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It proved to be a disappointing afternoon on the North-East coast, with hosts Montrose compounding Motherwell’s frustrations on the road, holding the women of steel to a two-goal stalemate at Links Park.

Bailley Collins broke the deadlock in the latter stages of the first-half, drilling home a low strike past Rachael Perry, but former Motherwell striker Kaela McDonald-Nguah responded in the second-half, rattling the Motherwell crossbar with an unstoppable finish that ricocheted kindly into the roof of the net.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie made two changes from the side that were defeated by defending champions Hibernian at K-Park a fortnight ago.

Defender Katie Rice returned to the Motherwell starting XI, with Tegan Browning settling for a place amongst the substitutes alongside Hannah Cairns, making way for striker Carla Boyce who led the line.

The women of steel capitalised moments before half-time, with Carla Boyce driving across the right flank before drilling a low delivery across the face of goal, and Bailley Collins was on hand to prod home the opener from close-range.

Motherwell hoped the opening goal would rejuvenate their frustrating first-half display, but the hosts relented, and equalised minutes into the second-half. Countering with pace, Montrose pressed high into the Motherwell half, with the ball falling kindly to McDonald-Nguah at the edge of the penalty area, and the striker made no mistake, lashing home a powerful strike off the underside of the crossbar before nestling into the roof of the Motherwell net.

Both sides pushed for the decisive winner in the final stages of the game, with Motherwell turning to Kodie Hay and Hannah Cairns on the bench, but neither side could find the eventual breakthrough.

The women of steel will return to action in a fortnight’s time when they travel across Lanarkshire to face local rivals Hamilton at New Douglas Park.

Matchday 10 of the 2025/26 SWPL campaign awaits the women of steel this weekend, as they travel through the M90 towards the North-East coast when they face Montrose at Links Park on Sunday.

The women of steel will have their eyes set on redemption after enduring three back-to-back defeats to both Hibernian and Celtic. Motherwell sit eighth in the SWPL table, two points shy of the Gable Endies in sixth.

Motherwell will be keen to right the wrongs of their home meeting against Montrose earlier this season, with the visitors leaving K-Park with a comfortable 4-1 victory.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

A five-nil defeat to the defending champions a fortnight ago would’ve certainly frustrated Motherwell, who certainly showcased a stronger performance than displayed in recent weeks, but five consecutive set-piece goals left the women of steel with much to reflect on, as they return to competitive action this weekend.

Motherwell will be keen to separate themselves from the sides sitting towards the bottom of the league. Paul Brownlie’s side could move 10-points clear of Hamilton at the foot of the Premier League table if they secure victory at Links Park.

Full focus will be on kickstarting Motherwell’s away form, as the women of steel have yet to pick up a point on the road after defeats to Glasgow City, Rangers and Hearts. Victory would propel the women of steel back into the top-six if results elsewhere remain favourable.

Montrose

The hosts lead Motherwell by two-points in the final top-six place, earning victories in three of their nine SWPL ties this season. Montrose returned to winning ways a fortnight ago, defeating Partick Thistle two-nil at Petershill Park.

Ticket Information 

Tickets can be purchased ahead of time HERE or through the matchday turnstiles at Links Park. Both cash and card payments are accepted.

• Adult – £12.
• Under-16 – £6.

The woes of Motherwell’s disappointing Sky Sports league Cup exit have persisted in recent weeks, as title-chasers Celtic compounded a frustrating start to the 2025/26 campaign, comprehensively overpowering the women of steel at New Douglas Park a fortnight ago. 

Defending SWPL champions Hibernian racked up nine goals in the Scottish capital to seal a second-round Sky Sports League Cup exit before title-chasers Celtic comfortably swept the women of steel aside to seal a commanding 7-1 victory in ML3, with former Motherwell talisman Morgan Cross netting twice to epitomise Motherwell’s frustrations in recent weeks. The Edinburgh side replicated their successes in the Premier League the following weekend, capitalising on Motherwell’s set-piece frailties – netting five in similar circumstances despite an encouraging display from the hosts.

