By Stephen Bark
Glasgow City secured Champions League qualification and ensured they remain top of SWPL1 with one round of matches to go after an entertaining 6-2 win against Spartans at Ainslie Park.
City raced into a 4-0 half time lead thanks to goals from Ode Fulutudilu, Hayley Lauder, Naimh Farrelly and Priscila Chinchilla.
Subs Aoife Colvill and Sharon Wojcik added to the tally in the second half as Spartans responded with strikes from Katie Reilly and Rebecca Galbraith.
Within 20 seconds City were almost in front when Chinchilla set up Fulutudilu but the ball was cleared off the line.
Farrelly then had a header from a corner saved before Love’s cross from the edge of the box was just over the head of Jenna Clark but Fulutudilu was diving in at the far post to turn the ball home.
On 16 minutes, City made a bit of history when Jo Love set up Lauder to curl the ball into the net from the edge of the box for 2-0 and the club’s 3,000th competitive goal.
A corner after 25 minutes was perfectly placed for Farrelly to head home from point blank range at the far post.
Spartans first chance of the game came on 42 minutes, such was City’s dominance – chances had fallen for Janine Van Wyk, Farrelly, Clark, Fulutudilu and Chinchilla in the interm – as Michela McAlonie couldn’t find the target from a long-range free kick.
Julia Molin then set up Lauder who cracked the crossbar with an excellent effort from the edge of the box before, at the other end, Caley Gibb was played through one-on-one with Lee Alexander but she could only shoot wide.
On the stroke of half time, Chinchilla was fouled in the box and she slotted the ball beyond Alicia Yates from the spot to make it four.
The frantic and frenetic pace of the first half influenced the start of the second with both teams taking a few minutes before an open final 20 minutes saw chances and goals for both sides.
A Lauren Davidson cross from the right broke kindly for Love but her shot was blocked before Clark’s header from the resulting corner was saved before Lauder couldn’t get quite enough on her header from another corner.
However, with 20 minutes left Spartans found the net when a cracking ball in from a Lana Marshall free kick found Reilly six yards out.
Moments later though, City restored their four-goal advantage when Chinchilla’s cross found Nicole Robertson and when her shot was blocked, Aoife Colvill was on hand to follow up with the rebound.
Chances fell for Colvill at one end and Galbraith at the other before the latter rounded Alexander and slotted the ball into the net despite the effort from City players to get back.
Moments later however, the four-goal cushion was again restored as Sharon Wojcik fired the ball low past Yates.
City’s final match of the 2020-21 season is on Sunday, June 6 when Rangers travel to Broadwood Stadium.
Glasgow City: Alexander, Lauder (Wojcik 67), Van Wyk, Love, Fulutudilu (Colvill 58), Clark, Davidson (Robertson 67), Ross (Foley 67), Farrelly (Fulton 83), Molin, Chinchilla. Subs not used: Clachers, Crichton.
Spartans: Yates, Clelland, S. McMahon (Reilly 69), Beveridge, McAlonie, Douglas (Mason 38), Marshall, Reynolds, Gibb (Frew 83), McCafferty (D. McMahon 69), Galbraith. Subs not used: Denholm, Hamilton, Graham.