'It's down to us to finish season on a high'
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The Herald Scotland
19 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Docherty confident Crichton can lead Rangers' SWPL title charge
The Ibrox side have lost out on the title on the final day of the campaign for the last three successive seasons, something that has rankled with Docherty. 'I have know Leanne for a long time,' she said. 'We played together and I know that she is a winner. She is coming here to win things and make sure that we are going into games with the right approach. 'That isn't just one off games or the big games but making sure we are turning up week in, week out. There is pressure when you play at a club like Rangers but that pressure is because we want to be winners. Read more: 'That is the message that Leanne will get through. I think we have all had time to process it now but not winning the league but it was tough. We have to use it as fuel this season. 'We have come very close but obviously we want to go and cross that line and I think it means being consistent across the board. 'We were switched on last season in terms of goals and the possibility of the title going to goal difference but we fell short in certain moments. 'That's what has to change.' Meanwhile, Hibs striker Eilidh Adams has accepted that Grant Scott's side will find this season a different challenge again as they look to defend a title that few expected them to claim. They host Aberdeen at Meadowbank this afternoon with the striker determined that the Hibees can buck expectations again. 'It was incredible for us and if we were all being honest I think we would say that even we didn't think we would go all the way and win the league,' said the striker. 'But having achieved it was just an amazing moment for us. It took a long time for it to actually sink in that we had done it but having had a taste of it we want more success now. 'We know that teams will write us off again this season but we feel that we have been over the course now and we are determined to go and challenge again. 'It is difficult – you can see that across recent years as teams have struggled to defend the title – but we are excited rather than intimidated by that. We are champions and with that comes a bit of pressure.' Celtic had a season to forget last term as they finished fourth. There has been chaos behind the scenes this summer with ten departures and only two arrivals to date. They are away to Hearts today with Chloe Craig, who missed the season with an ACL, accepting that last term wasn't good enough. 'On a personal level it was obviously tough but in terms of the team, just having to watch and not be able to influence was really challenging. 'We know what it is like to win silverware and titles so we are determined to be back in amongst it this season.' Emma Brownlie has swapped Hearts for Glasgow City and is excited to make her mark at Petershill. City have endured back-to-back seasons with no silverware, something they are out to arrest this term. '100% we believe we are going out to try and be as successful as we possibly can be,' said she said. 'I am excited to get started here at City and I feel that everyone is ready to go and challenge for the title.'
Daily Mail
35 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Rangers 4 Alloa 2: There's no case for the defence as hosts stumble into next round of Premier Sports Cup
There was warm applause around Ibrox at the end. No drama. No catcalls. But, my goodness, only the most myopic of Rangers supporters could have failed to see the red flags raised by this almighty struggle of a victory. Particularly with regard to the defence. Considering League One Alloa could barely get up the pitch in the initial stages, it is quite remarkable that this Premier Sports Cup last-16 tie was only settled right at the death when home substitute Findlay Curtis served up an excellent finish to make it 4-2. Not as remarkable, though, as the goals the home rearguard in a much-changed side gave away to keep it so competitive. Flamin' Nora. To say that Russell Martin's men continue to look wobbly at the back is a cataclysmic understatement. Right now, you could put them out against 11 training-ground dummies and the chances are they'd still find a way to concede. One-up through Nedim Bajrami, the concession of an equaliser through a Joe Rothwell own goal midway through the first half was just bonkers. A calamity of errors verging on straight-out slapstick. After an effort from Manny Fernandez and a James Tavernier penalty had created a false sense of security among the home support, the Scott Taggart goal that made it 3-2 was just so easily conceded. More fuel to the argument that defending against set-pieces is a real Achilles heel within this team. It was like taking candy off a baby. So, yes, Rangers are through. They got the job done in the end, but it wasn't pretty. As for anyone forcing their way into the starting XI for Tuesday night's Champions League play-off first leg with Club Brugge? Hmmm, don't bet on it. Nasser Djiga was the only survivor of the midweek visit to Viktoria Plzen, but no one really stood out. Mikey Moore made his debut on the left wing and showed some nice touches in the first half, in particular, before going off. Rothwell returned to midfield and was okay. Bajrami played a big part in the destination of the game, in the end, but only a brave man would bet on him taking a starting jersey in the big matches. Thelo Aasgaard also made his first appearance after injury and delivered one strong run that required a save from visiting keeper Liam McFarlane. With Hamza Igamane not fit enough to begin games, Rangers certainly had better hope Cyriel Dessers is back fit because you cannot possibly continue with Danilo. He was anonymous here, hasn't scored a goal in competitive action and doesn't look like scoring one. As for who plays at left-back, it certainly won't be Bailey Rice, who had a torrid time out of position. Jayden Meghoma is close to signing on loan from Brentford, but, with Jefte off to Palmeiras and Ridvan Yilmaz tipped for a return to Turkey, more competition in that area of the park will surely be required. Rangers did have the lion's share of the ball against Alloa, as you'd expect. There wasn't enough consistent aggression in their play, though. At times, it felt like they were trying to bore their opponents to death instead of blowing them away. Moore, in fairness, showed up well from the off. Within 10 minutes, he'd had three goes at goal of varying quality and played a part in setting Bajrami up for the opener. Rothwell played a forward pass from midfield, Bajrami nudged it out to Moore on the wing and he fed it back inside to the Albanian. His curling effort from outside the area was destined to hit the net all the way — eventually finishing up there off the underside of the crossbar. At that point, Alloa had barely been able to