Rossvale made to wait for SWPL2 promotion by plucky East Fife
Storm Kathleen made it difficult conditions in the Scottish Women’s Football leagues, with plenty of goals and an abandonment across the divisions.
Rossvale were denied a title party in a nail-biting SWF Championship thriller by East Fife while Ayr United won big in Inverness to close the gap at the top.
In a sensational advert for Scotland’s third tier, East Fife were quick out the blocks with an early Wallace goal hit sweetly from the edge of the box. Skipper Teri Skivington nodded the visitors two in front before Rossvale’s top scorer Megan Whiteford pulled one back. A Thomson goal gave East Fife a 3-1 lead at halftime, before Rossvale came out fighting in the second half.
Whiteford added a second early in the second half and Amy Allan equalised with 15 minutes to go to set up a grandstand finish. But with Rossvale seeking a title-winning goal, an East Fife counterattack saw the mercurial Rigby-Wilson score in the 89th minute, but the Glasgow side equalised again within a minute after a stramash in the box to rescue a vital point.
Earlier, hat-tricks by Clare Docherty and Paige Henry had helped Ayr United to a 6-2 victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle but they will need to score big in their remaining two games to catch Rossvale’s superior goal difference and deny the Glasgow side automatic SWPL2 promotion.
In the bottom half, Westdyke ran out 11-1 winners at Hutchison Vale, including five goals for Kayleigh Traynor, while Dryburgh Athletic grabbed a 3-0 win in Renfrew with goals from Olivia Moffat, Rachel Robbie and Olivia Jones-Burns.
The SWF League One tie between Bonnyrigg Rose and Forfar Farmington was abandoned by the referee after less than 20 minutes due to the high winds, but other games in the division went ahead. Giffnock Soccer Centre gained their fourth win of the season with a 4-3 victory over an Airdrie side who had come back to level from 3-1 down. Natasha Reid scored the last-minute winner direct from a corner in the blustery conditions.
Third-placed Falkirk beat Edinburgh Caledonia 2-0 at home, while St Mirren ran out 7-0 winners at home to bottom side Dundee West.
In the regional SWFL, the top-of-the-table clash in WEST between Dunipace and Drumchapel United ended 2-2, while Inverurie Locos remain unbeaten at the top of NORTH with a narrow 3-2 win over Dyce. Armadale Thistle remain clear in EAST with a comfortable 18-0 victory over Central Girls, and SOUTH leaders Ayr United Development claimed a 6-0 victory over Stewarton.
The only game of the day in the ScottishPower Highlands & Islands league finished goalless between Orkney Women and Buckie Ladies.
