CELTIC Park will host an SWPL1 game for the second time in two seasons tomorrow when the host club aim to build on their unbeaten start to the season against Stirling University, writes Alan Campbell.
Leaders Hibs, the only club with a 100 per cent record, are at home to newly promoted Hamilton Accies, while champions Glasgow City travel to Aberdeen. In the other game, Spartans aim to continue their good start against bottom club Rangers.
The Celtic players made the most of the first-ever women’s league match played at the stadium last season, beating Rangers 5-1. It was arguably their best display of the season and manager David Haley is now hoping for more of the same.
“It’s brilliant for the players,” he said. “It also gives me a bit of a headache because everybody wants to play at the ground. Being able to play there is something unique.”
That will be particularly true for recent American signings Jaclyn Poucel and Darcy McFarlane, as well as Sarah Crilly and Sarah Ewens, who joined in the winter.
Celtic usually play home games on an artificial surface at East Kilbride’s K Park, but Haley said: “We train at Barrowfield quite a lot so we’re fine with playing on grass. Stirling will be tough to break down, but hopefully the big park will help us.”
Glasgow City will have internationalists Jo Love and Hayley Lauder available for Aberdeen at Heathryfold Park even though they didn’t travel with Scotland for Tuesday’s friendly in Belgium.
Both were given time to recover from injuries and head coach Scott Booth said: “It has done them good not being with the national team. It was really important for them to try to break the cycle a bit. They’ve had plenty of rest so they’re coming in to this game much fresher.”
There will be no Gemma Fay in the squad as she has joined Stjarnan in Iceland. The 197-times capped Scotland keeper left to get game time ahead of the Euros after becoming No 2 to Lee Alexander.
“There has been nothing negative within this at all,” Booth said. “Gemma has put 20 years of experience into getting a chance to play in the Championship and I’m delighted that she’s managed to find a new side.”
The Spartans game is the first of a double-header at Ainslie Park, with Hibs to follow. Opponents Hamilton and Rangers are the only clubs still to win a point.
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