By Stephen Bark
Glasgow City left it late to seal a 16th SWPL title as they recorded a 1-0 win at Ibrox against Rangers.
Lauren Davidson popped up in the 92nd minute with the only goal of the game as City ensured it would be their name on the new SWPL trophy.
With the match moved to Ibrox as any one of City, Rangers or Celtic could end the day as league champions, City made five changes from the side which defeat Partick Thistle the previous week.
Lee Gibson, Hayley Lauder, Emily Whelan, Jenna Clark and Anna Oscarsson replaced Erin Clachers, Chloe Warington, Megan Foley, Lisa Forrest and Sophia Martin in the starting 11.
The home side started brightly and Brogan Hay set up Kirsty Howat for the first opportunity but she lifted her shot over the bar.
Gibson turned a Kathy Hill header round the post from a free-kick before a corner broke to Hannah Davison whose decent effort skimmed past the woodwork.
At the other, City’s first chance came from a mistake by Jenna Fife as she was robbed of the ball by Whelan but Whelan lost her footing allowing Fife to scramble clear.
Linda Motlhalo then set up Priscilla Chinchilla who had her shot saved before Howat, at the other end, again put her shot over the bar after good play by Maddie Nolf.
With half time approaching, Chinchilla set up Davidson who worked an angle on the edge of the area but couldn’t find the target and a Mairead Fulton cross found Lauder but her flicked header went wide.
Both sides were aware of the score in the other match and with Celtic winning 1-0, the trophy would be heading east.
City started the second 45 as the better team. Good work from Motlhalo allowed Chinchilla to set up Lauder but her shot was saved.
Howat missed another chance at the other end before a good, old-fashioned stramash in the box somehow saw Sam Kerr’s effort end up in Gibson’s lap.
Not to be outdone by their opponents, City attempted a stramash of their own and sub Aoife Colvill tried to turn the ball home but Rangers scrambled clear.
With time running out and Celtic now 2-0 ahead, Chinchilla played the ball cross-field for Davidson who drove into the box but her shot was saved. At the other end, Cornet picked up the ball and worked an angle but Gibson saved well.
The board went up for four added minutes but City didn’t need them.
With 92 minutes on the clock, the ball was played forward to Motlhalo and with Rangers throwing players forward, Davidson was free in the box. Motlhalo found her, she took a touch and despite Fife’s best effort the ball nestled neatly in the bottom corner.
There was still time for more drama as Rangers won a corner. First, Rachel McLaughlan’s shot was blocked, then Nolf’s effort through a crowd of bodies was saved by the cat-like reactions of Gibson who was again called into action seconds later as she turned Kerr’s effort round the post.
The final action saw a Howat drive from 25 yards tipped up into the air by Gibson who would have gathered cleanly, if not for Davison’s foul to force the ball over the line.
Referee Calum Scott blew his whistle for the foul and then again for full time as City won the match and league.
Match Information
Team lines
Glasgow City: Gibson, Muir, Lauder (Love 90+1), Walsh, Fulton, Motlhalo, Whelan (Colvill 78), Clark, Davidson, Chinchilla (Kozak 85), Oscarsson. Subs not used: Clachers, Warrington, Prades, Foley, Forrest, Martin.
Rangers: Fife, McLauchlan, Hill, Davison, Nolf, Middag (Cornet 63), MacLean, Kerr, Hay (Bell 71), Arnott (Watson 63), Howat. Subs not used: Esson, Docherty, Cavanagh, McLeary, Berry, McAuley.
Goalscorers
Glasgow City: Davidson 90+2
Yellow cards
Glasgow City: Fulton 45’
Referee: Calum Scott
Stadium: Ibrox