Our women’s side continued their sensational start to the season with a 4-0 win away to West Park United.
After a convincing 6-0 victory over Drumchapel in last Sunday’s ScottishPower Regional League Group 5 opener, the team went into this match full of confidence and momentum, quickly taking control from the outset.
Gerry Gallacher made just one change to his starting XI, with Neamh MacNeil returning at right-back in place of Natasha Lewis.
Up front, Gemma Russell, fresh from her four-goal haul last week, retained her place and wasted no time in finding the net again.
As with the opener against Drumchapel, Russell and her namesake Gemma Smith combined once more.
Smith threaded a pass between the West Park central defenders, and as it bounced into Russell’s path, she struck low through the legs of the goalkeeper.
The keeper’s touch took some of the pace off the ball, but it still rolled goalwards, allowing Russell to beat the retreating defender and tap home.
Russell doubled both her tally and her team’s lead soon after.
Captain Eva McInnes showed neat skill on the left before firing a driven cross into the corridor of uncertainty, where Russell was perfectly placed to score her sixth goal in just two games.
Heading into the second half, the side continued to dominate, playing some sharp, high-tempo football despite the sweltering conditions.
Russell came close to her hat-trick when Smith delivered an excellent ball across goal from the right byline, but stretching at the far post, she could only prod her effort narrowly wide.
The third goal arrived in spectacular style. Smith picked up possession out wide on the right, drove forward, and unleashed a thunderous strike from 30 yards that flew into the net, a goal of the season contender for most players, but just the kind of quality expected from the side’s star winger.
Substitute Natasha Lewis then added a fourth, surging through the United defence from the edge of the area before firing home at the near post for her first of the campaign.
There was still time for Casey-Leigh Findlay to go close with a back-post effort, while Smith was denied a deserved second late on by a questionable offside call.
That makes it two games, ten goals, and six points to kick off the season.
Next up is a friendly against Harmony Row before the biggest test so far, an away trip to face last season’s SWFL West champions, Bishopton, at the start of September.
On his sides performance today Gallacher said: “I could not have asked for more from the players today, it was a great team performance despite the hot conditions.
“The girls kept the ball under control very well, playing short passes around the opposition, creating various chances and four well worked goals as a reward.
“Gemma Russell gets another two to her tally, Gemma Smith scored a wondergoal and Natasha Lewis showed great determination and calmness to tuck her goal away.
“Out of possession they were even better. No quarter asked and none given to deny West Park any decent goal threats.
“Very pleasing indeed that defence and Kira Swallow kept their second clean sheet in as many games.”