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From Stateside to Strathclyde, Scottish forward Morgan Cross returned to Scottish football this summer following a five-year stint at the University of South Alabama, where she netted 23-times in 89 appearances under a full scholarship at the Jaguars.

The 22-year-old, who has received international recognition for the Scottish national team at U15, U16 & U17 age categories, impressed scouts on a summer youth tournament in the states and secured the next step in her career as a result.

“Playing across in the US had a huge impact on me as a player,” Cross said.

“My first introduction to women’s football was playing for Central Girls. We played in a summer tournament in Florida and that’s where I was seen by my University coach.

“From there he reached out about the opportunity to play Division 1 football and it was an opportunity I couldn’t turn down.

“One memory that particularly stands out is our 2020 Sunbelt tournament final. We were one-nil down with five-minutes to go and I scored twice to win our second tournament in a row. I’ve never felt an adrenaline rush like it, and I still look back on the game as one of the best I’ve ever played in.

“Playing alongside girls from almost every continent that also dreamed of going professional in the future really helped drive our standards and keep our program successful during my time there.”

A spell at English second-division side, Coventry United followed, but recurring injuries curtailed the 22-year-olds progress in the West Midlands, with Cross unable to find consistency in the English Championship.

“After graduating, I had ambitions to keep playing at a high level and had the opportunity to join Coventry United in the English Championship,” Cross explained.

“I failed to get a consistent run of games due to injuries and receiving a concussion 40-minutes into my first game was definitely not what I envisioned. However, I still really enjoyed my time there and would love to play in England again.

Looking to re-establish a consistent run at senior football, Cross returned to Scotland after five years, with Head Coach Paul Brownlie seeking to enhance his forward line at K-Park.

The Dunfermline-born striker signed on the dotted line, as the women of steel’s 12th acquisition of the summer transfer window, with Cross making her debut in a 3-1 victory over Montrose.

“After a period of five-years being away from home and coming off my first hamstring injury, I felt it was a good time to come back home and be closer to family,” Cross outlined.

“I was attracted to Motherwell because of Paul. We’d previously worked together at Scotland U15s and almost at the National Performance Centre, so I was delighted with the opportunity to play under him again.”

However, historic hamstring injuries resurfaced, leaving the forward out of matchday contention and forced to recover from the sidelines, as the women of steel faced a turbulent run of form.

“The game against Montrose, when I got re-injured and the process since then has been one of the most frustrating and difficult challenges of my career,” Cross noted.

“It’s the longest I’ve been out through injury and not being able to help contribute to the team especially through the current spell has been difficult.

“The recovery process has been slow, but I’m starting to get back out on the pitch, so hopefully I can be back playing very soon.

Defensive indecision and attacking complacency have continued to undermine the early signs of optimism for the women of steel, with the squad picking up one win from five, in a six-nil thriller over Dundee United.

With an international break and a two-week hiatus on the horizon, Paul Brownlie’s side will look to regroup and respond ahead of a crucial tie with Rangers next month.

“I think this season we haven’t always got what we deserved out of certain games,” said Cross.
“I’m certain the team has enough quality to keep creating chances and hopefully we can be more ruthless in-front of goal going forward.

“I would love to contribute however I can to the team, whether that be goals, assists or just working hard for the players around me. My targets for the rest of the season are to get back playing consistently and remain injury free.”

Motherwell return to action this weekend, looking to kickstart their SWPL campaign after narrowly conceding what could’ve been their first victory on the road to Montrose last weekend.

Chelsie Watson fired the visitors into the ascendency late into the second-half with a precise header from a floated Kayla Jardine delivery, but Montrose rallied late on, and denied Motherwell the three points from the penalty spot.

As the focus shifts firmly to the arrival of Partick Thistle this weekend, Paul Brownlie’s side will look to head into the forthcoming international break on a high.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

The women of steel will be poised to reclaim their domestic dominance in East Kilbride after defeats to Aberdeen and Hibernian derailed what has been a magnificent start to the season at K-Park, with the women of steel securing four wins from their opening six.