get the ball out of their own half. Then, they realised that just launching the ball and putting some remote element of pressure on this Rangers backlot is likely to bear fruit. On 24 minutes, after Steven Buchanan had tested Liam Kelly, the visitors made it 1-1 thanks to the kind of defending that could only have been made more comical had the Benny Hill theme tune been playing over the tannoy. Buchanan skinned Rice and made it to the byeline. His low shot cracked off Kelly, rebounded off his leg and fell to Luke Rankin. His shot was then blocked by the arm of Rothwell on its way to goal, but it didn't matter. There was more chaos to come. Stefan Scougall scuffed an effort goalward, Max Aarons attempted to boot it clear and succeeded only in whacking it straight off the nut of the grounded Rothwell — seeing it shoot back in the other direction and cross the goal-line. Madness, really. Thankfully for Martin, Fernandez, making his competitive debut, got Rangers back in front — and prevented the atmosphere from descending into something uncomfortable — before the half-hour. Oscar Cortes didn't do much during the game, in keeping with the rest of his Ibrox career. However, he did win a free-kick out on the right and that paved the way for Rothwell to send a quite delicious delivery into the heart of the area. Fernandez seized his moment well — with an unchallenged header from inside the area beating McFarlane all ends-up. That's when it should have become a procession, but it didn't. Kurtis Roberts tested Kelly with an ambitious effort from about 40 yards after another defensive mix-up and, after being skinned one time too many, Rice came off for Tavernier at the end of the opening 45. The goal that offered Rangers welcome breathing space after a decent start to the second period finally came via the penalty spot on 67 minutes. McFarlane parried a shot from Bajrami into the path of Cortes and it looked like the Colombian would score until Alloa substitute Cameron O'Donnell appeared from nowhere to block. It was as clear as day the ball had struck his hand, with the only surprise being that it took so long for the VAR check that led to referee Daniel McFarlane going to the pitchside monitor and giving the award. Tavernier stepped up to smash the penalty low and hard off the inside of keeper McFarlane's right hand post and that should have been that. Only it wasn't. After seeing Conor Sammon caught by Fernandez when clean through on goal after an intercepted pass from Djiga, that old problem of being unable to deal with set-pieces made for an interesting last 10 minutes. O'Donnell fired in a free-kick from the right, David Devine rose high at the back post and, when his header came off the underside of the crossbar, Taggart was waiting on the goal-line to stick it into the net. It took Curtis, not long on for Cortes, to settle the nerves seconds from the end of the regulation 90 when taking a pass from Kieran Dowell on the right of the area and placing it first-time into the net off the far post.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Can Yengi's first goal ignite his Aberdeen career?
Kusini Yengi has endured a tough introduction to Scottish football. More stumbling start than hitting the ground in a dominant Aberdeen performance that dispatched Greenock Morton to reach the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup, the Australia striker looked like he might just be starting to find his first goal for the club earned the Dons a maiden victory of the season. Can it ignite his Pittodrie career as Jimmy Thelin's men turn their attention to the Europa League play-off against FCSB? 'He looked better & better' Yengi was brought to the club from Portsmouth in the summer when loan strikers Kevin Nisbet and Oday Dabbagh both departed after helping Aberdeen end a 35-year wait for Scottish Cup pair left a sizeable void, but Yengi had a torrid time on his league debut against Hearts in the Premiership opener. The 26-year-old looked off the pace and offered little to the Aberdeen quickly followed and he fared little better in the defeat to Celtic. Given he was injured for most of last season, some of the harsh judgments appeared against Morton – admittedly lesser opposition – Yengi showed promising signs which eased the heat on him, fair or used his towering frame to good effect, winning aerial duels, holding the ball up and bringing others into the his touch and control often looked clumsy in those opening two matches, at Cappielow he played some clever balls to link-up with team-mates who seemed to be more on his while his goal was an easy finish into an unguarded net, getting off the mark is vital for any striker at a new club."How he was as a target player was really good," Aberdeen manager Jimmy Thelin told BBC Scotland."I'm also happy for him to score the goal today. He was in the right place and he looked better and better."When new players arrive, sometimes it's really quick, sometimes it's six or 12 months [to settle]. But it was nice to see his timing with his team-mates and also that the team-mates start putting the ball into the box."We arrived with more opportunities than we did in other games. It was more directness in our game." Dons primed for 'dream' tie From a player who appeared completely devoid of confidence, Yengi looked a different proposition, and as well as the improvement in his attacking play, he also put a shift in for his side."I'm really happy with his work for the team," said Sivert Heltne Nilsen, who set the Dons on their way with the opening goal."He did really well in the pressing and hard work. If everyone is doing like Kusini did, the goals and the results will come for the whole team."He did a really professional performance and I'm so happy for him to also get a goal."Of course one good performance against a Championship side who, as their manager Dougie Imrie admitted, showed far too much respect to Aberdeen is not enough to convince that the Scottish Cup holders have turned the corner, it is at least a step in the right direction."I'm happy how we attacked them today," Thelin added."It was more clear. I think the players got better and better timing with each other. And when the timing is there, it's easier to play football."The acid test of Yengi - and the Dons - will come against FCSB, formerly known as Steaua Bucharest, in the looming double-header. The Romanians head to Pittodrie on Thursday and Aberdeen have postponed next weekend's league game with Dundee United before the return side are guaranteed European football but the prestige and money of the Europa League trumps the Conference League, where they will parachute into if beaten by FCSB. "Now I can switch my head all over to Steaua Bucharest," Nilsen said."It's going to be amazing to play a European game at Pittodrie. It's like a dream come true to play in a Europa League play-off."I think we have a good chance and we'll do everything to get into the Europa League."
