Bishopton win Renfrewshire derby to continue perfect League One start

Bishopton Ladies maintained their perfect start to life in Barclays Scottish Women’s League One with a 4-2 victory over St Mirren Women in the Renfrewshire derby at Mossedge.

The newly promoted side came from behind and then twice regained the lead to secure their second victory of the season.

St Mirren made a flying start to their first league match of the campaign, taking the lead inside the opening minute.

Nikki Lavery’s lay-off on the edge of the box found Robyn O’Neill, who curled her effort into the top-right corner to put the hosts 1-0 ahead.

Bishopton’s response was quick, with Claudia Stewart bringing the visitors level in the seventh minute.

Frankie Fern then completed the turnaround in the 15th minute as Bishopton moved 2-1 ahead.

St Mirren were behind for only two minutes. Amelie Connell’s flick-on released Kaitlyn Irvine in behind and she finished to make it 2-2 after 17 minutes.

There were no further goals before the break, leaving the sides level at half-time after an eventful opening 45 minutes.

Bishopton regained the lead in the 61st minute through Hannah Coyle before Fern scored her second of the afternoon in the 69th minute to make it 4-2.

St Mirren manager Kate Cooper felt the greater experience within the Bishopton squad began to show after the interval.

She told Renfrewshire News: “I think we felt that we got off to the game very quickly. But, as we expected, Bishopton are a strong team.

“They got back into the game, went ahead. We did well and we got ourselves back into the game, which we felt at two each going into half-time it’s quite an even game.

“I think in the second half we just allowed the game to go away from us a wee bit.

“But we’ve got a very young squad. Most of our players are just coming up through from the youth games. So there’s a lot of big learning curve for them there.”

Cooper said a mistake which led to a penalty also proved costly, although the available match information does not establish which Bishopton goal was scored from the spot.

She added: “I thought that we competed all the way through the game. Bishopton obviously have an older, more experienced team now. So that reflected in the second half.

“However, I felt that we competed well. We had a good couple of chances. I think the mistake that cost us, that led to the penalty, obviously then changes the game for us as well.

“But on the whole, the players worked really, really hard. They’re still learning and it’s just blending together as a new team.

“So, yeah, happy overall with the performance that they put in yesterday in terms of effort and commitment and work rate.”

Bishopton head coach Steven King admitted his side had been flat during the warm-up and felt that carried into the opening stages.

He said: “I got it to the girls during the warm-up, I felt we were flat and it showed. But we responded really well to going behind and got ourselves 2-1 up.

“But then we went flat again and it’s as if, ‘Oh, job done.’ And it certainly wasn’t because St Mirren weren’t going away.”

King changed Bishopton’s shape and felt his side became more comfortable as the match progressed.

He added: “We certainly played better football second half. And given what St Mirren put against us there, it’s a big three points.”

The Bishopton boss was also pleased with the options available from his squad.

He said: “I think the depth of the squad showed today. We’ve made changes there. When you’re bringing off Lisa McIntyre, Emma Baird and bringing on Hannah Scott, Hannah Coyle, it shows you the depth you’ve got.

“The young girls coming on towards the end, Amy Allan showing things. The depth of the squad’s really, really good. And that’s going to get us by as long as the girls stick together, keep listening, keep working hard, and just backing ourselves.”

King was particularly pleased with the response to falling behind so early, although he warned his players against switching off after taking the lead.

He said: “Sometimes they need a wee wake-up call. Whether it’s something going against us, they react, they respond well.

“What we do need to watch is responding well, as if a job was done when we got to 2-1. After about 15 minutes, there’s plenty of football left to play, plenty of threat left in the opposition.

“But the character of that group cannae be questioned.”

The result leaves Bishopton top of League One with six points from their opening two matches. They have scored 10 goals and conceded two.

Dunfermline Athletic Women are also on six points, but Bishopton lead the standings with a superior goal difference.

St Mirren sit ninth after their first league match of the season.

Bishopton are due to host Airdrie CC Ladies on Sunday, 16th August, while St Mirren travel to Cambusdoon Ladies Football Club.