FC Killie Show Title Credentials!

A double for Donna and another five for goal machine Linda Brown.

FC Kilmarnock 9 - 2 Inver-Ross LFC
(SWPL Match - Sunday 11th May 2003, 2.00pm Kick Off)

Before going into this game FC Kilmarnock knew that they required just 9 points to retain the Premier League title and they were eager not to let any slip ups get in the way of their desire to repeat last season's treble winning performance. With the opposition having traveled all the way from Inverness, the Killie girls knew they had to make home advantage count from the very start of the game...and that's exactly what they did.

Their clever, dominant play immediately caused problems for the Inver-Ross defence and Killie dictated the play crossing the ball in from both wings to create several chances early on. In fact the goals started pouring in as soon as the 7th minute when Linda Brown scored from a Hough cross. From then on the Killie girls simply looked a level above the young Inverness side whom had seven under 19 national squad players in their team, but looked in awe of the league leaders.

Killie swarmed all over Inver-Ross in the first half, scoring five goals from open play. However, a rare goalkeeping error did allow the opposition to sneak one in the net before the half time whistle sounded, but it was nothing more than a consolation and there was more of the same punishment to come.

The second half continued in much the same vein although the home side struggled to keep the pace of the game high and at times looked sluggish in defence. Killie added to their goal tally however with another four goals being scored. Disappointingly another defensive blunder allowed a shot to be deflected into the Killie net, again giving the visitors scant consolation for their efforts.

At the end of the ninety minutes the score line read 9-2 in favour of the home side with goals from Linda Brown (5), Jo Love, Donna Cheyne (2), and Bev McLaughlan. FC Kilmarnock have no game this week as the women's national team take on Ukraine in the European qualifying campaign at Livingston. Killie's next games are Tuesday 20th and Thursday 22nd against Hamilton and Hibs respectively. A win in both games will see them lift the league title for the 2nd year running!

FC Kilmarnock: Johnstone, Kerr, Smith, Burns, Fowler, Sneddon, Hind, Hough (McLaughlin 32), Love, Cheyne, Brown.

Match Report courtesy of Angie Hind