Consistency has been the prevailing factor in Motherwell’s recent struggles, with the women of steel’s exceptional home form failing to translate on the road. Prior to last weekend, Motherwell remained unbeaten in their last three at K-Park, defeating local rivals Hamilton in the first Lanarkshire derby before achieving victory over Aberdeen. A 1-1 stalemate with Partick Thistle continued to maintain Motherwell’s recent unbeaten record in East Kilbride.

However, the fixture list has proved to be unforgiving, with Motherwell facing all five full-time teams away from home in the opening few months. Despite some encouraging performances, the women of steel have yet to pick up a point on the road, scoring twice. Midfielder Mason Clark remains confident that the squad can overturn their recent disappointments.

“It has been a frustrating couple of weeks,” Clark acknowledged.

“It’s never nice to lose football games especially with the amount of goals we have conceded.

“We haven’t come anywhere near the standards Paul, the staff or we as players expect from ourselves, but we are back at training with a fresh mindset and we know what we are capable of as a team.

“We have a really close bond within the dressing room, and we have seen elements of what we’ve tried to implement this season, but collectively we haven’t showcased the ability we have as a group.

“Exiting the Sky Sports Cup, especially in the manner we did was incredibly disappointing as a squad to accept. We had an honest conversation as a team after the game, and we knew we had to quickly put that result aside and start to build our confidence back.

“Despite the scoreline, the Celtic game had positives for us to take. We were a few minutes from heading into half-time with a one-goal deficit and putting ourselves in a strong position to respond in the second half, but suddenly Celtic put the game beyond us.

“It was important for us to review the game and move on with a fresh mindset and not dwell too much on the recent run of form.”

Motherwell have an opportunity to recover, and regain their composure this weekend, with the international break providing the ideal opportunity t0 rebuild their confidence ahead of a tough set of fixtures.

“We are all motivated to respond,” Clark added.

“We were all disappointed, frustrated, and angry at the recent results, as we didn’t give a fair reflection and account of ourselves.

“Hibs were the defeated finalists last season, and are the defending SWPL champions, so it’ll never be an easy task, especially as a part-time side, but we gave everything we could.

“Everyone is hungry for more and the training has been very energetic. The team are fuelled to go and get back in action as soon as possible and earn a result which reflects our ability.”

The women of steel will return to action in a fortnight’s time, heading up the M90 to the North-East coast when they face Montrose at Links Park on Sunday. A venue that has proven unpredictable for Motherwell in recent years, with Paul Brownlie’s side receiving a defeat and two one-goal stalemates before an assured four-nil victory in January.

“Montrose can always be a difficult venue for visiting teams,” Clark explained.

“They built a really strong foundation at home in the post-split last season, with five straight victories, so we recognise the challenge, but we achieved a really positive result last season, and we feel we have the ability to replicate our performance from that game.

“We have an opportunity to respond, and I can’t wait to see you all there.”

Matchday nine of the 2025/26 SWPL campaign awaits the women of steel this weekend, as they return to South Lanarkshire to face defending SWPL champions Hibernian at K-Park. 

The women of steel will be firmly focused on mounting the desired response against Hibernian after enduring a heavy defeat to Hibernian in the second round of the Sky Sports Cup almost a fortnight ago.

Motherwell remain sixth in the SWPL table, cut nine-points adrift from the top-five, whilst remaining level on points with Aberdeen in seventh.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

Last weekends disappointing 7-1 defeat to Celtic failed to dispel the building frustrations amongst the squad after leaving the Scottish capital with a 9-0 defeat the previous weekend.

The women of steel have had much to reflect on over the past week, as they prepare to return to competitive action this weekend, with the squad nearing full strength, as Lily Boyce, Orla Burn, and Julia Gorska return from international duty with the Scotland under-17 squad. 

Motherwell will be keen to separate themselves from the sides sitting towards the bottom of the league, and re-establish their foothold in the final place of the top-six. Paul Brownlie’s side could move three-points clear of Aberdeen, and 10-points clear of Hamilton at the bottom of the SWPL table if they can secure their first victory over Hibernian since a 2-3 victory away at Meadowbank in 2023.

