Glasgow City are back.
Without a trophy since 2023, the Petershill club claimed the first silverware of the season with a 2-1 win over Rangers at Fir Park to take the Sky Sports Cup. Four points clear at the top of the SWPL and with a Scottish Gas Women’s Scottish Cup semi-final in the diary, a treble now looks like a tantalising possibility.
Fir Park, though, was all about the here and now. In biblical weather that showcased the full Scottish climate of four-seasons-in-one-afternoon, it was hard not to observe that this is a City side who have weathered recent storms.
If their latest was the loss of the influential Nicole Koslova to an ACL injury a few weeks back, yesterday’s victory was a reminder that the balance they have throughout the squad this season has made them the team to beat.
Lisa Forrest took the headlines with a 90-second second-half brace that blew Rangers away. The Ibrox side were too late with their response to make the five minutes of added time anything more substantial than an antsy finale.
Katie Wilkinson pulled a goal back with a minute of regulation time remaining but by that stage Forrest had inflicted serious damage to their trophy aspirations. The 19-year-old netted the opener when she stabbed home Lisa Evans’ corner from close range but her second was worthy of winning the Cup.
Picking up on Rangers’ slackness in possession, she pounced on the ball before advancing forward and unleashing a ferocious effort into the top corner.
The younger sister of Celtic’s most decorated player, James Forrest, and Hearts winger Alan Forrest, there is a fear that Lisa will forever be batting questions away about her celebrated siblings.
Yesterday’s performance suggests she can make a name for herself in her own right.
Not that she was too shy to claim the family bragging rights.
“I speak to my brothers about normal stuff rather than football but obviously they wished me good luck before the game,” she said. “I am sending them my goals, though.
“And, yeah, definitely me [when it comes to the best goal!].”
City manager Leanne Ross revealed after the game that Forrest is the only member of the Glasgow City squad who has featured in every game this season. The last time City celebrated a trophy with the 2023 SWPL title, Forrest was coming through the ranks.
“It is the best moment of my career so far,” she said. “The last time City won the league, I had just signed my first professional contract. So to be part of the first-team and be involved so regularly makes it feel different.
“It is just an incredible moment. I was so happy when I saw the ball hit the back of the net. The first was something we have practiced in training so it was great that it came off.
“The second one came because my team-mates are always on at me to shoot more. I saw it opening up and I just thought that I would have a go.”
This was Glasgow City’s first league cup win since 2015 and their first domestic cup win since 2019. It also means that are now level with Hibs in having won this competition seven times.
Ross told the players in the aftermath of the game that one of her regrets is not savouring such moments adequately. As such, she was keen that they take it all in yesterday afternoon although the players were still reporting for duty as normal this morning.
“It is important now that they get the chance to enjoy it – but they will still be back in today to get ready for Wednesday’s game against Hibs.
“They were already in the ice baths as they celebrated in the dressing room!
“They will have the chance to enjoy it but they know that every game is a big one now.
“But I thought we deserved to win the game yesterday. I thought we were the better team.”
Rangers manager Leanne Crichton cut a frustrated figure in the aftermath of the game.
She was irked at the result, the performance, the lack of added time and irked, too, at her own decisions within the game.
However, she has maintained that the despondency at full-time will be motivational as the players look to recover.
“The only way you become a winner is by suffering defeat and set-backs,” she said. “Today was going to shape the season one way or another – you take the first piece of silverware and all the confidence that brings or you take the disappointment and you learn how to process it and digest it.
“I was frustrated with the corner that led to the goal. The second was a huge sucker-punch.
“We threw a lot at the game and I was frustrated that we didn’t get the time added on. I know there was rain, hail, snow and wind and everything in between but I felt there was still one more moment there.
“Unfortunately the time was whittled down with the ball never in play and that was a frustration.
“But we will be fine. This is a young team.
“For some it is the first cup final. For some it is the first time they have lost a cup final. We have a game against Partick Thistle now on Wednesday night.
“We are still in two competitions and we are excited about them.”
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