Pre-season over – SWPL 1 Starts on Sunday

The Spiders kicked off pre-season with a 2-0 victory over newly promoted ScottishPower WPL 2 side Rossvale; who like Queen’s Park won their respective league title with only two defeats. With goals coming from Ami Robertson and Megan Quigley, they managed to see out the game from a comfortable position in the sunshine in Bishopbriggs.

Before attention could be turned to their next friendly fixture, Queen’s Park fans were treated to the news of four more signings. The first coming in the form of Hamilton Academical forward Chloe Muir, who played in 31 of their 32 top-flight matches in the 2023/24 season. The Spiders also saw young midfielder Rachel Wright join the club from Partick Thistle, with experience at the youth levels for Glasgow City, alongside Hamilton Academical defender Morgan Graham and Partick Thistle striker Rosie McQuillan.

Queen’s Park faced Stenhousemuir in their second friendly and came away the better side in the 5-0 victory; making it two wins from two clean sheets. Ami Robertson netted a brace, bringing her pre-season total up to three with Megan Quigley getting her second. Also getting onto the scoresheet were Nicole Cairney and Rosie McQuillan. Despite the vast difference the scoreline suggests, the chances fell fairly evenly for both sides providing The Spiders with a tough challenge early on.

The club’s eighth signing was announced ahead of their pre-season friendly against The Spartans after midfielder Jordan McLintock departed Kilmarnock for Queen’s Park. The Spiders trip to Ainslie Park ended in defeat as the hosts ran out 3-0 winners, in what proved to be a difficult, but valuable taster of what to expect in the SWPL’s top-flight.

Criag Joyce’s side bounced back in pre-season friendly number four as they faced Ayr United. Goals from Ami Robertson, Ellie Kane and Emma Craig, as well as a strong defensive performance, saw Queen’s Park run out 3-0 winners as well as keep their third clean sheet of pre-season.

The final test for The Spiders, before facing Hearts at the same venue in league action on the 11th of August, came against Kilmarnock in their first match at their new home Ochilview Park.

The chances of the match fell evenly for both sides for the majority of the first half, with a few run-of-the-mill saves required from Lauren McGregor, to prevent the Ayrshire outfit from capitalsing. Queen’s Park came close to their first when Ellie Kane’s pass found the feet of Jordan McLintock but the shot wasn’t able to find the back of the net.

Five minutes later, Chloe Muir makes a promising break through the midfield at pace, but the chance petered out and finds the grateful hands of the Killie goalkeeper.

The first goal of the match came at the end of the half after The Spiders picked up possession in a threatening position, leaving Ellie Kane to move into space and fire her shot into the top corner of the net, before the first half was called to an end.

As the second half got underway, Megan Quigley only needed thirty seconds to convert their second of the match after she got her head on the end of a lovely cross into the danger area.

Queen’s Park came frustratingly close to keeping another clean sheet until Kilmarnock managed to convert one of their chances with five minutes left to play. The ball was whipped into the box from a corner which was struck low into the bottom of the net.

The Spiders finished up pre-season on the back of four wins out of a possible five, alongside three clean sheets, and will now look ahead to the start of the 2024/25 ScottishPowerWPL 1 season. League action begins on Sunday 11th August against Heart of Midlothian at Ochilview Park, with a 3pm kick-off.