SWPL Team of the Week – 21st & 25th August

Team of the Week from the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League games played on Wednesday 21st and Sunday 25th August.

Written by Jack Donnelly.

Goalkeeper – Rachel Pirie (Livingston)

After rebounding from an opening day defeat, Livingston made it two wins in a row as they delivered a third consecutive defeat for ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2 newbies Ayr United on Sunday afternoon. Despite a three-goal victory, the Lions were made to work for the points, with the Ayrshire side threatening to take the lead in the first half, and continuing to knock on the door in the second half. An assured performance from goalkeeper Rachel Pirie kept Ayr at bay, as she dealt with every test thrown her way by a feisty visiting front line.

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Defender – Niamh Noble (Aberdeen)

In what has been a rollercoaster week for Aberdeen. We’ve seen the first managerial departure of the season and the Dons were able to register their first win of the new campaign as they ran out 2-0 winners over Montrose on Wednesday night. A standout in that fixture, and in Aberdeen’s following clash with champions Celtic, Niamh Noble opened the scoring from close range against Montrose, and emerged from the match having kept her side’s clean sheet intact. Across both fixtures, the 19-year-old won 23 duels and made 20 recoveries of possession in a pair of impressive showings for the youngster.

Defender – Keira Ritchie (Hamilton Accies)

The ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2 table-toppers kept up their fine early season form on Sunday afternoon, as they travelled to Meadowbank and ran out victorious against Boroughmuir Thistle. While Josi Giard led from the front, extending her lead in the scoring charts, at the other end of the pitch, centre back Keira Ritchie put in an excellent display in the heart of the Accies defence. The 19-year-old was named Player of the Match as her side recorded their first clean sheet of the new campaign, with Ritchie displaying composure and tenacity to help shut out the Boroughmuir front line.

Defender & Star Player – Jessica Husband (Heart of Midlothian)

After her first season at senior level last season, Hearts defender Jess Husband has kicked off her sophomore ScottishPower Women’s Premier League season in impressive fashion. The teenager made the most of her cameo against Queen’s Park on the opening day, placing a low effort into the bottom left corner, but her display against Dundee United was one for Husband to remember. After opening the scoring in the second minute of the match, the 16-year-old doubled her tally just eight minutes later, and would go on to supply two more, having a hand in half of her side’s goals in their 8-0 win. The full back also won 12 duels and made 10 recoveries across roughly 120 minutes of action between her two appearances, with her overall contribution seeing her named this week’s Star Player.

Defender – Amy Muir (Glasgow City)

One of just four teams to record two victories in the last week, Glasgow City maintained their perfect start to the 2024/25 season with victories over Hearts and Partick Thistle. Given the quality of her finish against Hearts, Amy Muir was always going to receive praise at the final whistle, but her defensive acumen following Kimberley Smit’s dismissal before half time was massively important in ensuring that City could go on and secure the win late in the second half. Across both matches, the 24-year-old full back won 19 duels and made 20 recoveries, displaying impressive distribution as City earned themselves six points from six and recorded their second clean sheet of the season.

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Midfielder – Morgan Anderson (Gartcairn)

Gartcairn returned to winning ways in impressive fashion on Sunday afternoon, ending Rossvale’s unbeaten start to the season with a 7-1 victory. Graeme Hart’s side were ruthless in front of goal, and were stringing together some lovely attacking moves, with midfielder Morgan Anderson often at the centre of the action. After threatening Rossvale from the first whistle, Anderson grabbed her first just before the first half came to a close, and would go on to fire in an audacious effort in the second half that, by her own admittance, was one of the best goals that the 20-year-old had ever scored.

Midfielder – Kirsten Reilly (Hibernian)

Hibernian have been on fire at the beginning of this campaign, with Grant Scott’s side recording another pair of impressive victories against Dundee United and Motherwell in the last week. While still missing that first goal in her second spell with the Edinburgh side, Kirsten Reilly has shone in the middle of the park for the Hibees, doing so in both recent matches. The 29-year-old averaged a pass success rate of 88% across both fixtures, and also won 24 duels and made 19 recoveries in a pair of standout midfield performances that also saw Reilly register an assist for Eilidh Adams’ first of the evening against United.

Midfielder – Olivia King (Queen’s Park)

After a tricky start to life in the top flight, ScottishPower Women’s Premier League 2 champions Queen’s Park picked up their first win of the campaign on Sunday afternoon, as Ami Robertson’s late strike saw the Spiders run out winners against Spartans. Craig Joyce made a fair few changes to the side that played Rangers midweek, but one constant was Olivia King, with the youngster putting in a pair of assured performances in midfield. Across both matches, King made 12 interceptions, won 19 duels, and made 20 recoveries, going about her business very well indeed.

Midfielder – Lucy Ashworth-Clifford (Celtic)

It was another successful week for the champions, as Elena Sadiku’s Celtic recorded a pair of victories over Motherwell and Aberdeen to continue their perfect start to the season. In an ever-changing side, Lucy Ashworth-Clifford has enjoyed a stellar start to the season, and was at her best at the Albert Bartlett Stadium on Wednesday night. A lovely curled effort from her weaker right foot found the top right corner of Emily Mutch’s goal, but Ashworth-Clifford made sure to get her teammates involved too, as she bagged two assists in Celtic’s 5-1 win.

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Forward – Kathleen McGovern (Hibernian)

As previously mentioned, Hibernian have excelled in the first few games of the new season, scoring more than some would have expected in the absence of Jordan Baucom, thanks in no small part to summer addition Kathleen McGovern. The former Hearts striker was left with big boots to fill following the American’s departure, and has certainly done so thus far, as she netted her first Hibs hat trick against Motherwell on Sunday afternoon. The 22-year-old also came off the bench to score against Dundee United last Wednesday night, taking her tally to six goals for the season already.

Forward – Katie Wilkinson (Rangers)

She’s making a real habit of this, isn’t she? It’s safe to say Katie Wilkinson has taken to life in the SWPL like a duck to water, as the Rangers striker scoring her third hat trick of the season in just her fourth game, sticking three past Montrose on Sunday afternoon. Also grabbing a goal midweek against Queen’s Park, Wilkinson also added two assists to her tally in what has been a blistering start to life in Glasgow.