Match report by Campbell Finlayson
Renfrew continued their unbeaten start to the SWF Championship South season after coming from behind to beat Rossvale, ending the visitors’ record in the process.
Jemma McQuillan’s early opener and an own goal from Emma Ward saw Rossvale in control in the opening half an hour, but a double from Sammy Jo Smith either side of Karen Baillie’s strike saw the hosts win 3-2, with Lauren Coleman sent off late on for the Vale.
The home side started well and had two quickfire chances, with Smith’s shot and a header from Amy Allan both kept out by Shannon Burgon in goal.
Those misses would prove costly after just 13 minutes as Rossvale moved in front with McQuillan working the angle before drilling a left footed shot in at the front post.
It was two just before the half hour mark when Ward tried to clear the ball under pressure, but instead sent it flying past her own keeper Sam McQuillian into the roof of the net.
Renfrew were back in the game seven minutes later however as Smith found the net, cutting inside to bend a beautiful shot in off the post from the edge of the area and bringing them within a goal at the interval.
They would equalise shortly before the hour mark with Sinead Macleod picking out Baillie on the left of the box, who sent her effort just out of the reach of Burgon into the far corner.
Rossvale had chances of their own though either side of the goal, with Kilmarnock loanee Joss Fletcher denied by McQuillian, before dragging her second chance wide of the target.
The hosts were the side marginally on top after that though and with 19 minutes remaining, they completed their comeback with Smith firing home the rebound after Eleanor Howard’s shot was saved by Burgon.
Things would go from bad to worse for the Vale as they saw captain Coleman sent off after a second yellow card for a pull with three minutes to go. They did continue to push for an equaliser, but Deanna Duke’s shot over the bar was as close as they would come as Renfrew held on to stay top of the pile.
Renfrew: McQuillian; Hynes, Allan, Laird, Ward (Howard, 60); Smith (O’Neill, 85), Baird, Wilkie, Gould; Baillie (Telford, 90), Macleod
Rossvale: Burgon: Healy, Shaw, Milligan, Duke; Coleman, Boyce (Kelly, 73); McDowall (Molyneux, 64), Wieringa (Treanor, 69), McQuillan; Fletcher
