By Craig Edwards
A Clare Shine hat-trick set Glasgow City on the way to an opening day three points in the new look SWPL.
Shine’s treble was added to by goals from Claire Walsh, Lauren Davidson, Kinga Kozak and Abbi Grant.
Eileen Gleeson handed out three debuts with Amy Muir, Kozak and Meikayla Moore all starting for City for the first time.
There was a feeling of anticipation around Petershill Park as the new 2022/23 SWPL season got underway and it was the City fans that had the first cheer.
On the 18th minute, Davidson drove into the penalty area before cutting the ball back to Kozak. The Polish international played the ball to Hayley Lauder who flicked the ball past the Spartans defender and into the path of Shine who fired the ball past the diving Rachel Harrison to give the home side an early lead.
One became two five minutes later when a City corner was only cleared to the edge of the box and Walsh volleyed the ball into the back of the net.
City were in no mood to slow down and added a third before the 25th minute. Lauder went down the left wing and delivered a cross into the penalty area for Shine to place the ball into the roof of the net.
Shine thought she had her hat-trick when she tapped home from close range but the assistant’s flag denied her for now, before Megan Foley, who replaced Jenna Clark early on, curled the ball just over the crossbar.
The visitors made a couple of changes at the break, but it was the same story at the start of the second half as Shine found the back of the net. A lovely through ball from Lauder pierced the Spartans defence leaving Shine one-on-one with Harrison and the striker rounded the goalkeeper before rolling the ball into the empty net to complete her hat-trick.
City looked for a fifth and Davidson was denied just before the hour mark by a smart save from Harrison at her front post, however, Davidson got on the scoresheet just after the hour when her left footed effort from the corner of the box flew past Harrison and into the top corner.
Shine went close to her fourth of the afternoon but a one handed save from Harrison denied her after good build up play from Kozak and Davidson as City continued to look dangerous.
Kozak had threatened a couple of times on her debut for City and she marked it with a goal on the 76th minute. Lauder’s effort crashed off the crossbar and off the back of Harrison before the ball fell kindly to Kozak to tap home from close range.
There was still time for a seventh as Grant marked her first game back as a permanent signing with a goal as she netted past Harrison as City start the season with victory.
Glasgow City are next in action next Sunday when we travel to Alliance Park to face Motherwell.
Match Information
Team Lines
Glasgow City: Gibson, Muir, Lauder, Walsh, Fulton (Bora, 74), Shine (Perea, 74), Clark (Foley, 8), Davidson, Grant, Kozak, Moore (Greening, 62). Subs not used: Clachers, Whelan, Gibb, Noble.
Spartans: Harrison, Mason, Clelland (Frew, 65), Jamieson, Douglas (McQuillan, 46), Marshall, Ro.McCafferty, Jordan, Robinson, Smart (Reynolds, 65), Bates (Ria.McCafferty, 46). Subs not used: Yates, Henderson, Sidey, McFadyen.
Scorers
Glasgow City: Shine 13’ 22’ 52’ Walsh 18’ Davidson 62’ Kozak 74’
Yellow Cards
Spartans: Bates
Referee: Kieran O’Reilly
Stadium: Petershill Park