Glasgow City 2-0 Stenhousemuir
By Gethin Thurlow for Impetus at Petershill Park (15/2/26)
Above: Kyla Thomson chases Natalia Wrobel on the ball Photo: Glasgow City FC
A brilliant team effort from Stenhousemuir saw the Championship side hold Scotland’s current leading team to just a 2-0 loss in the Scottish Cup quarter finals in Glasgow.
The Teams
Facing their final game before the split – which would give them tough games every week, Leanne Ross was happy to take the opportunity against third-tier Stenhousemuir and name a completely changed starting lineup.
Debutant Codie Thomas started at right back, while fellow January loanee Lydia Sallaway started for the first time at centre back. Summer signing Erin McLaughlin – who rarely makes appearances started in midfield alongside Emily Gray, also loaned in from the WSL. Ross also opted to start both striker options Lisa Forrest and Abi Harrison, with Forrest starting on the right wing.
Stenhousemuir, facing the challenge of the best team in Scotland, set up in a defensive 5-4-1 formation, With striker Kyla Thomson the only player who spent much time outside of their own box.
The Action
The game was never going to be a battle of possession, but the visitors certainly didn’t sit back and let City roam wherever they wanted. The midfield four pushed out rather than just sitting in front of the defence and did win the ball back. Stenhousemuir also held a very disciplined defensive line – which is not easy to do as a flat five, catching Glasgow City offside frequently.
Another aspect of ‘Stenny’s’ performance which was well coached was the marking of players. Sticking one-on-one with that quality of players is extremely hard, but they communicated and worked hard to ensure no one was ever in too much space. In particular, Alex Fraser at left back and Lauren McDonald in left sided midfield were seamless and switching places and markers.
With a mixture of strong defence and a City side that had never played together before, the hosts went almost 20 minutes without forcing a save from Skye Johnston in the Stenhousemuir net. Forrest pulled a ball back from the by line into the box, and Wrobel stuck a powerful shot from close range. Incredible reactions from Johnston allowed her to make the save, and from the rebound Jack Cameron’s team managed to block and then clear the ball.
It was not long until another save was drawn by City. Forrest, cutting in on her left foot sent a cross/shot curling towards that far corner, Johnston parried it away, but this time it fell to Sofia Maatta without anyone to block the shot, and she put it away.
It took a vintage, well-rehearsed Glasgow City passing move to extend their lead. Moving up the left hand side, the ball found itself at the feet of Sofia Maatta in the box. She had a relatively simple cross to the free Harrison, who guided the ball first time into the corner.
This didn’t kill the Stenhousemuir resistance, an in fact they had their first shot of the game in the moments following. A defensive mix up from Glasgow City gave Thomson the ball outside the box. She opted to shot then as she was in some space, an it sailed over the bar.
The second half continued in much the same manner. Stenhousemuir kept holding up and denying City where they could, while Leanne Ross made five changes relatively ealy in the half. These mixed up the positions, but not their fortune in front of goal. Louisa Boyes found herself through on goal, but was denied by some more fantastic goalkeeping from Skye Johnston.
It was the bar’s turn next to get int way of City, as a low cross along the face of goal was met by Tao Stark, bouncing up into the bar and down on the line, before it was scrambled away.
The next three times City had the ball in the net, the offside flag was raised, with a beautiful flicked assist from Forrest, a well worked set piece and an absolute peach of a cross that was converted by Linda Motlhalo all chalked off.
Motlhalo was in the action again as she cut in from the left and fired a powerful shot in, that was well saved by Johnston.
While it is usually the case that professional teams have the biggest advantage towards the end of games, when the fitness becomes even more important, there was none of that in this fixture. Stenhousemuir stayed defensively solid right up until the final whistle, fighting for every ball and tackle at maximum effort.
Player of the Match Ellie Hunter
Stenhousemuir captain Hunter was the leader of the team, and leader of the defence. Facing the current leaders of the SWPL was always going to be a mammoth task, and Hunter was part of that defence that just kept going all day long. The offside flag ruled out more goals than City ended up scoring legally – and that was all down to those five defenders staying together and holding that line.
Retaining that discipline throughout the entire 90 minutes is a huge task, but something that Hunter was a major part of. This City team can put goals past anyone, and regularly wins by more than a two-goal margin in the SWPL. To hold them to this was a beyond inspired effort, and Ellie Hunter was right at the centre of this.
Glasgow City will move on to the Semi Finals at Hampden Park, with the winners of Montrose v Dundee United, Hearts v Celtic and Partick Thistle v Rangers joining them in the draw.
TEAMS: GLASGOW CITY (4-3-3): Clachers (c), Thomas, Brownlie, Sallaway, Warrington, Wrobel, Mclaughlin, Gray, Forrest, Harrison, Maatta. Substitutes: Stark (for Sallaway 46’), Boyes (for Maatta 46’) Motlhalo (for McLaughlin 60’), Tanaka (for Wrobel 60’), Whelan (for Harrison 60’).
Scorers: 1-0 Maatta 21’, 2-0 Harrison 30’
STENHOUSEMUIR (5-4-1): Johnston, Mitchell, Hunter (c), Vickerman, Jones, Fraser, Carruthers, Gray, Halpin, McDonald, Thomson Substitutes: Gidney (for Gray 43’) McClounan (for McDonald 68’) Corey (for Carruthers 68’), McWilliams (for Halpin 77’), Young (for Thomson 77’).
Referee: Abbi Hendry.
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