Spartans manager Debbi McCulloch praises attacking duo after entering draw against Motherwell

Caley Gibb and Becky Galbraith were amongst the goals at Ainslie Park as Spartans played out a 2-2 draw with Motherwell.

In an action-packed game, victory was snatched out of the Edinburgh side’s grasp as the visitors equalised in the dying minutes of the game. It is the third draw this season between the two sides, with only two points separating the teams in the SWPL. However, the fluidity of Spartans attack in the second half delighted manager Debbi McCulloch as her side continued their good form.

“Caley [Gibb] has great energy about her,” McCulloch told the Edinburgh Evening News. “Defensively or attacking, she always wants the ball, she wants to get the ball back. I thought her finish was really composed because it broke to her quite unexpectedly. That’s what we ask of our forwards, to go and to be composed and take their chances. Similar with Becky [Galbraith] too. It was a great run to stay onside in the first instant and great composure to finish. Two really good goals and we will go into Hamilton feeling confident.

Spartans had an early scare as Tiree Burchill’s goal-bound effort was well saved by Alicia Yates. Galbraith almost got the opener for the hosts as she headed the ball past the keeper but a Motherwell defender was on hand to clear. Hannah Robinson was unlucky not to see her distanced effort hit the net as it dipped over the bar. Just before halftime, Yates pulled off a magnificent save to keep out Carla Boyce’s shot from just outside the box to keep the score 0-0.

Alana Marshall shields the ball from Lauren Doran-Barr. Credit: Malcolm Mackenzie

Kayla Jardine put the visitors ahead three minutes into the second half with a brilliant long-distanced effort that lopped over Yates and into the net. Galbraith almost got the equaliser five minutes later as Emily Mutch matched the striker's powerful effort. Seconds later, the equaliser would come for the hosts as Gibb perfectly placed the ball past the keeper to get the hosts back on level terms. Spartans pushed for a winner and Mya Bates did fantastically well to run down the wing and square it to Galbraith but her effort hit the outside of the post and went out. The hosts finally got themselves ahead with 10 minutes to go, as Galbraith was brilliantly played through, one on one which allowed her to slide the ball past the keeper. However, their lead didn’t last long as Boyce got on the end of a corner to head in the equaliser for the visitors with three minutes to go to end the game 2-2.

“I thought it was a really good and entertaining game of football; it was pretty much end to end there at the end,” McCulloch added. “We lost a soft goal but again we came back which showed great resilience. I thought for the first time in a wee while we were going to get a result against Motherwell but we lost a goal from just switching off at a corner. I’m really proud of our resilience again, to come out and perform really well in the second half again even after losing a goal early on, it shows great character. It would have been great if we seen it out. Nothing lost, nothing gained.”