WOMEN DEFEAT BOROUGHMUIR 4-1 AND MOVE TO THIRD

Two goals in either half were enough for Dundee United to defeat Boroughmuir Thistle 4-1 on Sunday as they moved up to third in the SBSSWPL2.

Megan Burns and Robyn Smith had Gavin Beith’s side flying and, despite Brogan Anderson pulling one back, Jade McLaren and Holly Napier sealed the points at the Regional Performance Centre.

There was just one change from the side that had picked up seven points in the previous three games; Erin Ross picked up a knock and missed out meaning Haley Kern was drafted in for her first start. 

The game was just 103 seconds old when United took the lead as Stina Kleppe’s free kick caused problems inside the Boroughmuir box and it allowed Megan Burns to chip the ball over Charlotte Ferguson. 

Holly Napier and Kleppe were both unable to find the target from the edge of the box as United looked the sharper side in the opening stages. 

Strike partners Neve Guthrie and Robyn Smith combined for the latter to have a go at goal in the tenth minute but she couldn’t bend the ball past the keeper. 

Boroughmuir worked their way back into the game and had their first opportunity nine minutes later as Fiona Gibson rifled past the post from 20 yards out. 

Some excellent work from Thistle found Ashley Carse in space but she couldn’t keep her effort down on the edge of the box. 

United were to double their lead seven minutes before the break when Burns’ cross was spilled allowing Smith to collect and lay it off to Kleppe; her shot took a deflection into the path of Smith who had the simple task of tapping in to an empty net. 

Smith had the ball in the net again just after half time but the referee ruled it out as she was judged to have been offside. 

Kleppe had another couple of chances but it was Boroughmuir who were to strike next as they reduced the deficit just after the hour mark. Caroline Nachman parried a powerful shot but was unable to recover before Brogan Anderson scooped the ball over the grounded keeper. 

Anderson almost equalised shortly after while at the other end Smith and Napier were denied by Ferguson. 

The two goal lead was restored with sixteen minutes remaining when a defence splitting pass by Guthrie found Philippa McCallum; she sent a cross towards fellow sub Steffi Simson who then squared it for Jade McLaren to finish. 

Boroughmuir could have pulled another goal back in the 85th minute as they broke inside the box only for Alex Robson to put in a great challenge to win the ball as the trigger was away to be pulled. 

Napier delivered a coup de grace as the game eked into injury time; the midfielder and Smith playing a neat one-two ending in the former stroking the ball past Ferguson. 

There was almost a fifth right at the death as Simson saw her spectacular effort go inches past the post with the keeper beaten. 

The result takes United up to third in the table with a trip to Kilmarnock at Rugby Park on the cards next Sunday. 

Dundee United: Nachman, McMillan, McLaren, Guthrie (Robson 83), Smith, Napier, Foote, Burns, Kern (Simson 56), Kleppe (McCallum 72), Clemison 

Subs not used: Robbie, Carter, Meach 

Boroughmuir Thistle: Ferguson, Gibson, Goodchild, Wilkinson (Trialist 78), Lynch, Anderson, MacLeod, McCabe, Duncan (Templeton 71), McLean (Smith 46), Carse 

Subs not used: Clark, Solomons, Davie, Moodie

The photo is courtesy of Craig Doyle.