Leanne Crichton opens up on Rangers’ title race frustration despite trouncing Celtic
Leanne Crichton has admitted this international break comes at a bad time for her Rangers side after trouncing rivals Celtic 3-0.
A Katie Wilkinson hat-trick sent Rangers up to second in the Scottish Women’s Premier League as they swept aside their rivals on Monday.
Despite Celtic shading the possession, the visitors had 15 shots on goal to the hosts’ five, and Hoops goalkeeper Adelaide Gay had to make five saves to Jenna Fife’s zero.
The victory put Rangers within one point of league leaders Hearts, while Celtic are now six points back in fourth following a second straight defeat.
Amid Glasgow City’s poor run of form and Rangers winning three on the spin in the SWPL, Crichton wishes she could keep her players from going out on international duty.
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Rangers’ momentum halted after Celtic win
Ahead of facing long-time league leaders Glasgow City on 22 March, Rangers were eight points adrift of their neighbours, with talk of a title seeming fanciful.
Fast forward to the present, though, and Crichton’s team are now one point ahead of them, with Glasgow suffering three consecutive defeats.
| Form of SWPL’s top three | Last three results |
| 1) Hearts: | L,W,W |
| 2) Rangers: | W,W,W |
| 3) Glasgow City: | L,L,L |
Off the back of this Celtic game, Rangers would be a match for anyone. And that is why Crichton could not help but bemoan the timing of this latest international break. However, some will still stay behind.
She told RangersTV: “I wish I could just keep everybody here and not send them anywhere but unfortunately that is what happens with international players.
“We wish them well as we always do, we hope that they get on with their national teams and get them back safe and well.
“The ones that remain will keep working hard, we know exactly what we need to do now to be in this title race, to deal with our own business.
“We can get right into that as of Wednesday, the players will have a day off tomorrow to relax and recover and rejuvenate. The ones that go off on their travels we’ll wish them well and for us we’ll get to work.”
Rangers prepare for exciting title race
After looking down and out not so long ago, Rangers are in with a great shout of lifting the league title at the end of the season.
However, there could still be plenty of twists and turns along the way, as these past weeks have shown.
Few would have predicted Glasgow City would have gone on a 20-match unbeaten league run, only to lose three on the trot.
And Rangers’ season could be derailed in the coming weeks as they prepare to face leaders Hearts at home, followed by fifth-placed Hibernian on 24 and 29 April, respectively.
After taking on Montrose in the Scottish Cup semi-finals in early May, they still have to play Partick Thistle, Celtic, and Glasgow City in their final three league games.
So everything is still to play for.
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