The hosts’ previous encounter with Sunday’s opponents looked destined to conclude in a goalless stalemate, as both sides defensive displays were on show, until a late Megan Robb strike left Motherwell returning from Glasgow empty-handed.

Brownlie will potentially have more options at his disposal this weekend, as Eve Donald returned to full-contact training in the past week. Morgan Hay will be doubtful for this weekend’s encounter after the defender faced an unexpected setback following a brief return to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

Partick Thistle

Brian Graham’s side are in fine form, securing four back-to-back victories in all competitions, netting nine times across that spell. The Jags sit five-points behind defending champions Glasgow City in third, as the Glasgow side look to secure successive top-six finishes.

There will be numerous familiar faces in the red and yellow on Sunday, as Emma Lawton, Kodie Hay and Claire Adams all return to face their former side.

Ticket Information

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £8
• Concession – £3
• Under 11s – Free to enter.

*Concession tickets apply to those over 65, and to 12–17-year-olds, with full-time students also eligible with a valid matriculation card.

Additional information – no pets allowed within K-Park.

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match.

Misfortunes on the road persisted in the North-East coast, as Motherwell failed to capitalise on their dominance in possession and countless goalscoring opportunities, with Montrose netting a late equaliser to deny the women of steel their first away victory of the 2023/24 campaign at Links Park on Sunday.

Chelsie Watson netted her first goal of the campaign, pouncing on a dangerous Kayla Jardine corner late into the second half, as Motherwell looked certain to finally earn their rewards from performances in recent weeks, but a late Louise Anna Brown penalty kick restored a point for the hosts.

Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made two changes from the side that suffered a harsh defeat to Aberdeen prior to the international break, with Katie Rice and Laura McCartney returning to the starting XI, as Tara McGonigle and Sarah Gibb settled for a place on the bench.

Seeking to redeem themselves following their Sky Sports Cup exit at Links Park in October, Motherwell started firmly on the front foot and almost netted the opener within the opening exchanges.

Amy Anderson’s chipped through ball fell kindly to the feet of Bailley Collins who fired a low effort to the left of Montrose stopper Lauren Perry, who reacted well to deny the forward before gathering the follow-up effort from Jardine.

Motherwell continued to flood the hosts penalty area, with Laura McCartney’s drilled delivery flashing across the face of goal, but Carla Boyce’s resulting finish narrowly evaded the near post.

The women of steel’s composure in the final third failed to materialise, as the half drew to a close, with countless efforts evading the Montrose goal.

As the second half resumed, Jardine almost broke the deadlock after latching onto Watson’s floated delivery, firing a precise volley towards the bottom-right corner, but Perry again reacted well to produce a smart stop.

Motherwell’s frustrations in-front of goal seemed destined to persist as the full-time whistle neared, but with 10-minutes remaining, the visitors finally found the breakthrough.

Jardine’s floated delivery from the left sailed invitingly into the path of Watson deep into the Montrose penalty area, and the towering defender powered home a precise header for her first goal of the campaign and establishing the slimmest of margins to defend in the final few minutes.

However, Motherwell’s disappointment and frustrations on the road were compounded, as Montrose secured a penalty in stoppage time, as Charlotte Gammie fell theatrically under the challenge of Collins. Brown stepped up, and despite Emily Mutch guessing the correct way, the strikers low effort narrowly creeped into the bottom-right corner.

Motherwell will return home next weekend, as Partick Thistle travel to East Kilbride in what will be a vital encounter for the women of steel, as they seek to turn around their recent run of form.

The thought of redemption will have remained firmly in the sights of the women of steel, as Sky Sports Cup action returned to the domestic calendar. Paul Brownlie’s side were left to reflect from the sidelines after their disappointing exit to Montrose last month.

Misfortunes from the penalty spot and an array of squandered opportunities epitomised the women of steel’s troubles on the day, as the hosts cruised to a commanding three-goal advantage.

