Rampant Lionesses hitAirdrie forsix
A hat-trick from Ashley Fish inspired Livingston to a commanding 6-0 away victory over bottomplaced Airdrie in the SWFL Championship South, writes Angus McGregor.
Fish’s treble was accompanied by a brace from substitute Sophie Gilchrist and a penalty from Jen Dodds as Livi left with all three points.
The visitors started off brightly, creating a lot of chances early on with Fish and Rachel Walkingshaw both going close.
The Lionesses soon made the early pressure count as Fish got her first of the game. Hughes-Lee was the creator, doing well down the right before side-footing a perfect cross onto the head of Fish who made no mistake on the 12 minute mark.
Five minutes later and Fish was at it again with a near carbon copy. Strike partner Dodds was the creator this time with a cross from the right meeting Fish to powerfully head beyond the Airdrie goalkeeper.
It was very much oneway traffic with Fish and Walkingshaw being denied by great saves before Livi got their third on the verge of half-time as Dodds was tripped inside the box.
She picked herself up and sent the keeper the wrong way for her fourth of the season.
The second half followed the same pattern and the fourth goal came only three minutes after the interval.
A great ball from Jess Murphy freed Walkingshaw in the box who squared for the oncoming Fish to earn her hat-trick to make it six in three games for the summer signing.
The strike duo of Fish and Dodds would make way for Teri Deegan and Gilchrist, however, this wouldn’t stop the West Lothian side’s attacking intent.
Hughes-Lee went close before Gilchrist made it five, emphatically finishing from close range following a driven cross from Ali Strike.
She would not stop there and combined well with substitute Vicky Wood to round off the scoring.
The skipper delightfully nutmegged a defender with Gilchrist instinctively firing into the bottom left corner for her second.
With just under half an hour to play, the Lionesses continued to create but were unable to add to their six goals.
The win sees Livi in fourth place but only two points behind leaders Gartcairn and Edinburgh City. The latter face Livingston on Sunday at the Tony Macaroni Arena (2pm kick-off ).