Rangers remain top of Scottish Women’s Premier League after being held to 1-1 draw by Glasgow City

Rangers and Glasgow City could not be separated as both sides played out a 1-1 draw in Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash to continue their unbeaten starts to the Scottish Women’s Premier League season.

In an entertaining match in horribly wet conditions at Petershill Park, Chantelle Swaby’s header was cancelled out by Niamh Farrelly’s effort as the Gers maintained their two-point advantage at the summit.

Both sides created plenty of chances to convert a winner during a lively second half but Rangers boss Malky Thomson felt his side didn’t play to their strengths.

He said: “Our game is based on keeping good possession and we never dominated any real period of the game.

“It’s a very tight pitch here but I think we can play better and the girls know that. We never worked the ball out to wide areas quick enough.

“We still created a lot of good chances that we probably should’ve scored, but I think that comes down to quality.

“Credit to Glasgow City, they pressed and hounded us. but we’ve got to do better in terms of playing around them, playing through them and have better quality on the ball.

“That is something I demand from the them and we’ll be looking at after the international break.”

With several members of his Scotland squad in action ahead of Friday’s World Cup qualifier against Hungary at Hampden Park, new national head coach Pedro Martinez Losa was among the spectators in attendance, as was former Glasgow City boss Scott Booth and Rangers striker Alfredo Morelos.

Both teams struggled to find their rhythm on the slippery astroturf surface during the early exchanges.

The first chance of the match fell to the visitors after five minutes when Kirsten Reilly sent a low ball across from the right to Chelsea Cornet whose first-time shot was well saved by Lee Alexander.

The home side suffered a setback when skipper Joanne Love hobbled off injured in some distress following a collision with Reilly.

Alexander was again called into action after 38 minutes when Jane Ross outmuscled her marker but could only fire straight at the Scotland goalkeeper.

As the persistent rain ceased, Glasgow City began the second half brightly with Hayley Lauder testing Jenna Fife with an effort from the edge of the box, but it lacked the necessary power to trouble the Gers keeper.

The deadlock was finally broken after 55 minutes when Lizzie Arnot’s deep corner towards the back post was headed goal wards by defender Chantelle Swaby and Alexander was unable to get a strong enough hand to prevent the ball from crossing the line.

City’s response proved emphatic as they hauled themselves back on level terms just six minutes later.

Niamh Farrelly, who was called up to the Republic of. Ireland squad in midweek, rose highest between two Rangers defenders to power a header into the net from Megan Foley’s pinpoint delivery.

City continued to press forward in search of a late winner as Lauren Davidson’s solo effort was saved by Fife at the front post before substitute Ola Fulutudilu teed up Mairead Fulton whose shot from distance fizzed inches wide of the post.

Jane Ross then had a shot from 20-yards well blocked by Alexander in the dying moments as both sides had to settle for a point apiece.

Glasgow City interim head coach Grant Scott said: “On reflection, a draw was probably a fair result. Either team could have stolen all three points at the end, so we’re delighted to remain undefeated.

“It was a tough test, Rangers are a strong, physical, good footballing side so we had to be on our game.

“We wanted to increase our impetus going forward in the second half and I think we did that but equally we could have got caught out a couple of times.”

Glasgow City: Alexander, Lauder, Walsh, Love (Fulton; 17), Clark, Davidson, Farrelly, Colvill, (Fulutudilu; 66), Molin, Chinchilla, Foley

Unused: Clachers (GK), Michie, Filipa, Dodds, Noble

Rangers: Fife, Docherty, Vance, Middag, Hay (McCoy; 63), Reilly, McLauchlan, Ross, Arnot, Cornet (Westrup; 79), Swaby

Unused: Cunningham (GK), Watson, Ness, MacLean, McLeary

Referee: Lorraine Watson