorraine Watson
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