St Johnstone vs Central FA
Official Matchday Programme SBS SWPL 2 Season 2018 19 August 2018 Kick-off 4pm Issue 7 | Cover price £2 Admission £3
MAIN SPONSORS
Main shirt sponsor 2018 & 2019
positivemortgages TM
2
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
MANAGER’S NOTES W
elcome to Central FA, their staff, players and supporters for today’s game. Today’s fixture marks the start of the final third of the league campaign, as all teams play each other one last time in a bid to sort out the final positions in the table. Central have been unable to sustain the positive start they made at the beginning of the season here at McDiarmid Park. Looking at Ian Dibdin’s comments on page 9 you might be forgiven for thinking they have abandoned all hope, but I doubt that’s the case. Ten points off sixth and 11 off fifth must surely give them more of a chance of surviving than the rest of us have of winning the league! Whatever the reasons for Central’s decline, and having been in a similar position losing players to national camps while the league continues we have to have some sympathy, it is important for us to respect the obvious qualities they still have, on and off the pitch.
Jason McCrindle Manager
game last week, it is good to know we have players to come back to strengthen us, and now the summer break is behind us the focus is once again fully on the football. Finally a word on our Scottish Cup draw. It might not have turned out exactly how we wanted, but at the Quarter Final stage there are no easy games. Reaching the last eight fulfils one of our season’s ambitions, so we are extremely pleased to have been in the draw. I hope you enjoy today’s game.
For that reason, let nobody tell you today is a foregone conclusion. There’s no such thing in this league. Once again we will have to be on our game and up for the challenge. As I said after the Motherwell 19 August 2018
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
3
SAINTS 1-2 ’WELL S
aints hosted league leaders Motherwell FC on 5 August, with both sides keen to pick up points again as the season restarted after the break. Motherwell are a strong team, full of experience, including former internationals, so Saints knew they would have their hands full. With a number of absentees, the home side was bolstered by the return to SWPL2 action of Erin McCrindle, who has been playing for Jeanfield Swifts Development in SWFL2 for much of the season. In addition, Eilidh Knox was making her come-back from injury and also featured in the starting line-up.
4
After Motherwell took the lead early in the first half, Rebecca McGowan finished a fine counter-attack with a powerful shot that beat the Motherwell keeper with ease. Saints held on despite having to defend for most of the second half, but eventually Motherwell’s quality came to the fore as Megan Burns scored the winner.
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
E. FIFE 2-3 SAINTS T
he magic of the Scottish Cup frequently conjours up tantalising ties, and none more so than this encounter between local rivals East Fife and Saints. Now playing in different leagues, the only other match between the two teams this season was a pre-season friendly at McDiarmid Park, in which home captain Jade McDonald netted Saints Women’s first ever goal. Despite the difference in standard between the football league and the premier league, Saints knew they would have to be on their
19 August 2018
mettle to overcome a fierce challenge from the SWFL1 North league leaders. The steady rain ensured a slippery surface, but Saints stayed on their feet and held their nerve to emerge 3-2 winners thanks to a Hannah Clark brace following Jade McDonald’s opener. The third round win has guaranteed a last-eight spot for the club for the third year in a row. Our opponents in the last eight will be fellow SWPL2 club Motherwell FC, who will travel to McDiarmid Park for the quarter final on 16 September.
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
5
PLAYER SHIRT SPONSORS
6
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
BOOT & TRAVEL SPONSORS
19 August 2018
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
7
FUTURE STARS C
ongratulations to U15s pair Eilidh Davies (top) and Leah Sidey on their selection for a Scotland WU15 squad camp in Largs next week. This will be the third camp Eilidh has attended within the last 12 months, while Leah makes her debut on this stage. We wish them both all the best for the camp and look forward to following their further development with the club.
SWPL2 TABLE Pos
Team
P
W
1 2
Motherwell FC
14
12
FC Kilmarnock
14
7
3
St Johnstone WFC
14
6
4
Glasgow Girls FC
14
5
Edinburgh University Hutchison Vale
14
6
Hearts FC
7
Aberdeen FC
8
Central FA
D
L
GD Pts
1
1
48
37
3
4
6
24
3
5
-5
21
6
2
6
-9
20
5
4
5
4
19
14
5
3
6
0
18
14
3
2
9
-16
11
14
2
2 10 -28
8
*Last updated 12 August 2018
8
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
TODAY’S VISITORS Central Girls Football Academy’s SWPL2 season started brightly with a win at McDiarmid Park, but results have not gone their way since, as Ian Dibdin explains.