Hibernian

The Hibees have continued their quest to restore their SWPL crown, defeating title-rivals Rangers at Meadowbank last weekend to continue their five-game unbeaten run. They head to K-Park, with victory in their sights to close down their five-point gap to Glasgow City at the top of the SWPL table.

Ticket Information 

Tickets can be purchased through the matchday turnstiles at K-Park. Both cash and card payments are accepted.

• Adult – £10.
• Concession (Over-65s and Under-17s) – £5.
• Under-11 – FREE TO ENTER.

Additional Information – no pets allowed within K-Park.

Matchday Travel 

• Sunday 19th September 2025, kick off 4PM. 
• The Ross Commercial Finance Stadium at K-Park, Calderglen Country Park, East Kilbride, G75 0QZ.
• First Glasgow service No.21 stops at Jura Slip Road, a 10 minute walk from the stadium. East Kilbride railway station is approx. 20 mins away on foot.
• Free on-site parking is available, with overflow parking signposted at the park entrance. Please follow the one-way system upon your exit.
• Selection of hot food, baking, confectionary and both hot and cold drinks available at the kiosk before and during the match.
• Follow our live matchday coverage on the Motherwell Women X (formerly Twitter) account.

We have entered a new partnership with Phoenix Specialist Solutions.

The brand will feature on the back of the Women’s first-team home and away shirts for a minimum of two years.

Phoenix Specialist Solutions is a local company who specialises in street lighting, road marking and traffic signs and were previously the back of shirt sponsor for
the first team.

“We are delighted to support the Women’s team and the women’s game by becoming their new back of shirt sponsor,” Managing Director, David Clark commented. 

“I wish Paul and the team the very best of luck this season.”

“We are delighted to welcome Phoenix Specialist Solutions to the women’s team partnership portfolio and thank David for his continued support of the club,” Suzanne Reid, Commercial Director at Motherwell FC added.

“Through this agreement and other partnerships, we have surpassed the club’s commercial revenue figure to date for the Women’s team.”

“It is wonderful to continue our association with David and another local business that are truly invested in the club’s long-term success, and I very much look forward to working with them again.

Motherwell’s league Cup woes persisted in South Lanarkshire, as title-chasers Celtic comprehensively overpowered the women of steel in an afternoon to forget at New Douglas Park. 

Celtic comfortably swept the women of steel aside to seal a commanding 7-1 victory in Ml3, with former Motherwell talisman Morgan Cross netting twice alongside teammate Saoirse Noonan who completed a brace. Emma Lawton, Kelly Clark and Maria McAneny added to the tally to compound Motherwell’s recent frustrations.

Head Coach Paul Brownlie made a few changes from the side from the side that were knocked out of the Sky Sports League Cup last weekend. Rebecca Cameron maintained her place in goal, while experienced defender Shannon Leishman returned to the starting line-up alongside Amy Bulloch and Lucy Ronald who partnered in the midfield. Academy graduate Hannah Cairns made her first league start whilst fellow youth prospects Teoni Steele, Lia Young and Lily McAvoy were named on the bench.

Celtic’s high-intensity press immediately put the Motherwell defence under pressure in the early stages. Cameron was called into action twice in the opening 15 minutes, making a series of key saves to maintain Motherwell’s foothold in the game. Motherwell tried to find their rhythm, but Celtic’s intensity persisted.

The opener came in the 26th minute, as Cross capitalised on the high defensive line, sneaking through into the Motherwell final third before rounding the goalkeeper, and slotting home from close-range. Cameron pulled off another strong save to maintain the scorelinee, but Celtic soon doubled their advantage through Saoirse Noonan. A whipped corner across the face of goal was pounced on by Lawton, whose glancing header ricocheted off the crossbar before falling to the feet of Noonan, who drilled home the second.

Just before half-time, Emma Lawton added a third in almost identical circumstances, ensuring an assured 3–0 lead at the break.

Motherwell came out after the restart looking for a response, and got a glimmer of hope just after the hour mark. A low ball into the box was inadvertently turned into her own net by Claire Walsh, citing Motherwell a potential lifeline.

Motherwell’s optimism proved to be short-lived, as Celtic kept their foot on the gas and added four more goals before the final whistle, rounding off a clinical performance.

