Match report: Boroughmuir Thistle 3-2 St Johnstone WFC

St Johnstone Women were once again edged out by a single goal on Sunday - losing 3-2 to Boroughmuir Thistle at Meadowbank Stadium.

Saints had twice come from behind in the contest through Ellie-May Cowie and Olivia Hurrell but the hosts found the winner with time running short.

Elvie McLean and Scarlett Brady had come into the starting line-up from the previous fixture last Wednesday played at McDiarmid Park.

As is often the case when Saints and Boroughmuir meet, it would prove to be a close, end-to-end and entertaining fixture. There certainly wasn't much between them in the opening exchanges.

Hurrell was played in by Cowie but her header went over the bar. Then Cowie went close, just dragging her shot wide of Beth Rennie's right-hand post after beating a defender.

Thistle took the lead after 15 minutes when a well-worked short corner was laid off to Fiona Gibson and her strike went in off the post.

Saints, shortly after, had the ball in the net when Cowie was played through but the assistant's flag ruled it out. The equaliser, however, came after half an hour.

McLean battled to win possession and teed-up Hurrell who struck low but saw her shot palmed away by Rennie. The ball fell to Cowie who made no mistake from a few yards out.

Thistle retook the lead with five minutes of the half remaining. Maria Novoa-Torrente played a diagonal ball through to the left and Beth MacLeod drove into the box and slotted home past Bobby Cochran. Novoa-Torrente also rattled the crossbar with a header just before the break.

The hosts then hit the post early in the second half and enjoyed some early pressure. But it was soon Saints’ turn to do so and try to find an equaliser.

With 20 minutes left it arrived after a ball flighted into the box caused all sorts of problems and a scramble as Rennie, unable to hold the ball, saw Steffi Simson have a couple swings blocked by defenders before Hurrell fired home eight yards out.

Having made the enforced change of Anna Murray on for the injured Hannah Clark, shortly after the goal there was a quadruple substitution as Ellie MacIver, Niamh Irvine, Nicole Carter and Jodie Malcolm were introduced for Brady, Eirinn McCafferty, McLean and Simson.

Both sides looked for a winner with Carter having two efforts saved. It would be the home team that once again retook the lead. With seven minutes of time remaining, Cochran upended Emily Arthur and Mhairi Smith stepped up and scored the resulting penalty. There was a late Carter free-kick which was saved by Rennie and the points remained in the capital.

Saints remain fifth in ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2 and have two more games left of the season, with Kilmarnock away next Sunday before Glasgow Women at Riverside on May 19.