With a trip to Links Park on the horizon, Motherwell will be looking to finally conclude their misfortunes on the road by securing their second league victory over Montrose this season.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

The brief hiatus from the domestic calendar will have provided the squad with much needed time to reflect and recuperate from their frustrating defeat to Aberdeen at K-Park, with the hosts dominance in possession and goalscoring opportunities failing to be reflected accurately in the scoreline.

Despite maintaining the fourth-best home record throughout the 2023/24 campaign, behind only title-chasers Rangers, Celtic and Glasgow City – Motherwell have struggled to replicate such dominance on the road, with the squad yet to achieve their first points.

The visitors previous league meeting with Sunday’s opponents saw the women of steel secure a comfortable 3-1 victory in East Kilbride, as Katie Rice, Louisa Boyes and Kaela McDonald-Nguah all found the target.

Montrose

The Gable Endies saw their Sky Sports Cup journey come to a conclusion last weekend, with Partick Thistle netting two quickfire goals late on to cancel out Louise Brown’s second half opener.

In contrast to Motherwell’s frustrations on the road, Montrose sit perilously at the foot of the SWPL home form guide, picking up a solitary point at Links Park in their opening six league encounters.

As both sides seek to address their troubles both home and away, Sunday’s encounter will mark a pivotal moment in the season for both sides.

Ticket Information

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £7
• Concession – £5

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match.

From ML1 to the Mediterranean coast, Kayla Jardine has continued to represent the women of steel under the international spotlight.

The Scots faced a daunting triple-header with victories required over Iceland, Belarus and Serbia. However, despite missing out on their target, Jardine strengthened her international goalscoring pedigree, netting twice across the U19 Euro 2024 Qualifying campaign in the Albanian capital, Tirana.

“It’s always an honour to get the opportunity to play for my country,” Jardine explained.

“Although the results weren’t great, I still feel I performed well in each of the games and scoring two goals is an added bonus.

“I feel the experience and scoring the two-goals really gave me a confidence boost heading back into club level and hopefully I can continue that form.”

The 18-year-old, who extended her stay at the club this summer after signing a short-term loan deal in January, was recalled to her parent club Rangers before making her first appearance of the 2023/24 SWPL campaign, as injury woes hampered the Glasgow side.

Returning to Lanarkshire for the second time this season, Jardine is focused on overturning the women of steel’s tumultuous domestic form whilst continuing her development at K-Park.

“There’s definitely positives to take from the season so far.” Jardine noted.

“There’s been games and performances where we know we are capable of a lot more individually and collectively. We are aware we need to be more consistent and if we find that consistency game to game then we should pick up more points as the season goes on.

“Personally, I am hoping to get consistent game time, so that I can become more familiar with playing at first-team level which will allow me to develop more as a player.”

Paul Brownlie’s side brought their month-long goalless drought to an emphatic conclusion, drilling six-goals past a dysfunctional Dundee United side to reinvigorate their ambitions of a top-six finish this season.

However, inconsistency on the road and misfortunes at home have continued to hinder the squads progress, with Aberdeen racking up five goals in a disappointing defeat at K-Park last weekend.

“As a squad we knew it wasn’t good enough,” Jardine acknowledged.

“We could’ve taken so much more out of that game, but it ultimately came down to our mistakes which cost us the goals. [Paul] told us that it wasn’t good enough and we have to reflect on our individual performances”

Motherwell will face another week-long hiatus from domestic football, with cup action back on the horizon, providing the squad with the ideal opportunity to prepare for their third meeting with Montrose this season, whilst reflecting upon their early Sky Sports Cup exit to the Gable Endies at Links Park in October.

“The next game after a defeat is massive,” Jardine said.

“A reaction is needed from the squad and it’s good that we have an extra week to prepare for the next game. It’s important that we approach training with the right mentality and work on the things that need improved on.