C
entralFA have literally had to rebuild their team since their last visit to McDiarmid Park. With four players taking up US scholarships leaving during the summer break and three others heading to pastures new, the side will be barely recognisable to our previous fixtures with St Johnstone. However, with a couple of strong signings and players promoted up from the youth section it won’t be long before Central have steadied the ship and are again producing their own style of football. On the league front Central were forced to play their last match v EUHV despite various appeals to the league and opponents on the basis that two of the first team’s players were selected to the U17’s National Camp. However, the rules saw Central punished as the national participation rule only applies to the Football League and not the
19 August 2018
Premier League. Given that Chelsea McEachran falls into this catergory the rule was particularly harsh; Chelsea is crucial to Central and to lose her for the game was a massive blow. Chelsea was voted SWPL Player of the Month earlier this season this underlines her importance. A heavy defeat followed, almost certainly condemning Central to relegation. Nevertheless, the club will look to rebuild and return to the top division again in the future.
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
9
Back row (l-r): Steve Grossi, Eilidh McIntyre, Rhianna Tweedie, Amy Henderson, Rachel Todd, Rebecca Cameron, Corrie McIlra Front row (l-r): Rebecca McGowan, Rachel Wolecki, Leah Fleming, Niamh Irvine, John Fettes, J
10
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
n, Corrie McIlravey-Davidson, Roberta-Leigh Cochran, Ellie Cowie, Emma Flynn-Scott, Emma Maclean, Laura Dunn, Scott Knox John Fettes, Jason McCrindle, Rebecca Foote, Megan Moss, Hannah Clark, Emma Sommerville
19 August 2018
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
11
INCHYRA CUP WIN T
he youth section’s National Performance League stars in the U15s blew off the cobwebs of a summer away from the pitch with a fantastic tournament win in Grangemouth. Brilliantly organised by today’s hosts, Central Girls FA, the Inchyra Cup 11-a-side tournament featured squads from eight clubs that are renowned for their youth development work: hosts Central, fellow National Performance League sides Bayside, Boroughmuir Thistle and Kilmarnock, plus Hamilton Academicals, Glasgow Girls and Glasgow City Development. Swifts’ first opponents in the round-robin section of the competition were Kilmarnock. They kicked the day off with a 1-0 win, courtesy of a Maisy Hathaway strike, before drawing 1-1 against both Glasgow
12
City and Glasgow Girls, with goals from Alex Robson and Emma Shipley. Having progressed to the main Cup competition, they beat Hamilton 4-1 (Alex Robson, Beth Dakers, Eilidh Davies x2) in the quarter final, which secured them a semi-final pot against Boroughmuir. A 2-1 win at that stage (goals from Leah Sidey and Sky Steele) earned the Swifts the right to contest a tight final against Glasgow Girls, which they won thanks to a perfect piece of finishing from Leah Sidey. Well done to the whole squad, which included Lottie Stainer who stepped up from the U13s for the day. And many thanks to Central for the invite to take part and for putting together such a competitive tournament.
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
SWIFTS INTO 1/4 FINAL J
eanfield Swifts Girls U15s have progressed to the quarter finals of the Youth Scottish Cup following a very close match against Hearts at the weekend. Playing on the Riverside Stadium pitch normally used by Jeanfield Swifts FC in the East of Scotland League, they were supported and cheered on by a good crowd which included a number of Ross Gunnion's senior team. Swifts took the lead after thirteen minutes, when Alex Robson (pictured right) dribbled through the Hearts defence and calmly slotted the ball past the opposition keeper. However, Hearts drew level four minutes later and a minute after that went ahead when the Swifts lost focus for a brief period.
player of the match Olivia Laing. In the resulting penalty shoot-out, Jeanfield captain Eilidh Davies stepped up to take her team's first penalty and got them off to a positive start. A miss in Hearts' first spot kick gave Swifts the chink of light they needed, and further successes to Keira Brown, Kaitlyn Doig and Abi Buchanan secured the victory 4-2. Swifts travel to Glasgow to face Celtic in the quarter final.
