Shetland Women's FC

Thistle Ladies first match of the season saw them face Delting on an immaculate Burra pitch. Due to work, family and exam commitments there were five players unavailable so Stacey Laurenson, Kristan Robertson and Helen Fullerton from Burra, Alison Williamson and Maria Simpson from Whalsay were drafted in as temporary cover.

Thistle kicked off into the setting sun and tried to take control of the game from the start and with only five minutes gone they signalled their intent when Stacey cracked a terrific drive from 25 yards against the crossbar. The opener came after 10 minutes when a cross from Kristan was meet by Laureen Johnson who popped it past Fiona Hurson in the Delting goal. Delting levelled it shortly after with a shot from the edge of the box which was just out of Julie Sandilands reach. However after 20 minutes Laureen pounced on a loose ball in the box for her second of the night to put the Jags in front. The Delting midfield pairing of Karen Jarvie and Megan Burns were always going to be a handful but Lauren Ward was holding her own against them and if they did get through then the impressive Claire Inkster was always there to make a tackle. Up front, new signing Amanda Johnson was proving to be a tireless worker always willing to chase down the ball. With 30 minutes gone Delting were once again level, but Thistle went in front just before half-time when a kick out from the edge of the box by Hurson was intercepted by Kirstan and dispatched from all of 35 yards past the back peddling keeper.

Second half saw Delting start with more purpose, but Helen, Stacey, Claire and Alison were up to the task, with Kirstan always available to take the ball up the left flank. It was from one of those runs that led to Thistle being awarded a penalty after 55 minutes when Hurson brought down Kirstan in the box and Caroline stepped up to coolly slot home Thistles 4th of the night. The Delts weren’t for lying down and shortly after Jarvie picked up the ball at the half way line and wove her way through the Thistle half into the box, what followed was a real goal mouth scramble and even two fantastic reflex saves from Julie couldn’t prevent a determined Delting attack from netting their third of the night. With 70 minutes on the clock Caroline got her second with a looping shot from just outside the box. The pace of the game was beginning to tell on the returning Thistle players as the play was much more open in the final quarter of the match and Julie was called upon to make a few important saves in the dying minutes.

This was a very good game that could have gone either way and served up an excellent advert for Women’s football in Shetland.