By Hannah Spreckley
Kirsty Howat’s hat-trick helped Glasgow City secure their second comfortable win of the season on Sunday against Forfar Farmington at Broadwood Stadium.
City makes it two wins from two at the start of the SWPL 2020-21 season with a convincing 8-1 victory and goals from Rachel McLauchlan, Jo Love, Aoife Colvill, Maddie Fulton and Leanne Ross.
Scott Booth made five changes to the side that beat Celtic 2-0 in the opening game of the season - for his 150th game in charge for City.
After a couple of early chances from both sides, Kirsty Howat broke the deadlock after 11 minutes after Lauren Wade did well to keep a long ball alive. She set the ball back to Zaneta Wyne whose shot was parried into the path of City’s number 9 for her second goal of the season in just as many games.
City kept their foot on the pedal with pressure from Love almost making it two, but the attempt was cleared by the keeper. After both teams hit the woodwork, Forfar’s free kick in the 18th minute was headed in by former Glasgow City player Donna Paterson to make it 1-1.
The home team responded immediately with a great ball over the top by Wyne who spotted the space to play a ball into Love, whose shot went just over the bar.
Forfar were looking dangerous on the counter attack, but were halted in their tracks by City’s back line.
McLauchlan’s bullet from outside the box put City back into the lead at the 26th minute, before Howat slotted away her second of the game in the 37th minute to make it 3-1.
Just two minutes later, some great play from City led to a long ball over the top to Howat who played a ball across to Love who took her time, steadied herself, and put the ball in the back of the net to make it 4-1 at half time.
Early in the second half a beautiful ball from McLauchlan saw Colvill’s glancing header knocked wide by the keeper. Colvill continued to push on and secured her first goal for the club in the 55th minute after a ball broke in the box, which almost looked like it would fall for Howat, but the Australian extended City’s lead to make it five.
Mairead Fulton was the next player to score her first goal for City after she headed in a corner with the aid of the post.
A long-distance chance for Forfar was saved by Erin Clachers, before a penalty was drawn at the other end in the 71st minute. Captain Leanne Ross sent the keeper the wrong way and converted from the spot to make it 7-1.
Howat secured her hat-trick at the 74th minute to make it eight for the club on the day and her fourth goal in two games.
Wade, Howat and Love had chances to extend the lead further as City saw out the game, but were denied.
Next up for City is a UEFA Champions League first qualifying round game against Ireland’s Peamount United at home on November 4. The game will be live on BBC Alba and on GCFC TV’s pay-per-view stream. The club will then travel to Motherwell as they return to SWPL play on November 8.
You can follow the games across social media and the club website where we’ll have full coverage of the matches along with reaction and highlights after the full-time whistle.
Glasgow City: Clachers, McLauchlan, Wyne, Love, Fulton (Wojcik), Howat, Toland (Crichton), Clark, Ross, Colvill (Davidson), Wade. Subs not used: Alexander, Lauder, Kerr, Foley
Forfar Farmington: McNicoll, Ryan, Cowper, Fraser, Bruce, Simpson (Lindsay), Paterson (Paterson), Rennie (McCafferty), Pollard, Pender (Ramsay), Gammie (Anderson). Subs not used: Perry, White.