The SWPL looks like it is going to go down to the wire with just a handful of points separating the teams at the top, Jo Potter’s Rangers right in the mix after their win over Celtic.
A dramatic 3-2 win gave the manager the result that her team had struggled to achieve in recent derbies in an eventful Old Firm.
The last time the two sides met, Rangers went 2-0 in front, only to be pegged back, on this occasion, Celtic were no match and had to resort to blaming the referee in defeat.
Rangers penalty call sees Celtic player make referee claim
The biggest talking point of the afternoon was Rangers being awarded a penalty at 1-1 in the second-half.
Celtic’s Shannon McGregor was beaten to a loose ball by Rangers’ Charlie Devlin, the contact was clear, as was the fact that the penalised midfielder got nowhere near the ball.
An obvious penalty to most.
Not so for Celtic’s Lucy Ashworth-Clifford, speaking to PLZ Soccer after the game, who instead decided to aim both barrels at referee Jamie Wilkie:
“Yeah, it’s always difficult, especially when you are playing against other factors which can’t really be controlled by us, but it is what it is and, hopefully, next time we’re going to smash them.
“They had a lot of the decisions to be fair, shocking, every time it’s that particular ref.”
Ashworth-Clifford can probably expect a letter in the post from the SFA and a one way conversation with the disciplinary committee having stopped just one step short from calling Wilkie a cheat.
Jo Potter names Rangers difference in Old Firm win
Potter felt that it was the correct decision and that her side were due a break of the ball.
She was also glad to see a mentality that had been missing in previous derbies:
“You see from the last game when we were 2-0 up and it comes back to 2-1, the difference in the mentality and character of the players to be able to just step forward and go its ok we have got confidence in what we are going to do here and we are going to continue to do what we are doing well.
“That was what got us back into that game and what got us in front and what kept us in front.”
Rangers currently sit one point behind Glasgow City in the SWPL 1 with Celtic in fifth, five points seperating them all.
After losing out on goal difference last season, it looks like it’s going to be another tight one.
