Renfrew Ladies win in Inverness to climb Championship table
Renfrew Ladies look to have recaptured some of last season’s form with a battling 4-2 win in Inverness to climb into the top five in the SWF Championship table.
Inverness Caledonian Thistle went ahead through Iona MacArthur after 12 minutes, but Renfrew equalised with a strike from distance by Claire Rae before half time. A double from Holly McIndoe either side of a Niamh Kinsella strike secured the three points for Renfrew in the second half, with winger Betty Ross pulling one back for the Highlanders.
Former Rossvale and Edinburgh City goalkeeper Rachel Docherty pulled of a string of saves to keep Inverness from coming back into the game.
Renfrew took the fight for an SWPL promotion playoff spot to the wire last season, Rossvale just pipping them to the spot before ultimately losing to Stirling University in the playoff.
This season Rossvale have been imperious in the Championship, running out 7-0 winners at Hutchison Vale to stay clear at the top in the automatic promotion slot. Ayr United kept up in second with a 5-1 win against Morton, moving seven points clear of Inverness in third.
Dryburgh Athletic leapfrogged Westdyke by beating the Aberdeenshire side 2-1 thanks to a last-minute winner from Chelsea Lownie.
Meanwhile in SWF’s League One, leaders Forfar Farmington edged out Edinburgh Caledonia in a thrilling contest at Meadowbank. Amanda Nicolson had the home side in front early before Yasmin McCagh equalised on the half-hour mark. Caley’s Erin McComisky and Elise McCormick both picked up knocks in a battling second-half contest, with Forfar’s top scorer Cheryl Kilcoyne on hand to score what would prove to be a winner after 70 minutes.
The result means Edinburgh Caledonia fall back three places to sixth in a competitive League One, with Queen of the South and Bonnyrigg Rose moving up after their home wins against Dundee West (4-0) and St Mirren (5-0) respectively.
Falkirk remain in third after their 4-2 win against Airdrie Ladies, three points behind second-placed Stenhousemuir who return to action next Sunday.
In the regional SWFL, Inverurie Locos remain nine points ahead in North after beating Grampian 4-0, while Ayr United Development stretched their lead in South to four points by beating nearest challengers Kilwinning 3-2. Glenrothes Strollers suffered their first defeat of the season in East at the hands of league leaders Armadale Thistle, while Dunipace are top of West on goal difference after beating Cumbernauld Colts 7-0.
