Hamilton Academical kept themselves in the hunt for the Scottish Building Society SWPL2 title with an emphatic 5-0 victory over an off-colour Glasgow Girls at Petershill Park.

The visitors had made three changes from the side that had disappointed so greatly against Partick Thistle last week with Ellie Kane, Nichola Sturrock and Megan Quinn all coming back in whilst the home side line up saw Taylor Fisher drop out and Leigh Ferrol step in as they too looked to bounce back from a loss last time out.

It would be Accies though that would makes the fastest start as with nine minutes on the clock a Megan Quinn cross looped over the fingertips of home keeper Toni Harkness, the ball finally nestling in the opposite side of the net. Gary Doctor’s side were clearly in a hurry and that fast start would continue three minutes later as Chloe Muir got herself on the scoresheet, fellow attacker Ellie Kane’s work on the left hand side saw the ball break to the youngster just inside the area with Muir hitting a sweet strike into the corner to put Accies 2-0 up with just 12 minutes on the clock.

In a frenetic opening Glasgow Girls nearly struck back moments later however Leigh Ferrol’s long range effort was excellently clawed away by Lauren Grant in the opposing goal but it was the visitors who were continuing at a relentless pace and they came close again as Harkness would deny MT McGuiness with the Accies striker clear through on goal, a scenario that would repeat itself throughout the opening period with the Girls stopper coming out on top on each occasion.

Hamilton continued to look more likely in the first period as the game settled into a more sustainable rhythm and it would be Kirstie McIntosh who would next trouble goal but her long range effort would go just wide of the post as the visitors looked to press home their advantage.

The second half started in a much more sedate manner with Ian Ferry’s side searching for a way back into the match but without either side generating many opportunities. In fact, the first real chance of the second half resulted in a goal as McGuiness was brought down on the edge of the where, from the resultant free kick, midfielder Nichola Sturrock stepped up to drive a low effort past a diving Harkness.

That goal seemed to kill the game off with still half an hour to play and if there were any doubts remaining they were soon put to bed ten minutes later as Ellie Kane showed composure to put the ball past Harkness when put clean through on goal before substitute Teigan McCann added a fifth late on. 

Lucy McEwan did have a chance for a consolation but was denied by Grant in what was a game to forget for the home side as Accies continued in their pursuit of Hearts at the SWPL2 top of the table with an impressive display.

Glasgow GIrls: Harkness, McTear, Gallagher, Smith, Docherty, MacLeod (“30), C McGuire, K McGuire (“71), Ferrol, Kerr, McEwan. Subs: Rabbitte (“30), Porteous (“71)

Hamilton Academical: Grant, Quinn, Connolly, McIntosh, Anderson, Sturrock (“63), Kane (“80), Fitzsimmons, Muir, (“72) McGuiness (“80), Ross. Subs: Pollard (GK), Fraser, McCann (“72), Sloey (“80), Cullie (“80), Quigley (“63).

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