Despite the scoreline, there were certainly positives to take for Motherwell, who will have to dust themselves down, and reflect on a disappointing afternoon in Hamilton.

Motherwell must focus on regrouping ahead of next weekend, as the challenges don’t come any easier, as they face defending champions Hibernian in front of the home crowd at K-Park.

Matchday eight of the 2025/26 SWPL campaign awaits the women of steel this weekend, as they travel across Lanarkshire to face Celtic at New Douglas Park. 

The women of steel will have their eyes set on redemption after enduring a heavy defeat to Hibernian in the second round of the Sky Sports Cup.

Motherwell sit sixth in the SWPL table, three-points ahead of Aberdeen in the relegation playoff-spot.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

Last weekends 9-0 defeat in the Scottish capital left the women of steel with much to reflect on, as they return to competitive action this weekend.

Motherwell will be keen to separate themselves from the sides sitting towards the bottom of the league. Paul Brownlie’s side could move 10-points clear of Hamilton at the foot of the Premier League table if they secure their first-ever victory over the Glasgow-side.

Full focus will be on kickstarting Motherwell’s away form, as the women of steel have yet to pick up a point on the road after defeats to Glasgow City, Rangers and Hearts.

Celtic

The Celts remain unbeaten in their last four competitive outings, sealing their place in the third round of the Sky Sports Cup last weekend after defeating Spartans by three-goals to one. Elena Sadiku’s side sit third in the SWPL table, three points behind closest rivals Rangers and Glasgow City, who remain locked on 19-points at the top of the table.

Ticket Information 

Tickets can be purchased through the matchday turnstiles ahead of time HERE or through the matchday turnstiles at New Douglas Park. Both cash and card payments are accepted.

• Adult – £12.
• Under-16 – £6.

Experienced goalkeeper Chloe Logan has completed a loan deal until the end of the season from Celtic. 

The SWPL and Scottish Cup title winner became the first player in the history of Celtic Women to graduate and play through every age category before making her senior first-team appearance.

The 29-year-old stopper established herself as the first-choice player between the sticks after a spell at Stirling University. She returned for her second Celtic debut in 2019, after being named in the Old Firm derby in front of a capacity crowd at K-Park. 

From that moment, Logan remained Celtic’s number one, and even earned a place in then Scotland manager Pedro Martinez Losa’s 26-player first-team squad in the Pinatar Cup, alongside lee Alexander, Eartha Cummings and Jenna Fife in 2022 until a serious knee injury left her sidelined until 2023.

“I’m really excited to be at the club,” Logan said.

“I really wanted to get back playing regular first-team action, and Motherwell was a really exciting opportunity for me.

“I can’t wait to get started.”

Ready for more competitive action, Logan has joined the women of steel until the end of the season after signing a three-year contract extension at Celtic last season.

“This is a really strong addition to our goalkeeping department,” Head Coach Paul brownlie added.

“After Emma was recalled by Hearts, we knew we needed to find an experienced player between the sticks, and Chloe is exactly that.

“Chloe is extremely experienced at the top of the women’s game in Scotland, and will provide vital competition between herself and Rebecca this season.”

A starlet of the Motherwell FC academy, midfielder Hannah Cairns has quietly gone about her business after breaking through into the women of steel last season. 

Despite an accomplished record at youth level, Cairns has remained a somewhat hidden gem within the Motherwell academy, with the 18-year-old remaining uncapped at youth international level despite impressive displays in her maiden year in senior women’s football.

After admirable performances in the Motherwell development squad, Head Coach Paul Brownlie rewarded her dedication with her Scottish Women’s Premier league debut against Queens Park before appearances against both Rangers and Celtic.

After permanently making the transition to the Motherwell first-team squad this season, Cairns has already doubled her minutes on the pitch within one month, whilst scoring her first professional goal in a 4-1 Lanarkshire derby victory over Hamilton Accies.

After impressing under the radar, Cairns is determined to establish herself on both the club and international stage.

“I’ve really enjoyed the move from the academy to the first team,” Cairns said. 

“Everyone has made me feel very welcome and a part of the team from the very start, it’s such a good group of players and coaches. 

