Queens Ladies welcomed Falkirk Development to the NWCC for match 6 in scorching conditions. Queens were on the front foot from kick off and had three clear chances before Megan Masterton opened the scoring on 4 minutes with a fine strike across the keeper from inside the box.
Falkirk nearly grabbed an equaliser moments later, the ball hitting the bar after some hesitancy in the Queens defence. The game flowed from end to end with good chances falling to Eve Jackson and Holly Ovens, but they couldn’t hit the target. However a lung bursting run from Cairn Houliston down the left ended with Cairn firing the ball into the net on 20 minutes. Queens dominated the play for the rest of the first half but Falkirk were dangerous on the break, particularly down their left hand side, and it needed good defending by right back Freya Brown to snuff out the threat from Falkirk on several occasions. However it was Queens who increased their lead just before half time when Cairn Houliston again cut in from the left and shot home to put Queens 3-0 ahead.
Queens made a couple of changes to freshen up the team in the stifling conditions and it was substitute Kirsty Macdonald’s corner after 48 minutes that was met by Charlotte Smith who powered home n unstoppable header into the corner of the goal. Charlotte popped up again on 53 minutes to slam the ball home after an initial effort was blocked. Three minutes later a stramash in the Falkirk goalmouth saw several players trying to get the ball in the net from close range with Holly Ovens finally squeezing the ball just over the line. Queens were now in full control and in the 61st minute Megan Masterton scored with a powerful header from another Kirsty Macdonald corner. Megan completed her hat trick in the 87th minute, powering into the box on the right hand side before slamming the ball into the net to make it 8-0 to Queens.
Despite the scoreline, Queens had to fight hard for their win, with the Queens defence, centrebacks Siobhan Hodgson and Chloe Maxwell flanked by Freya Brown & Maisie Copland in the first half and Mya Meechan and Leona Smith in the second, having to contend with some good play by the Falkirk midfielders, and only several superb saves by keeper Sophie Ingram prevented Falkirk getting a consolation goal. However in difficult conditions due to the heat, Queens showed again that they are well deserving of their current place at the top of the league, one point above Giffnock Ladies.
FULL TIME – Queens Ladies 8 Falkirk Development 0
Next week, Queens Ladies travel to Giffnock to take on Giffnock Ladies in the League Cup.
