Unite Scottish Cup: Glasgow City 4 Celtic Ladies 3 (aet)

Feb 24 2009

Glasgow City Celtic ladies

FORGET the Old Firm - Glasgow City and Celtic Ladies showed how a Glasgow derby should be played with a pulsating 120 minutes of cup tie action on Sunday.

The two favourites for the Unite Scottish Cup met early in the competition and thrilled the support which turned out at New Petershill Park with a game which swung from end to end for almost its entirety.

At the end of the day it was City who emerged victorious to take their place in the last eight of the tournament. But not without one helluva fight.
 
City started strongly and nearly took the lead when a mix up in the Hoops defence saw a back pass hit off their own post with City striker Jane Ross just unable to convert the re-bound into the empty net.

The Glasgow Green side did take the lead mid-way through the first half after a free kick from Leanne Ross was met expertly by midfielder Sue Lappin and she powered her header past the helpless Claire Johnston in the Celtic goal.

Celtic struck back just before the half time whistle when Pauline Hamill clinically converted a free kick after City full back Clare Gemmell was harshly adjudged to have handled the ball.
 
It wasn't long before Peter Caulfield's City side were back in front though. On 50 minutes a corner was cleared by the Hoops defence and was picked up by Jill Paterson who unleashed a 40 yard screamer which cannoned off the Hoops cross bar, eventually falling to Rachel Corsie who converted in a crowded penalty box.

City took a stranglehold on the match but some fine goalkeeping from Johnstone in the Hoops nets and a goal line clearance from Karen Penglase, kept Celtic in the game.
 
And it was to prove crucial as, just like in the first half, Celtic got their equaliser from another free-kick, this time converted by Christie Murray.
 
Unfortunately Murray's joy soon turned to despair as her second yellow card saw the pint sized striker sent off with 20 minutes to go.

City immediately capitalised when Corsie got her second of the day, with a glancing header from a City free kick, to put her side 3-2 in front.
 
However, just when City thought they had the game won Celtic's Jo Love stole the ball from the dallying City defence and made no mistake from inside the City box to take the match into extra time.

It was gripping stuff as both sides searched for extra energy levels to put the match beyond their opponents.

Eventually, City's numerical advantage paid off when, in the second period of extra-time, Jane Ross got in behind the Celtic defence and crossed for fellow striker Katharina Lindner, who slotted the ball past Johnstone.
 
Celtic threatened in the final moments from yet another set-piece, but City held strong for their 4-3 win.
 
Elsewhere in Sunday's last 16, results were as follows:

Linwood 0 v 7 Dundee United
Celtic B 3 v 4 Aberdeen (after penalties. AET score was 2-2)
Glasgow City Girls 2 v 0 Boroughmuir
Forfar Farmington 1 v 4 Spartans
Falkirk 0 v 6 Hibernian
Hamilton Accies 4 v 1 Inverness
Raith Rovers 2 v Rangers 5 AET (FT 2-2)