- By Amy Canavan
- ` Scotland
1 hour ago
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Leanne Ross was appointed permanent Glasgow City head coach in March
“I expect a huge response and I would be very disappointed if I didn’t get it.”
Strict words from Leanne Ross, Glasgow City head coach. Her name has graced the club record books after playing for the SWPL giants for 14 years.
However, within a week she set a record few could have predicted.
Never before have City suffered three home defeats in a row. Until now.
Second home defeat reduced the championship lead to two points. Celtic, who caused the first of those defeats, were then eliminated from the Scottish Cup in the semi-finals.
So what happened to the Scottish heavyweights?
“Six cup finals, but déjà vu hits”
Two weeks ago, City were eight points clear at the top of the table and had won 14 of 15 games under Ross since the former captain took over from Eileen Gleeson on an interim, then permanent basis.
Her side had scored 67 goals and conceded just two, each in 8-1 victories.
The only blemish on their book was a lonely 0-0 draw at Rangers.
Then runners-up Celtic rocked at Petershill Park.
The visitors shot four goals past Lee Gibson, who was forced to save two penalties. Natalie Ross’ opener marked the first time City had fallen behind Ross’ clock.
If eyes weren’t on the Rangers’ trip to City three days later, they soon were. How would the 15-time SWPL champion react?
Disappointing, was the reply. There was déjà vu as City sliced open and equalized with ease but ultimately delivered an injury-time winner.
Ross explains her team have “six cup finals to win the league” but they won’t have a real cup final after losing to Celtic again in the last four.
Glasgow City’s performance in the semi-finals was greatly improved, enough to give Ross renewed hope.
“The question will be how the players are going to react and I agree with Leanne Ross, she said she saw a better version of them in the semi-finals,” former City midfielder Leanne Crichton said on the Behind the Goals podcast ‘ by ` Scotland.
“It will boil down to psychology”
Ross got the city job after a nearly flawless audition. These are the first questions the 41-year-old is asked.
Seven goals have been conceded in three games while only nine have been lost in their last 30 domestic games.
Scotland international Lauren Davidson is the SWPL’s top scorer with 23 goals this season. She hardly endures a losing streak but has not scored in three league games.
“I thought there were a few basic things,” said Scotland captain Rachel Corsie.
“The care on the ball, the simple things that these players are very rehearsed to do, you could tell they just weren’t going right and it took a toll on confidence.”
City’s fate is still in their own hands as they sit two points clear of Celtic with six games remaining.
They yearn to reclaim the SWPL trophy that was theirs for 14 years until last season.
“The reality is, if you had told Glasgow City at the start of the season, after losing the league title to Rangers last year, that they would be on pole with six games to go, I think they would have bit you take your hands off it,” Corsie said.
The first SWPL split system shook things up.
The deposed champions face an exciting resolution to a title race that could go all the way to the end.
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