SWPL Team of the Week – 11th & 15th December

Team of the Week from ScottishPower Women’s Premier League games played on Wednesday 11th and Sunday 15th December.

Goalkeeper – Charlotte Ferguson (Ayr United)

Ayr United recorded only their second win of the season against fellow promoted side Rossvale on Sunday and Charlotte Ferguson played a crucial role in this. In what has otherwise been a leaky season at the back for the club, Charlotte produced eight saves in the match to ensure Ayr United ran out 3-1 victors. The stopper was also key in helping the team to build and maintain possession during the match with 74% of her passes finding a teammate.

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Defender – Rosie Livingstone (Hibernian)

Hibernian ran out 4-0 winners at home to Motherwell on Sunday as they climbed to fourth in the table and Rosie Livingstone played a key role in this convincing victory. The winger, who was deployed at wing back for this match, contributed significantly by scoring the second goal in the match. The 19-year-old excelled in this new role both in an attacking sense, completing 80% of her dribbles successfully, and in a defensive sense, successfully winning 17 of her 23 duels as well as making seven interceptions.

Defender – Samantha van Diemen (Glasgow City)

Glasgow City added another four points to their tally in the title race, most impressively against their two closest rivals so far in Hearts and Rangers. Samantha van Diemen played a crucial role in ensuring the team kept another two clean sheets this week, as City continue as the team with the best defensive record in the SWPL for this season. The Dutch international centre back successfully completed an impressive 87% of her passes and won over 60% of her duels across both matches against two of the highest-scoring teams in the SWPL so far this season.

Defender – Erin Husband (Heart of Midlothian)

Hearts also added another four points to their tally in the hunt for the SWPL title this week, conceding no goals in the process. Erin Husband continues to be a major factor in Hearts having the second-best defensive record in the SWPL this season as the Scotland youth international won over half of her defensive duels and 100% of her aerial duels. The 16-year-old plays a crucial part in Hearts building play from the back also as she completed over 95% of her passes across both matches.

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Midfielder – Olufolasade Adamolekun (Heart of Midlothian)

Not for the first time this season, Sade Adamolekun was central in a Hearts victory as she scored two goals on Sunday against Spartans. As mentioned, Hearts are in the thick of a title race and Sade’s goals continue to maintain their challenge. While she did not feature from the start against Glasgow City, her performance against Spartans, which not only involved two goals, was also impressive for her creativity and link-up play as she completed over 80% of passes and two thirds of her dribbles.

Midfielder – Abby Robinson (Kilmarnock)

Kilmarnock ran out 3-0 winners in an impressive display away to Livingston to firm up their grip on second place. The October SWPL 2 Player of the Month continued her fine form in the middle of the park and played a key role in another victory for the Rugby Park side. The 26-year-old opened the scoring in the game after impressively twisting and turning past multiple Livingston defenders to raise her tally for the season to five.

Midfielder – Jade McLaren (Montrose)

Montrose closed the gap to safety in the SWPL to just three points playing out a 3-3 draw away to Partick Thistle. Jade McLaren was crucial in earning ‘The Gable Endies’ an important point in this Petershill thriller, scoring the Links Park side’s first two goals in the match from central midfield. The 26-year-old was also crucial in breaking up play, winning well over half of her duels in the match.

Midfielder – Sophie Townsley (Hamilton Academical)

Hamilton faced a tough test away to Gartcairn on Sunday as they came from two goals behind to win another three points as they tighten their grip on top spot in SWPL 2. Sophie Townsley scored a crucial goal with a spectacular curling effort from the edge of the box which began the Accies comeback. The young winger was a constant threat down the left side all afternoon as she completed 100% of her dribbles before taking on a number of shots and crosses.

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Forward & Star Player – Natalia Wrobel (Glasgow City)

This week’s deserved SWPL Team of the Week star player is the silky Glasgow City attacking midfielder Natalia Wrobel. The Polish international was the hat-trick hero in the top of the table clash at the weekend against Rangers in what may turn out to be a crucial three points in the SWPL title race. The 21-year-old is so often the creative spark in this City side, and she continued in much the same vein with two impressive performances this week, during which she was a constant threat to two of the best defences in the SWPL.

Forward – Carla Boyce (Partick Thistle)

Partick Thistle earned yet another two draws in the SWPL as they continued their unbeaten run to four matches and Carla Boyce scored three vital goals to make sure of this. The 25-year-old striker more than doubled her goals tally for the season this week, scoring Thistle’s only goal in the match against Spartans as well as chipping in with a brace at home to Montrose, as the Petershill side closed the gap to Motherwell and the top six to one point.

Forward – Freya Brien (Dundee United)

Dundee United ended their torrid run of form in the league by beating relegation rivals Queen’s Park away at Ochilview on Sunday in what was the club’s first league win of the season. Loan star Freya Brien was central to this, scoring the crucial winning goal in the match as well as striking the woodwork with an audacious bicycle kick effort in the build up to United’s first goal in the match. The forward was a threat all afternoon with her blistering pace as she extended her tally for the season to three goals.