Rangers bounced back from a shock early goal by Spartans to power to a 6-1 win at Broadwood and cement their place at the top of the SWPL1.
Erin Rennie capitalised on a mix-up at the back by the hosts to slot home past Rangers keeper Victoria Esson. But an immediate reply from summer signing Camile Lafaix allowed Rangers to restore parity, and a quickfire second from the American opened the floodgates.
The Gers found themselves behind for the first time in an SWPL game this season after Erin Rennie’s goal before two strikes in two minutes were to follow from Camille Lafaix on her first start for the club before Katie Wilkinson gave her team a 3-1 lead at the break. Further second half goals through Rio Hardy, Wilkinson’s second and Liv McLoughlin saw the Light Blues victorious but the former Lioness wants her team to raise their levels in the games to come, she commented: “I wasn't best pleased; I don't think that is a performance that we are happy to deliver.
“We spoke about eradicating silly goals because it is not often that teams break us down, it is often chances that we give to them.
“Things like that do happen, I felt the reaction to it to get two very good goals quick after that was good for us.
“I thought that was important because sometimes those chances can carry on and you miss them and it goes into half time and you are 1-0 down and it looks a very different game.
“Camille's two goals were important for us in quick succession after that, but our performance levels weren't there.
“I think it is important that we use that as a barometer to go that level is not acceptable let's get back and see what we can do.
“The players know that themselves, I come in at half time and sometimes I don't really need to say anything because they are already saying it for me.
“It is just reiterating it; we are realistic to the fact in what we want to do but we have got to try and start bringing out our gameplans a little bit earlier because we have worked on certain things all week and it hadn't really come out until 75 minutes or something like that.
“We need to make sure that we are sticking to those gameplans and staying on the same page and I am hoping for a better performance next week.”
The boss said patience was important in their second half showing to add to their tally and highlighted the goal getters for their individual contributions on the day.
She added: “I said to them after the game, Camille's first start and her first two goals is huge for us.
“I think it is really important, especially for her confidence levels as well since she is just getting used to it. Rio comes on for 35 minutes and gets two assists and a goal and you see the impact that she can have.
“We have got players that can do this from all over the park, we are a competitive squad and we have got to make sure that we keep it that way.
“It is only going to get stronger when players come back from injury as well.
“I think it is important that we keep those levels up, keep people fighting for spots which hopefully improves performances and overall team displays.
“Showing patience? That was the key for me, it was being patient but having a purpose with it.
“I think sometimes we mistake patience for being slow and we still need to make sure we have got our ball speed with our patience as well.
“You could see that with a couple of players that come on really upped those levels and the quality for us. Making decisions earlier, doing the right things at the right time with the quality as well.
“The patience was key for us in the second half because we only knew it would be an amount of time before we could create another chance and I think the moments we took them well.
“You look at Wilko now she is going to get double marked throughout the game and she took her opportunities well.
“She has probably had minimal opportunities today and she has stuck two in the back of the net. It is important that we keep going, keep pushing and remembering that teams aren't just going to roll over.
“I thought Spartans had some really good energy about them today, they were aggressive, they were good on the first ball into the box.
“You look at it and you go you wonder why they are in the position they are in the league.
“I think it is important that we need to start recognising that we need to do our work first and foremost. I am not saying we took it for granted but we have just got to make sure that we are putting everything into practice that we are practicing throughout the week.
“It is a good result in the end a 6-1 victory is really good for us and we have got to move on quickly.”
Lafaix delighted with goalscoring debut
The midfielder was on hand to find the back of the net twice on her first start in a Rangers jersey as she helped the team respond from an early setback to claim the win over the Edinburgh side on their return to league action.
Speaking to RangersTV after the match, the 23-year-old was happy to be on the scoresheet and praised the reaction the team showed to falling behind in the game, she said: “Obviously it is always nice to be in the starting lineup, so I am super grateful that Jo gave me the opportunity today and it is always nice to be on the scoresheet. I am happy to have helped contribute to the team today.
“It was a great team reaction after they scored, the first time we have been scored against in the league. It was just important for us to turn that around quickly and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time.”
The former Bordeaux player spoke of the showing overall and says it was important the team continued to push for more goals having scored three in the final 12 minute of the contest.
She continued: “The result 6-1, it sounds better than I think we played.
“Our performance was not at our standard today.
“First half we were struggling a little bit, too reactive, but then I think that later in the second half we were able to raise our play a little bit and that is where we started playing more like us, so proud that we were able to turn it round towards the end.
“3-1 of course being up in the lead is good at half time but we knew that just to be a little bit prouder of not just our result but our performance we wanted to get a few more goals and to play better.
“At half time it was what we talked about, that we weren't quite satisfied with our performance yet.”
The Gers number 20 joined the club earlier in the summer as she reflected on life in Glasgow so far, before saying the side have to now turn their attentions to another big fixture to come against Hearts next week.
She added: “The team has been extremely welcoming and it has been extremely positive.
“The winning mentality and the atmosphere, culture on and off the field is unlike another club. I am just happy to be a part of it and continue this.
“I think today after this performance it was a little bit of a reminder for us that we have to continue working no matter who is ahead of us.
“Last week playing in Champions League and then this today playing against Spartans, just making sure that we are always locked in mentally.
“Next week we do have a big game but we just need to continue focusing on ourselves and making sure that we are playing to our standards.”
Rangers’ Impressive Start Continues
Rangers hit six goals after an early setback, Ayr United secured a first-ever win in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League.
Rangers made it six straight wins with as many goals against Spartans, although the visitors scored first through Erin Rennie. Camile Lafaix’s brace turned the game round within three minutes and Katie Wilkinson also scored twice.
Celtic won 3-0 away to Partick Thistle, the first of Shannon McGregor’s double coming in the opening minute.
Eilidh Adams hit a hat-trick as Hibernian sent Queen’s Park to a 6-1 defeat. Abbie Ferguson, Kathleen McGovern and Poppy Lawson were Hibs; other scorers, while Chloe Muir pulled one back for the Spiders.
Dundee United just missed out on a second point of the season, after Jade McLaren hit a very later winner for Montrose from distance. Erin Henderson had given the home side an interval lead, before Alix Moodie volleyed United level.
SWPL 2
Ayr United 3-1 Gartcairn Kilmarnock 0-0 Boroughmuir Thistle Livingston 5-2 Rossvale St Johnstone 0-7 Hamilton Academical
Hamilton stayed unbeaten with seven goals at St Johnstone, from as many different scorers.
Livingston went second with victory over Rossvale while Kilmarnock were drawing 0-0 with Boroughmuir.
Ayr United’s first ever SWPL points came with a 3-1 defeat of Gartcairn, aided by a Sarah Petherick double.
