St Johnstone Women’s second home game of the season finished in defeat on Sunday as they lost out 6-2 to Queen’s Park.
Saints knew they would be facing a challenge with The Spiders coming into the match on the back of a 6-0 rout of Livingston.
It was perhaps no surprise then that in the early stages it was the away side who had the best of the chances after Steffi Simson had a backwards header in the fifth minute which was easily gathered by Jasmine McPhie.
Ellie Kane broke through and fired over the bar before being played through again a short time later, this time her shot came off the right-hand post and Bobby Cochran gathering the ball from Sophie Rutherford who didn’t get the connection on her attempt that she would have liked.
Cochran then did well to read a through ball to Abby Callaghan coming out and blocking the Queen’s Park skipper’s shot. Soon after a low ball from Kane into the box caused problems, Cochran making a save before an almighty stramash in the box eventually saw Saints clear the ball – while protests for a free kick for the ball being kicked from Cochan’s hands while on the ground fell on deaf ears.
With twenty minutes on the clock Queen’s took the lead. Ellie MacDonald’s corner was met by the head of Callaghan who had peeled off into space taking it beyond Cochran. Seven minutes later, Queen’s Park doubled their lead. Sophie Rutherford picked up on a ball played out to the right, running into the box and passing it across to the left where Ellie Kane found herself unmarked for an easy finish.
Saints had still chances, Rachel Howie had a shot from distance which was gathered by McPhie, also shooting from distance was Niamh Irvine, but her strike perhaps catching a bit too much of the strong breeze went over the bar. Irvine, along with Howie, Emily Shanks and Elvie McLean all played great balls into the final third, testing the visitors defence.
Brogan Anderson played an inviting ball forward which Jodie Malcolm chased down, but McPhie was out quick to smother it as the winger was ready to slot the ball home. Emily Shanks won a free kick out on the left which was crossed into the box by Howie. Bouncing on the edge of the six-yard box the ball somehow avoided the outstretched leg of both Elvie McLean and Malcolm and out for a goal kick.
Saints did get a goal back, capitalising on a defensive mistake. Abbie Cusack took a ball played in by Jodie Malcolm back towards the byline and made a short back pass to McPhie which was charged down by Simson and as the ball squirmed free, Howie backheeled it into the empty net.
Hopes for the home side of drawing level after the interval were dashed just seconds after the restart when a slide rule pass set the pacey Rutherford free and she strode down the right and slotted the ball past Cochran. They added a fourth after sixty-five minutes when Glasgow City loanee Dara Ositelu came off the bench and used her pace to get beyond the Saints defence and round Cochran to score.
Saints reduced the deficit with twenty minutes left to two when Niamh Irvine went on a great run out of defence and well into the Queen’s half before passing forward to Steffi Simson who moved into space and scored for the second week in a row with a delightful lob over McPhie.
With eight minutes left Ositelu turned provider this time, keeping herself onside she found herself in plenty of space to make a marauding run down the right and play a low ball across the face of goal where Jemma McQuillan was free to tap home from six yards out. McQuillan would add her second, and Queen’s sixth three minutes later when she headed down a ball on the halfway line and went on a solo run all the way into the penalty area placing the ball beyond Cochran. Ositelu nearly added a seventh, but her strike perhaps hit with too much gusto came crashing back off the cross bar.
Also going close to scoring in the final minute was Saints substitute Kristen Taplin whose powerful strike from the edge of the area whistled past the post.
Saints now take a break from league action when they make the short journey to Stirling University next Sunday in the Sky Sports Cup. Kick off is at 2pm.
Saints: Cochran, Brady (Clark), MacIver, McLean, Simson, Malcolm (Taplin), Howie (Aitchison), Irvine, McMillan, Shanks, Anderson (Shepherd).
Subs not used: Grattan, Smith, McCafferty.