“It was an incredibly proud moment when I made my first-team debut last season, and it gave me that initial taste of senior football, and the feeling that I wanted to be amongst the squad next season.

“I spoke with Paul and his staff over the summer, and they outlined their plans for me this season. They spoke about their desire to have me permanently amongst the first-team, and I’m extremely thankful that they have placed their trust in me.”

Motherwell’s pathway to first-team football has propelled countless aspiring talents on the international stage, with loanees Lily Boyce and Orla Burn both joining fellow Motherwell academy talent Julia Gorska in representing the Scotland under-17 squad in a double-header of friendlies against Finland earlier this month. Ready to earn her first squad selection at international level, Cairns is eager to impress in claret and amber this season. 

“My ambition is to play at as high a level as I can,” Cairns outlined. 

“I want to perform consistently for Paul and the club, and continue my development in the SWPL, but representing Scotland would be a huge honour. 

“Having the opportunity to play on the international stage would be an incredibly proud moment for myself and my family, and I’m determined to showcase what I’m capable of this season, and hopefully I could earn a place for the National team. 

“I would love to be involved in the international environment and represent Scotland, that’s my ambition, but I know I have to focus solely on my football for Motherwell, support the team as we try to get back into the top-six this season, and a chance at international football could take care of itself. 

The women of steel have faced a tough start to the 2025/26 SWPL campaign, picking up victories in the Lanarkshire derby and against Aberdeen last weekend, despite also leading Partick Thistle until the latter stages a fortnight ago, with the Jags striking a late equaliser. Despite their frustrations on the pitch, Cairns has been encouraged by the women of steel’s response in the recent weeks.

“Its been a really frustrating, but encouraging start to the Premier League season,” Cairns explained.

“We’ve had strong performances against Hamilton and Partick Thistle, but we haven’t been able to find that consistency across the season so far. Conceding so late on last weekend was a disappointment for the squad, but we know we have the opportunity to respond against Aberdeen this Sunday.

“We’ve had several new additions in the squad, and a few of us making the step up from the academy, so it will inevitably take time for the squad to integrate together, but we have a really good group of experienced players, who have made that transition very easy for us, and we are taking positives from every game this season.

Cairns waited little time in opening her Motherwell account, striking against local rivals Hamilton in the first Lanarkshire derby of the 2025/26 SWPL campaign, as the women of steel coasted to an assured 4-1 victory.

“I was delighted to score my first senior goal,” Cairns added.

“It felt great to contribute to a positive performance and a win especially in a derby game. Hopefully, there will be many more to come.”

Sky Sports League Cup action is on the horizon for the women of steel this weekend, as they travel to the Scottish capital to face defending SWPL champions Hibernian at Meadowbank. 

The women of steel will have their eyes set on a return to the National Stadium Hampden Park, but many challenges lay ahead, with the prospect of last season’s defeated finalists awaits.

Motherwell will be keen to replicate their successes from the Scottish Cup, as a promising league cup run has eluded them in recent seasons.

The Tale of the Tape 

Motherwell 

Motherwell have relished a positive run to the National Stadium in recent years. The women of steel have twice been denied a place in the Scottish Cup final, as defeated Semi-Finalists to Rangers in 2023, and Glasgow City in 2025, but have maintained a positive record in the domestic cup competitions.

Motherwell faced Sunday’s opponents in the Scottish Cup final in 2018, but were defeated by the full-time side.

Paul Brownlie’s side head to the Scottish capital, with almost a fully fit squad. Katie Rice is doubtful to face her former side after sustaining an injury in last weekend’s victory over Aberdeen.

Hibernian

The hosts have responded well from their Edinburgh derby defeat to Hearts last month, placing five past both Montrose and Hamilton, whilst holding both Celtic and Glasgow City to one-all draws. Grant Scott’s side will be determined to redeem themselves after experiencing a five-nil defeat to Rangers in the final at Fir Park last season.

Ticket Information 

Tickets can be purchased ahead of time HERE or through the matchday turnstiles at Meadowbank. Both cash and card payments are accepted.

• Adult – £8.
• Concession (Over-65s and Under-13s) – £4.