WOMEN KICK OFF LEAGUE CAMPAIGN WITH 5-1 WIN

Dundee United got their Scottish Women’s Premier League Two campaign off to a fantastic start defeating Stirling University 5-1. 

First half goals by Cassie Cowper, Erin Ross and Robyn Smith were added to by Smith’s second and Danni McGinley despite Jodie Malcolm’s consolation for Stirling. 

Head Coach Graeme Hart made two changes from the League Cup win over Kilmarnock; the suspended Jade McLaren and injured Laurie Ross replaced by Erin Ross and Erin Cattanach for her first start. 

It was a fast start for United at the Regional Performance Centre as within the opening sixty seconds Stirling keeper Ellie Mitchell had to look sharp to hold a Tammy Harkin header from a Danni McGinley throw in. 

After just five minutes the deadlock was broken through Cassie Cowper; a Rebecca Foote pass found the summer signing and she let fly from 30 yards into the top corner for her first goal in United colours. 

Harkin and McGinley both had opportunities to increase the lead shortly after but couldn’t find the target. 

The advantage was doubled in the sixteenth minute when McGinley saw her shot blocked by Mitchell but Erin Ross was on hand to net her first goal since the 2019 season. 

Mitchell was in great form in the first half as she did well to push away a close range header by McGinley just after the second goal. 

Stirling’s first opportunity of the game fell to Rebecca Robertson in the 22nd minute but her lob was wayward and off target. Robyn Smith headed wide for United before the half hour mark while Harkin saw her effort pushed over the bar by Mitchell. 

Foote and McGinley worked well down the left wing in the 33rd minute, leaving players in their wake however the latter saw her shot creep past the post. 

The lead was extended again two minutes before the break as Harkin and Rachel Todd combined to ping a cross in for Smith to head home at the far post. 

United started the second half as intensely as the first and almost went further ahead twice in the opening 90 seconds; McGinley rifled past the post before Ross rattled the crossbar from a Todd cut back. 

They did find the net for a fourth time five minutes later and it was last season’s top goalscorer Smith who grabbed her second of the afternoon. 

Stirling did get on the scoresheet in the 56th minute when Jodie Malcolm beat Meach at her near post but it was nothing more than a consolation. 

Sub Steffi Simson came agonisingly close to netting just after coming on but couldn’t stretch enough to reach a teasing Todd cross. 

It wouldn’t be a game unless Danni McGinley got on the scoresheet and she did so with just over twenty minutes remaining; Cowper tried for a second long range goal but was denied by the palms of Mitchell however the keeper couldn’t recover in time to deny the striker who finished powerfully into the net for her ninth of the season. 

Despite being four goals ahead, Graeme Hart’s side were keen to add more with McGinley, Georgie Robb and Simson all denied by the last line of defence. 

Substitutes Alex Robson and Neve Guthrie also came close as Mitchell saved their efforts deep into the final moments of the game. 

The result puts United top of the league on goal difference in a perfect view after the first league game of the season. They now travel to Rugby Park next Sunday to take on Kilmarnock. 

Dundee United: Meach, Cattanach (Kern 60), Cowper, McGinley, E. Ross, Smith (Simson 69), Todd (Robson 73), Foote, Burns, Harkin (Guthrie 60), Clemison (Robb 73) 

Sub not used: Perry 

Stirling University: Mitchell, Engelhard, Robertson, Lyons (Sanchez 64), Malcolm, Gallagher, Flynn-Scott (Bryden 89), Hellgren, Watson, Gullan, Troll 

Subs not used: Bonner, Hynd, Hill, Rainer

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Featured is the squad picture taken on Thursday night.

Back row: Chloe Clemison, Danni McGinley, Alex Robson, Tammy Harkin, Haley Kern, Jade McLaren, Rachel Todd

Middle row: Mark Dryden (Physio), Erin Ross, Erin Cattanach, Aaliyah-Jay Meach, Megan Burns (captain), Lauren Perry, Cassie Cowper, Rebecca Foote, Lee Smith (Media Manager)

Front row: Fraser Reid (Goalkeeping Coach), Georgie Robb, Laurie Ross, Robyn Smith, Steffi Simson, Neve Guthrie, Graeme Hart (Head Coach)

Missing from photo: Rebecca McMillan and Philippa McCallum