In the second half Swifts had the better of the play by far, but the Hearts defence and keeper were up to the challenge. However, with 20 minutes to play, Emma Shipley once again showed her super-sub credentials netting the equaliser shortly after coming on. With the match all square the sides competed for a further 20 minutes of extra time, but could not be separated thanks to heroics in the Hearts goal and dogged defence by Swifts, especially in the form of 19 August 2018
Alex Robson scored Swifts’ first goal.
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
13
PERFORMANCE J
eanfield Swifts Girls FC, which includes St Johnstone WFC, gave a strong commitment to local elite talent last week, announcing that it would enter a team in the U19 National Performance League in 2019. The move emphasises the club’s desire to offer talented young players the opportunity to train and play closer to home, rather than having to travel to Edinburgh or Glasgow as so many have done in the past. At the same time, by continuing to support a regional league U15s team and the SWFL2 Jeanfield Swifts Development team, the club
is also offering a pathway for those who wish to remain in the game on a recreational basis. As part of this commitment, the club is seeking a Head of Youth Performance (see advertisement below) to coordinate the Performance Pathway, which gives talented young players direct access to the SWPL2 with St Johnstone WFC. By supporting the SFA’s Performance leagues in this way, the club also hopes to retain much needed coaching expertise in the East Region, rather than see a drain towards clubs in other areas.
JEANFIELD SWIFTS GIRLS FC ARE SEEKING A
Head of Youth Performance
UEFA ‘B’ Licence (or working towards) Experience of a performance environment Coordinate our Performance Pathway and look after our U19s National Performance League team next season.
Help produce the next generation of elite players for St Johnstone WFC and beyond! We provide full kit and support for coach education. DM @JeanfieldGirls or call 07940 731668 This is a volunteer position for which references will be sought and mandatory PVG vetting will be carried out.
14
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
A Member Bene ts Scheme
19 August 2018
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
15
ST. JOHNSTONE WFC
2
1 Corrie McIlravey-Davidson A&B Taxis Perth
4
3 Amy Henderson
Rhianna Tweedie St. John’s Centre
6
5 Jennifer Rodgers Milk Hairdressing 16
Emma Flynn-Scott Smith Services
Laura Dunn Radio Taxis
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
SQUAD 2018
7
8
Chiara Grossi Grossi Dry Cleaners
Hannah Clark Station Hotel, Leslie
10
9
Ellie Cowie Master Trophies
Rachel Todd J T Handyman
11
12
Niamh Irvine Liam Anderson Arch. 19 August 2018
Erin McCrindle Victoria Houston Prams
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
17
ST. JOHNSTONE WFC
14
13 Emma Maclean Radio Taxis
15
16
Megan Moss A&B Taxis Perth
17
Eilidh McIntyre AGB Scotland
18
Leah Fleming Fleming SubServ Ltd. 18
Rebecca Foote Ally Foote Flooring
Jade McDonald Stephen Gardiner Homes
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19 August 2018
SQUAD 2018
19
20
Rebecca McGowan easityre
Rebecca Cameron
22
21 Bobby Cochran AM | Architect
Emma Sommerville R&M Bearings
Jason McCrindle GM Projects 19 August 2018
St. Johnstone Women FC vs Central FA
19
SWPL2 FIXTURES Date
Opposition
Result
Date
Opposition
Result
11 Feb
Central Girls FA (H)
1-3
20 Jun
EUHV (A)
4-0
18 Feb
Aberdeen (A)
0-2
24 Jun
Kilmarnock (A)
2-3
11 Mar
Hearts (H)
3-1
5 Aug
Motherwell (H)
1-2
1 Apr
Glasgow Girls (A)
4-0
19 Aug
Central Girls FA (H)
15 Apr
Kilmarnock (H)
4-2
26 Aug
Aberdeen (A)
22 Apr
Motherwell (A)
6-0
9 Sep
Hearts (H)
6 May
Central Girls FA (A)
1-1
23 Sep
Glasgow Girls (H)
9 May
Aberdeen (H)
2-0
30 Sep
EUHV (A)
13 May
EUHV (H)
3-3
21 Oct
Kilmarnock (H)
27 May
Hearts (A)
1-1
28 Oct
Motherwell (A)
3 Jun
Glasgow Girls (A)
0-3
Match Sponsor: Katy's Company
Designed & edited by Iwan Davies, Translutions Ltd. Printed by John McKinlay Printers Ltd., 11-15 King Street, Perth ©Jeanfield Swifts Girls FC 2018