“The cup game was a tough one to take as a team as we didn’t perform to the levels we know we are capable of. It’s a chance to right the wrongs made in that game which is what we will look to do come next week.”

There were no fireworks on display for the women of steel, as a clinical Aberdeen side punished attacking complacency, with Motherwell left to rue their squandered opportunities on a disappointing evening at K-Park on Sunday.

Bayley Hutchinson strengthened her goalscoring pedigree for the season, firing four goals past Emily Mutch, with youngster Darcie Miller also finding the target. Carla Boyce and Kayla Jardine both netted, but the visitors cruised to a commanding three-goal advantage in South Lanarkshire.

Head Coach, Paul Brownlie made two changes from the defeat to Hearts at the Oriam prior to the International break, with Tara McGonigle and Carla Boyce both returning to the starting XI, as Murron Cunningham and Kaitlyn Canavan were made available from the bench.

Motherwell came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the opening few minutes, as Bailley Collins latched onto Kayla Jardine’s incisive through ball, bending a threatening effort towards the bottom-left corner, but Annalisa McCann reacted quickly to produce a smart stop.

The hosts continued to threaten and almost found the breakthrough moments later, as Gill Inglis’ floated cross-field pass sailed invitingly into the Aberdeen penalty area, with Jo Addie lurking in the box, but the defender couldn’t apply the finishing touches.

Paul Brownlie’s side were denied what proved to be the first of many notable penalty claims, as Tara McGonigle was hauled down directly on the 18-yard line. The winger darted across the face of goal from the right-hand side and looked to have been impeded with a late-lunging tackle, but the referee waived play on despite the adamant pleas of the Motherwell squad.

Motherwell were left to reflect on their numerous chances on goal, as the Dons netted the opener late into the first-half, with Bayley Hutchinson finding the target from close-range.

Motherwell again thought they might’ve had an instant route back into the game, with their second penalty claim of the evening, as McGonigle’s chipped cross from the right clearly struck an Aberdeen arm in the penalty area, but the referee ruled against awarding the penalty.

Nevertheless, Motherwell pressed forward and deservedly found the breakthrough through Boyce, with a close-range finish moments before half-time.

As the second half resumed, Motherwell struggled to pick up from where they left off, and the visitors capitalised with two quickfire goals.

A quick counter-attack left Hutchinson racing through on goal, and the striker fired a low delivery across the face of the six-yard box, which Miller calmly converted from a few yards out.

Moments later, the striker was through again, coasting past numerous claret jerseys before placing a composed effort into the bottom-left corner.

In the latter stages of the second-half, Hutchinson secured her hat-trick with a replication of her second. The striker coasted across the face of goal unchallenged and applied the finish to match, leaving Mutch with no chance.

Hutchinson netted her fourth with less than a minute left, as Amy Anderson was pickpocketed on the halfway line and one incisive through ball cut through the Motherwell backline, and the forward calmly dispatched her effort into the bottom-left corner.

Motherwell secured a late consolation, as Jardine’s strike from distance sailed over the head of McCann in the Aberdeen net, but the visitors were able to hold out a three-goal advantage to secure all three points.

Signing from Glasgow Women in the summer of 2022, Lucy Ronald quickly established her place at the core of the Motherwell midfield, but a serious injury sustained in the latter stages of the league campaign would suddenly rule the midfielder out of action.

“We were playing Spartans away from home in the league and just before half time my biggest football fear became reality,” Ronald explained.

“Running towards the ball, I took a really unfortunate landing, and I knew instantly it was bad. I was stretchered off and told the knee was just dislocated.

“In the following days, it became apparent that there was a possibility that I sustained more of a serious injury than just the dislocation. It was then decided that I was to go for an MRI scan which confirmed that it was in fact an ACL rupture.”

A physically and mentally demanding challenge for the 21-year-old, as the women of steel prepared to step onto the Fir Park turf against Glasgow Women ahead of an historic Scottish Cup Semi-Final encounter with Rangers at Hampden Park less than a week later.

