The 2023/24 ScottishPower SWPL season got underway as reigning champions Glasgow City defeated ten-player Hibernian 3-0.
SWPL 1
Spartans 1-6 Rangers
Partick Thistle 4-0 Dundee United
Aberdeen 3-2 Motherwell
Montrose 0-9 Celtic
Hamilton Academical 0-4 Hearts
Glasgow City 3-0 Hibernian
Glasgow City beat ten-player Hibernian, Anna Oscarsson heading them in front before Hibs keeper Katie Fraine was sent off and her replacement Nina Wilson saved a Lauren Davidson penalty. Hayley Lauder eventually doubled the advantage and Davidson buried a stoppage-time free-kick.
Last season’s runners-up Celtic visited top-flight debutants Montrose and netted mine times. Kit Loferski got four of those, Amy Galacher a double, one a-piece by Imane Addi and Chloe Craig plus an own-goal.
Rangers hit hosts Spartans for six, in Jo Potter’s first league game in charge. Jodi McLeary and Rio Hardy scored before Lauren Berman replied straight after the restart. McLeary then got her second, Chelsea Cornet bagged a brace and Laura Berry made it 6-1.
Partick Thistle defeated Dundee United 4-0, despite having Clare Docherty dismissed when just one up. Cara Henderson got the early opener and completed a hat-trick with two second-half penalties, Rosie McQuillan was the other scorer.
Aberdeen held off a Motherwell fightback to take the points 3-2, Bayley Hutchison’s brace was added to by Hannah Stewart, before Kaela McDonald-Nguah twice replied from the penalty spot.
Hearts hit four unanswered goals at Hamilton Academical, Lizzie Waldie on target just two minutes in, with Addie Handley Katie Lockwood and Kathleen McGovern adding one each.
SWPL 2
Boroughmuir Thistle 1-2 Glasgow Women
Gartcairn 1-5 Queen’s Park
Livingston 1-4 Kilmarnock
St Johnstone 2-3 Stirling University
Livingston made their second-tier debut at home to Kilmarnock and were level at 1-1 halfway through, but Lucie Burns came off the bench to score twice in a 4-1 win for Killie.
Gartcairn, who lost the play-off final last term, led Queen’s Park but the visitors came back to win 5-1, Ellie Kane completed a hat-trick from the spot, Emma Craig having turned the game in the Spiders’ favour with a double.
Stirling University came through 3-2 at St Johnstone despite twice falling behind, Glasgow Women also came from behind to win 2-1 at Boroughmuir Thistle, Devon McPherson netting the 68th-minute decider.
