Match report: Hamilton 6 St Johnstone WFC 0

St Johnstone Women made the trip to New Douglas Park on Sunday to take on league leaders Hamilton Accies.

A strong second half showing by the home side saw them run out convincing 6-0 winners.

The first half started with both sides looking fairly evenly matched. Saints had a couple of early chances both falling to Steffi Simson. She picked up a ball and struck a shot which goalkeeper Chloe Nicolson was forced to push out for a corner. Saints didn’t capitalise on the corner, but a few minutes later they did capitalise when Jodie Malcolm won a ball from a poor kick out by the keeper. She passed inside to Simson who this time saw her effort narrowly clear the crossbar.

Hamilton soon slipped into their trademark style of direct play with long balls looking to catch out the Saints defence. Josephine Giard latched onto one through ball after a quarter of an hour, held off Niamh Irvine and rounded Bobby Cochran in the Saints goal, but lost her footing falling to the ground and the chance was gone.

Another through ball saw Melissa Reid bearing down on goal, but she saw her lifted effort saved above her head by Cochran.  Reid only had to wait a few minutes to get her name on the scoresheet. Saints conceded a freekick in the centre circle for handball. This time when Reid received the long ball, she was able to come in from the right and place the ball beyond Cochran.

Back at the other end, Simson nearly got a Saints equaliser, but again saw Nicolson equal to her shot, tipping the ball to her right for a Saints corner. Olivia Hurrell, playing in a deeper role, picked up a ball from at least twenty-five yards from goal and showing great vision looked to lift the ball over Nicolson which she did, but also lifted it just over the crossbar.

There were misses for Hamilton, too. Giard fired wide from close range and Chloe Muir tried to lob Cochran but her effort again went wide. Cochran had made a few comfortable saves in the first half, and one less comfortable with an unorthodox – and unintended – save of a Giard shot with her face.

As the half came to a close, Hamilton scored with three minutes left on the clock. A cross was swung out wide to the left with Abigail Tobin driving down the wing before crossing back in. Saints defender Rebecca McMillan got a touch, but it only directed the ball goalwards with Chloe Muir nipping in to slot the ball home from close range.

After the interval, Hamilton began to exert more pressure than they had in the first half, with Saints really struggling to get out of their own half. This pressure eventually told when Hamilton scored a third shortly after the hour mark. Giard picked up a ball into the box and struck powerfully beyond Cochran. Just a few minutes later, Hamilton got a fourth. Sophie Townsley was played through on goal and used her pace to get beyond Cochran and Ellie Jones and was able to place the ball into the empty net.

Giard got her second of the match five minutes later when she was able to loft the ball over Cochran who was returning to her goal after previously making a good clearance. The ball wasn’t won in midfield and Giard, the top goalscorer in the league this season, was able to make the most of the chance.

With just five minutes of the ninety remaining Hamilton rounded off the scoring from twelve yards. Eryn Brown was fouled in the box, and while Cochran saved the resulting penalty with her feet, Brown reacted quickest to knock home the rebound.

Saints have two matches remaining of the season, and next week face another away trip to Rossvale. Rossvale’s 2-2 draw with Livingston on Sunday means that Saints will once again play SWPL 2 football next season, with Ayr United and Rossvale battling out the relegation, and relegation play-off places. 

Saints: Cochran, MacIver (McLean), Simson, Hurrell, Irvine, Smith (Wands), McMillan (Telford), Sidey, Malcolm, Jones, Howie (Shepherd).

Subs not used: Clark.