BLUE HEAVEN
Silver lining as Potter’s side lift Scottish Cup after league title slipped from grasp
THE rain fell steadily at Hampden yesterday afternoon but there was a ray of sunshine for Rangers and head coach Jo Potter as they won the Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup for the first time in their history.
It will not offset the frustration of failing to clinch the league title — which was lost on goal difference to Celtic last weekend — but this was the first salve on that wound.
Rachel McLauchlan opened the scoring against Hearts midway through the first half with a rasping 25-yard effort that arched into the top corner before Lizzie Arnot made certain of victory with four minutes left.
With the League Cup banked as well, it has not been a bad return for Potter following her first season in the SWPL.
However, with the biggest budget in the league at her disposal, there will be a feeling that this campaign ought to have been one when Rangers emerged as Treble winners.
That will be a conversation for another day.
Watched yesterday by Philippe Clement — just 24 hours after his Scottish Cup final defeat to Celtic at the same venue — chief executive James Bisgrove and chairman John Bennett, this was all about finishing the season on a positive note with more silverware.
‘He (Clement) said it was good for him to come and watch us lift the trophy,’ revealed Potter.
‘It was the same with John Bennett. It is so important for the club to have us winning trophies and being here to experience that. It means a lot to them and it means a lot to us that they are in attendance at these games.
‘They have showed faith in us all season. It is disappointing the result that they (Clement’s team) had yesterday but, again, in the same breath, he is saying they are super proud that we are lifting that trophy.
‘We are all under the one umbrella. I have said this all the time. I thanked John because, the promises they gave me when they offered me the job, they have stood by every single one of them. There has never been a moment where you think: “I was promised this but it didn’t quite happen”. Everything that was laid out, they have done it. They have a willingness to push the game forward.
‘They want to inspire another generation. That is so important to the club and that message is getting filtered all the way through. We are under one roof and it is so important for the women’s game that happens because it pushes other clubs to do the same.’
This match was played in front of a 4,372 crowd, less than half of that for last season’s final, albeit that was contested by Celtic and Rangers.
But the game itself was not the simple procession towards the trophy for Rangers that might have been anticipated.
Hearts were dogged and, although Rangers had chances to put them to bed, they failed to kill them off.
It was, as Potter accepted, indicative of the season.
‘We create so many chances and that is the story for this season,’ she said. ‘It doesn’t hide the fact that we create a lot of chances and we should score more goals. But Lizzie has a tendency to pop up with special goals at special times.’
Hearts manager Eva Olid gambled in the latter stages of the game before Rangers exploited the space that was left as the Tynecastle side looked for another goal.
However, the Spaniard insisted that Hearts, who were watched by the club’s managing director Ann Budge, are closing the gap on the top three of Celtic, Rangers and Glasgow City. ‘We felt they were getting nervous,’ said Olid. ‘Because of that, in the 80th minute, we changed the plan and we just wanted to score.
‘We put more players forward and tried to put balls (forward) and create but, on the counter, they score and the game was done. We had to try, however.
‘I’m proud that, at 2-0, we were still trying to score because you never know.
‘I was saying in the changing room, all the objectives we had at the beginning of the season we have met. Everything, fourth place, more points, more goals, a final.
‘For me, the next step is at the beginning of next season, saying: “We have to win the final”.
‘This season was about arriving in a final, which was massive for us. But, of course, next season we want to be more ambitious with our objectives.’
SCOTLAND manager Pedro Martinez Losa has been linked with Lyon, according to reports in his native Spain.
The French side are searching for a new head coach due to the impending departure of Sonia Bompastor, who is expected to replace Emma Hayes at Chelsea.
RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Esson 6; Docherty 7, McLAUCHLAN 8, Hill 6, Middag 6 (Hardy 59); Maclean 6 (Rowe 59), Cornet 7 (Bance 90); Hay 6 (McAulay 59) Arnot 8, McLoughlin 6; Howat 6 (Ewens 86). Booked: None. Manager: Jo Potter 7. HEARTS (3-5-2): Parker-Smith 6; Brownlie 6, Girasoli 6 (Penman 90), Waldie 6; J Husband 5 (Mooney 83), Grant 5, Lockwood 6, E Husband 5 (Michie 90), Forsyth 5; Adamolekun 6 (Rennie 59) McGovern 5. Booked: Girasoli. Manager: Eva Olid 6. Referee: Calum Scott 7. Att: 4,372.