Fran Alonso took his Celtic FC Women side into their first pre-season friendly of the season today, as the Hoops took on Southampton in a behind closed doors match at Barrowfield.
Celtic returned this week from a pre-season training camp to Gran Canaria, however, were unable to arrange a match over there, so it was back to Scotland before the first ball of the new season could be kicked in earnest.
There have been a number of changes to this Celtic side who lifted the domestic cup double last season, with seven players – Cheyenne Shorts, Chloe Warrington, Maia Olafsdottir-Gros, Annie Timoney, Rebecca McAllister, Tyler Toland and goalscorer of that Scottish Cup final winner Izzy Atkinson, all leaving the club over the course of the summer break.
Coming through the door have come only two new additions -as of yet – in the shape of former Lewes left sider Lucy Ashworth-Clifford alongside former Hibs attacker – and great grand-daughter of Celtic legend Patsy – Amy Gallacher, as Celtic lined up for this one: Marwaha, Craig, Clark, Hayes, Ashworth-Clifford, Robertson, Ross, Larisey, Jacynta, Gallacher and Shen.
And it was Gallacher who was felled early doors in this one and after two minutes Celtic were awarded a penalty. Chloe Craig then scored for the spot to put Celtic a goal to the good, in a game separated into three 30-minute sections to allow for rotation of players, rather than the traditional game of two halves.
The scoreline remained the same after that first thirty minutes and Ashworth-Clifford, Larisey and Ross made way for Bowie, Burchill and McAnemy at the break in play, as Alonso sought to give opportunities for gametime to as many players as possible.
And that was repeated on the 60-minute mark, as with still no further score, Shen, Jacynta, Hayes and Clark left the action to be replaced by Ferguson, Potter, Cusack – and somewhat intriguingly by an unnamed trialist.
Southampton then levelled the game, also from the penalty spot in the 67th minute – how dare they – when new Saints signing from Ipswich defender Paige Peake scored from the spot.
From there Celtic decided to use the option of rolling subs as Gallacher made way for Goldie and Ashworth-Clifford re-joined the action replacing Craig with 12 minutes left to play, and with five minutes to go and still the game at level-pegging Robertson left the action and was replaced by Dobbins.
The match finished 1-1 in the end, with Celtic ending this encounter with an incredible ten teenagers on the field of play, as the Hoops got some much-needed match action under their belts against Joe Sheehan’s promotion winning Barclays Women’s Championship Southampton side.
A good run out then for Celtic against a solid opponent, as Fran Alonso and his players look to build up to an SWPL season that kicks off on 7 August, with Celtic hosting Hibernian at the Penny cars Stadium.
And the welcome sight of Natalie Ross and Lisa Robertson returning to this Celtic side certainly whets the appetite for the new season – as does that un-named trialist. I wonder if we’ll hear more on that one in the coming days!
Niall J
