Coach says momentum will only help her side’s bid for clean sweep
JO POTTER hopes the feel- good factor from a League Cup success can inspire Rangers to sweep the board in her first season at Ibrox.
Potter saw her side ease to victory over Partick Thistle as goals from Mia McAulay, Rachel Rowe, Rio Hardy and Liv McLoughlin secured the first silverware of the campaign.
Rangers will now turn their attentions to a SWPL clash with Hibernian next week and a Scottish Cup showdown with Celtic is also on the horizon. The former England midfielder has made a stunning impact since being appointed last summer and is now setting her sights on two more reasons to celebrate this term.
“I think it is big,” Potter said. “It is all about momentum. The first trophy is always difficult. We are always there, we are still there to be caught and we are the ones at the forefront of the league that are there to be got at. Everyone wants to get us. We expect it.
“It is how we perform under that, how we take that pressure. I think that is a big moment today. To retain a trophy is never easy and I said to the girls ‘ this is your trophy, make sure you keep your hands on it and retain it’. We go again for the next one.
“It could be [ a weight off our shoulders]. I think because the expectation on us was to win it. It was all on us to turn up and keep this trophy.
“As we said, I think the performance showed some real character and some real leadership. We managed the game really well in the last part of the game and these are the things that we are looking towards, we are already thinking about the game against Hibs next week. Nothing is easy right now coming towards the end of the season, we know it is going to be tough. It is hard to not look forward at times but there is one trophy there that we need to make sure we enjoy.”
Brian Graham was relieved Rangers did not run riot at Tynecastle as the Partick Thistle
We are always there, we are still there to be caught and we are the ones at the forefront of the league that are there to be got at
boss praised his players for their valiant efforts.
The Jags striker saw his side make history by becoming the first women’s team from Firhill to reach a national final and a strong red and yellow travelling support were daring to dream when Rachel Donaldson produced a stunning strike to cancel out McAulay’s opener. In the end, Rangers’ class and quality were too much for Graham’s side on a tough afternoon.
“We came here to have a go at Rangers and I felt we came out of the blocks really well,” Graham said. “It is fine margins in a game of football. We have one cleared off the line at 0- 0, we lose a sloppy goal with a ball over the top and then Rachel Donaldson shows us a bit of magic and gets us right back in the game.
“Listen, we are playing a very good side in Rangers and when you switch off at set- play, Rowe has been one of the outstanding players in the league this year and scores a magnificent goal. I don’t think we deserve to be 3- 1 down at half time but that is the harsh reality of this level and if you don’t clear your lines properly you get punished.
“We changed the shape at half time. We tried to put their back three under pressure because I felt we had them scared in the first half. But when they score the fourth, I didn’t want my girls to get embarrassed, if I am being really honest with you. It was my decision to go to a back five and shore it up and see the game out. I thought we looked a bit leggy at that stage, we looked out on our feet and Rangers, as the full- time team, the fitness started to show.”