SWPL Cup
Sunday, February 16, 2020
McDiarmid Park, Perth

ST JOHNSTONE…0

CELTIC…6
(Green 1, og 22, Ewens 51, 75, 98, Donaldson 81)

CELTIC recorded their first competitive win of the season in torrid conditions, as Fran Alonso’s side put St Johnstone to the sword with a punishing 6-0 win in Perth.

Summer Green opened her Celtic account after only 86 seconds, before an own goal helped the Hoops to a 2-0 lead at the break, and Rachel Donaldson’s effort and a Sarah Ewens hat-trick sealed a confidence boosting win ahead of their league opener against Glasgow City this Friday evening.

Ewens did well to force a corner within the opening minute, allowing the visitors to take an early lead as Green placed Lisa Robertson’s corner right into the top corner across the stretching keeper.

And a touch of fortune helped Celtic double the lead in the 22nd minute as Chloe Warrington saw her low cross turned in by a St Johnstone defender.

Celtic created a host of opportunities but had to wait until the 51st minute for their third goal. A diagonal ball found Green who drilled a low cross through the packed box for Ewens to slot in her first of the day at the back post.

With 15 minutes to go and the conditions worsening, the Hoops went four to the good, with Green and Ewens linking up again, with Green pulling it back for the hat-trick Celt to take a touch by the defenders and bury a classy finish.

It was 5-0 in the 81st minute, as Josi Giard and Donaldson combined after coming off the bench as the German Celt went on a mazy run inside to lay it off for Donaldson who finished with ease.

And the Celts maintained their punishing form until the last kick of the ball, as Ewens forced a Donaldson cross over the line despite St Johnstone’s best efforts to deny her a last-gasp hat-trick.

Next up, Celtic face Glasgow City in their SWPL1 opener this Friday (February 21) at K-Park in a 7:30pm kick-off.

CELTIC: Logan, Bartle (McBrearty), Craig (McCulloch), Clark, Warrington, Ross, Robertson, Green (Giard), Teegarden (Brenda), Ewens, McGovern (Donaldson)

Subs: Kerr, Smart

Ewens hat-trick as Celtic fire in six against the Saints