“I was absolutely heartbroken to miss out on the opportunity, as it’s been my dream since I was a little girl to play at Hampden,” Ronald said.

“It was the toughest month I’d ever experienced as a player and as a person, missing out on both Hampden and Fir Park.

“It really has taken me awhile to accept that it happened and is in the past. However, I’m also an incredibly determined person and will do everything in my power to get that opportunity again.”

Even at 21, the youngster has had a wealth of experience in the women’s game, captaining Glasgow Women at only 18 and has since become an integral part of the Motherwell squad, playing through the majority of her maiden season in claret and amber.

However, the road to recovery is a daunting process for any player, and Ronald acknowledged that the severity of the injury and the expected duration on the sidelines was tough to comprehend.

“I was aware of the time scales attached to ACL injuries. Having witnessed many teammates go through it in the past, I knew how long the process would be.

“I think I was a little bit in denial waiting for the results back and praying that it wasn’t as severe as an ACL, so overcoming the initial shock of knowing what’s in store was really hard.

“I have never really sustained any injury in my career before, let alone one as severe as an ACL injury and the thought of being unable to play the sport I love was obviously the hardest pill for me to swallow.”

With teammates Murron Cunningham and Laura McCartney both recently returning from severe long-term injuries, that collectively amounted to almost three seasons on the sidelines, Ronald expressed the importance of having those with related experiences to aid the recovery process.

“There’s obviously a lot of worry and nerves of the unknown at what exactly the process involves and preparing for the surgery as well, Ronald noted.

“I do think with this kind of injury, you don’t really know what it’s like unless you’ve gone through it yourself, so the reassurance that everything I was feeling was totally normal has been really good for me.

“Having the girls there who have experienced it before was great, as I could fire any question at them, and they were more than happy to help. They’ve been such a good support system to me.”

Despite the sharp conclusion to the campaign, that restricted Ronald from the women of steel’s final eight fixtures, her exceptional displays throughout the season were soon rewarded, as the midfielder was deservedly named the women’s player of the year.

“That was amazing for me personally, to receive the award was really special,” Ronald said.

“It was a special moment for me and my family and the perfect lift just before my surgery, I’m very grateful for the recognition.

“As much as my season ended in the worst way possible, I also had a really positive season and I hope one day I’ll look back at it and be grateful for all that happened.

With Motherwell Women back in action and looking to secure the final top-six place, that narrowly escaped their grasp last season, Ronald is hopeful of making a return to action sooner rather than later, but is cautious not to make an impulsive return.

“[The process] has definitely had its ups and downs so far as expected,” Ronald outlined.

“I knew the journey was never going to be easy and there would be many setbacks along the way. I’m now at a stage where I am building up my strength to start running which is quite a lengthy and frustrating process.

“The days in the gym myself are long and lonely at times, but it’s always motivating when you start to see improvements. I’m not putting too much pressure on myself for my return at this stage, I’m taking every day as it comes and will see what happens, but I would love to feature at some point towards the end of the season.”

Refreshed and rejuvenated following the brief international break, the women of steel return to action this weekend looking to replicate their recent displays in East Kilbride, with Aberdeen the visitors at K-Park on Sunday.

Motherwell coasted to an exceptional 6-0 victory over Dundee United in South Lanarkshire, but struggled to replicate that dominance on the road, as a frustrating defeat to Hearts in the capital stalled the sides hopes of establishing a consistent run of form ahead of the forthcoming international break.

A return to K-Park will be a welcome change of scenery for the hosts, who have maintained the fourth best home record in the league so far – racking up four wins from five this season.

The Tale of the Tape

Motherwell

The women of steel will be aiming to redeem themselves following an opening weekend defeat to Aberdeen at Balmoral Stadium, as Kaela McDonald-Nguah’s brace could only shorten Aberdeen’s commanding three-goal advantage.

Motherwell have proven to be a formidable force at home, netting 14-times and conceding twice across the opening five home ties so far, ensuring victories over Spartans, Hamilton, Montrose and Dundee United.

