Barclays Championship opens with bragging rights for Bairns
Falkirk Women have kicked off the 2024/25 Barclays Scottish Women’s Championship season with a 4-0 victory in their local derby at Stenhousemuir.
It was a high-tempo start to the season for the newly-sponsored third and fourth tier of women’s football in Scotland. Stenny keeper Rosie Alexander was in fine form to deny a number of Falkirk strikes but the Bairns looked sharper to knock in rebounds. Former Edinburgh Caledonia striker Natalie Brown was first on the scoresheet after 12 minutes at the back post from a great save, before forcing another triple save from Alexander, before the ball fell to the feet of Olivia Murphy for the second.
Fiona Walker added a third after the break from a corner, and winger Eva Rule lashed home a fourth with ten remaining, to give her side a comfortable victory against a Stenhousemuir side which moved the ball well but was kept quiet by the Falkirk defence.
Dryburgh Athletic put seven past Westdkye in Dundee, with the Aberdeenshire side scoring three in return, while goals from Teri Skivington and Bennett Luna gave East Fife a 2-0 home victory over Stirling University.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle youngster Alex Whelan scored her first senior goal in injury time to secure a 1-0 victory for her side over Hutchison Vale, while newly-promoted Forfar Farmington came from behind to beat Renfrew Ladies 3-2, the winning goal coming from Sophie Johansen deep into injury time.
In the late kick-off, Morton gave Glasgow Girls and Women an early scare with the opening goal after five minutes, but former Morton player Caitlin McKee clawed back an equaliser just three minutes later. Emma Rogers put Glasgow in front before half-time, and Alana Meechan added a third on 58 minutes. Morton added a second in the last quarter, but the home side held on for the 3-2 victory.
In the Barclays Scottish Women’s League One, St Mirren won a 6-4 thriller at Armadale Thistle, Bonnyrigg Rose beat Queen of the South 3-1 at Poltonhall, Inverurie Locos won 5-1 in the battle of the newly-promoted sides at Dunipace, while Kilwinning were denied an inaugural win in the division by a late Dundee West fightback to level the game 3-3. Giffnock Soccer Centre will be buoyant after taking maximum points from the capital in a 4-3 victory over Edinburgh Caledonia.
The SWFL Cup also opened today with the first group stage ties. Holders Glenrothes Strollers beat new side Danderhall Miners 7-0 in Group Six, while the Dunfermline derby ended with a 7-0 victory for Athletic over newly reformed Bayside in Group Four.
A last-minute equaliser for St Anthony’s Ladies gave them a 2-2 draw against Drumchapel United in Group Nine, while Bishopton won a 3-2 thriller against 2021 winners Harmony Row.
In the ScottishPower Highlands and Islands League, Ross County ran out 6-0 winners against Sutherland Women.
