Kilmarnock Women progress via penalties in the SWPL Cup

Kilmarnock Women secured a place in the Second Round of the SWPL Cup following a nail-biting 5-4 penalty shootout win against St Johnstone at the BBSP Stadium, Rugby Park this afternoon.

The home team’s route into the Second Round became clearer with half an hour to play when St Johnstone captain Hannah Clark saw red for a challenge which earned her a second booking. Jim Chapman’s side instantly burst into action to capitalise on the advantage as Mhairi Crooks knocked the ball home from the resulting free-kick.

As full-time approached, St Johnstone’s Morgan Steedman ripped up the script by equalising for the Saints to send the game into overtime. Steedman quickly doubled her tally in the early stages of extra-time, putting the away side in front for the first time in the match.

It was then Killie’s turn to level the tie, equalising through a Chloe McCance header just before the end of the first period of extra-time. The chances came and went for both teams in the second period, but the tie was destined to go all the way.

Despite no shortage of goals in the game, it was Killie keeper Lauren McGregor who proved to be the match winner, making what was to be the decisive save with the score tied at 4-4. This allowed Mhairi Fyfe to step forward and convert, firmly placing the team in the hat for the next round.

Speaking about his ambitions in the competition, Kilmarnock Manager Jim Chapman commented: “In any competition you want to go as far as you can, it’s as simple as that. For me, we’re a work in progress as you know and it would be good to gauge against higher opposition just to see exactly where we are and, more importantly, how far we’ve got to go, as there’s some really good teams in the SWPL 1.”

Kilmarnock starting XI: McGregor, Middleton, McCulloch ©, McLaughlin, Gray, Harty, G.Crooks, Robinson, Galt, M.Crooks, Fyfe.

Kilmarnock now enter the draw for the Second Round of the SWPL Cup which will take place live on the SWPL Twitter channel (@SWPL) at 2pm on Tuesday, 20 September.

Teams in the hat:

1 – Aberdeen

2 – Celtic

3 – Dundee United

4 – Gartcairn

5 – Glasgow City

6 – Glasgow Women

7 – Hamilton Accies

8 – Heart of Midlothian

9 – Hibernian

10 – Kilmarnock

11 – Motherwell

12 – Partick Thistle

13 – Queens Park

14 – Rangers

15 – Spartans

16 – Stirling University