Kayla Jardine will return to the matchday squad after representing Scotland throughout their UEFA European Championship Qualifying campaign in Albania, with the youngster netting against both Iceland and Belarus whilst featuring in a closely-fought encounter with Serbia.

Aberdeen

It’s been a frightful October for Aberdeen, who have struggled to break their run of five consecutive defeats in all competitions. The visitors have conceded 25-goals across that spell, with heavy defeats to Hibernian, Celtic and narrow defeats to Dundee United and Glasgow City.

The Dons sit level on points with Paul Brownlie’s side in seventh, but trail on goal-difference, as both sides target the elusive final top-six place in the SWPL league table.

Ticket Information

Cash & card payments are also available for this fixture.

• Adult – £8
• Concession – £3
• Under 11s – Free to enter.

*Concession tickets apply to those over 65, and to 12–17-year-olds, with full-time students also eligible with a valid matriculation card.

Additional information – no pets allowed within K-Park.

How to follow the action

Supporters can follow Sunday’s encounter on Twitter @motherwellwomen, with a full report of the action available post-match. Kick-off is at 4PM.

The international break will provide a vital two-week hiatus for the women of steel, and an opportunity to reflect on the season so far, as Paul Brownlie’s side sit three points adrift of Partick Thistle in the final top-six place.

Misfortunes and inconsistency on the road have continued to hinder the early signs of optimism for the squad, who have yet to secure their first points away from home despite maintaining the fourth best home record in the league, outside only title-chasers Celtic, Glasgow City and Rangers. Defender Chelsie Watson acknowledged that the international has come at the perfect time for the squad.

“The international break has come at a good time,” Watson said.

“It gives us a chance to reflect on our performances, time to recover well but also an opportunity to prepare properly for the next round of fixtures.

“Paul and Leanne both spoke about the importance of the break and the timing of it. We have been given individual training sessions to keep us up to speed, so that when the time comes, we are ready to hit the ground running.”

Motherwell brought their month-long goalless drought to a close in emphatic style, drilling six-goals past a dysfunctional Dundee United side to narrow the gap to the top-six in a rampant display at K-Park.

Bailley Collins netted her first Motherwell goal to break the deadlock in the opening 10-minutes before strikes from Jo Addie, Kayla Jardine, Laura McCartney and Gill Inglis put the women of steel five-ahead. Collins, who fired Motherwell into the ascendency, also netted late on to secure an exceptional six-goal victory.

“The game against Dundee United was massive for us as a group,” Watson explained.

“It really showed the strength of the squad’s character. We had been struggling to convert chances in previous games, so to have scored six was great and it merited our performance on the day.”

“We’ve had some really good performances, but have let ourselves down in some games where we know we can get results in.”

The following week, Motherwell travelled to the capital with high-flying Hearts in their sights, but the side struggled to replicate the desire and spirit epitomised in the performance of the previous week.

Hearts racked up five-goals in quick succession and despite a miraculous strike from Amy Anderson, Motherwell were unable to overcome the early setbacks and were consigned to defeat.

“As a squad, we know we are capable of so much more than what we’ve shown so far, but it’s our job to put it right.

“I definitely believe in the quality we have as a group of players, we set high standards every day both individually and collectively. We just need to continue driving our standards and the performances will come.”

“We know how competitive the league is now and it’s something that motivates us to be better everyday. We will be ready to go when the break is over.”

An impressive four wins from their opening five home fixtures at K-Park has secured the entirety of the squads points this season, but replicating those performances on the road will be crucial to earning the elusive top-six place that narrowly escaped their grasp last season.

“We love playing at K-Park and we’ve had some great results and performances there so far,” Watson explained.

“We love the support we get there which really helps us through tough games, but we can’t afford to have off games no matter where we play.”

“Each week we face a new challenge so it’s important that the mentality within the group remains strong and I believe we have that.”