First Team
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1st May 2024
Glasgow City Women 7
Dundee United FC Women 0
Dundee United FC Women suffered their first defeat of the season with a 7-0 loss to Glasgow City on Wednesday evening.
Five first half goals meant the game was never in doubt as City added two more after Fiona McNicoll was sent off midway through the second half.
Three changes were made from the win over Glasgow Women ten days prior with Neve Guthrie, Jodie Malcolm and Rebecca Foote all making their first starts of the season. Johan Fraser dropped to the bench while Tammy Harkin and Eve Donald were unavailable.
United had the first opportunity just a minute into the game when Rachel Todd made her way down the left hand side before sending in a low cross. Neve Guthrie shaped up to shoot but a defender managed to get a foot in and clear the danger.
Erin Greening and Lauren Davidson saw efforts fail to hit the target for the hosts before Robyn Smith snatched at a chance at the other end as the ball flew just wide of the mark.
City opened the scoring after eight minutes. Davidson’s cross was parried by McNicoll but Emily Whelan was on hand to head home.
The lead was doubled eleven minutes later as Whelan stroked home a Greening cross for her second of the evening.
Fiona McNicoll saved well from Davidson shortly after but City found the net again soon after as Priscilla Chinchilla tapped home at the back post.
United could have pulled one back a minute later when City keeper Erin Clachers was slack with the ball. Danni McGinley dispossessed her but Jenna Clark did well to get back and block the shot.
McNicoll kept City at bay with a number of saved but there wasn’t much she could do about the fourth goal in the 31st minute. A corner found its way to Chinchilla just outside the box and she rifled the ball into the top corner.
United kept going and carved out another opportunity, on 36 minutes, with McGinley slipping Smith past her marker on the right wing. She made her way towards the box but couldn’t keep her shot down and it flew narrowly over the bar.
Two minutes later, City made it five as Lauren Davidson was on hand to divert a loose ball into the net.
The hosts would have added another before half-time if not for Rebecca Foote heading a Clark header off the line.
Eight minutes into the second half McNicoll stopped another City attack, although arguably her finest save of the evening came three minutes later when she pulled off a top corner block to deny Davidson.
United held strong but they were dealt a blow in the 68th minute as McNicoll was sent off for a challenge outside the box when she attempted to beat Whelan to a through ball.
Ellie Mitchell came on for her competitive debut but the first thing she had to do was pick the ball out of the net with Davidson sending a fantastic free-kick into the top corner.
Mitchell did well to stop Davidson again with 14 minutes remaining as City kept up their hunt for another.
City were awarded a penalty with fourteen minutes remaining but Mitchell stepped up to deny Kozak.
The home side got their seventh goal in the 80th minute as sub Niamh Noble headed home at the back post to make it seven for the evening.
Overall it was a disappointing evening for Graeme Hart and his side, however the second half performance meant there are positives to take going into Sunday’s match against Hibernian.
TEAMLINE
Starting XI: McNicoll, Ryan, McLaren, McGinley, Guthrie (Mitchell '68), Smith (Robb '82), Malcolm (Fraser 75), Todd, Foote, Cowper, Clemison (Bonner '82)
Substitutes: McMillan, Arthur
Booked: Todd, Cowper
Sent off: McNicoll
Images: Tommy Hughes - Glasgow City
