Rangers & Hearts net 11 on SWPL opening weekend

Rangers, Glasgow City, Hearts and Motherwell continued the high scoring on the opening weekend of the new SWPL season.

With defending champions Celtic having won 9-0 on Saturday, Sunday’s five games produced a further 39 goals.

New arrival Katie Wilkinson got last season’s runners-up Rangers off the mark in their 11-0 win over Aberdeen at Balmoral and netted three more for Jo Potter’s side.

Rio Hardy and Lizzie Arnot each scored twice with efforts from Laura Berry and Olivia McLoughlin and a Chloe Gover own goal completing the scoring.

Hearts also netted 11 in what was a nightmare start to life in the top flight for promoted Queen’s Park.

New signing Kerry Beattie opened the scoring inside two minutes and grabbed her second just a few minutes into the second half.

Fellow new arrivals Lauren Wade and Jackie Richards both hit a brace as well as Sade Adamolekun and Georgia Timms. Youngster Jess Husband was also on the scoresheet for Eva Olid’s side. Emma Craig scored Queen’s Park’s only goal.

Glasgow City found the back of the net seven times without reply against Montrose.

Samantha van Diemen scored her first for the club, Nicole Kozlova grabbed a double and Sofia Maata netted a hat-trick. Veteran Jo Love closed out the goals for City.

Motherwell were 5-1 winners over Spartans at Ainslie Park. Hannah Jordan gave the home side the lead before Bailley Collins found an equaliser.

Defender Rachel Todd scored from the spot just before half-time and Spartans were reduced to 10 players shortly after when Robyn McCafferty was shown a straight red card.

Second-half goals from Sarah Gibb and Morgan Cross and a second from Todd completed the scoring for Paul Brownlie’s side.

Hibernian fought to a 2-1 victory over Partick Thistle. Abbie Ferguson opened the scoring for Hibs before Tegan Bowie grabbed their second just after half-time. Emma Lawton got on the scoresheet for Thistle.

On Saturday, academy graduate Maria McAneny and new arrival Saoirse Noonan both scored twice for Celtic.

Lucy Ashworth Clifford, Jenny Smith, Amy Gallacher and new signings Bruna Lourenco and Signe Carstens also netted.