New signings Ashley McDonald and Jennifer Callaghan both started and like their team mates took the opening fifteen minutes to get used to the bumpy surface at Dunipace Juniors. Although comfortable in possession, it took the City 20 minutes to get their noses in front when Leanne Ross opened the scoring from a free kick outside the box. Ross doubled her tally 12 minutes later converting from the penalty spot after Emma Mitchell was brought down. Mitchell’s running was proving to be a handful for the opposition and she would go on to cause them numerous problems as the game progressed. Julie Melrose put City 3-0 up heading home a Leanne Ross cross, and debutants McDonald and Callaghan combined brilliantly, resulting in Callaghan having a shot well saved by Falkirk keeper Lee Skelton, as the home hung on in the closing moments of the first half. Half time 0-3. 11 minutes after the restart and McDonald got her first goal for her new club, as she headed a Mitchell cross into the back of the net. Not to be outdone by the knack of McDonald scoring on her debut, Callaghan proved she also very much knows the route to goal, pouncing on a blocked Leanne Ross shot and firing past Skelton to put City 5-0 up after only 63 minutes. Moments later and Mitchell scored the goal of the game as she cut inside and unleashed a trade mark thunderous left foot shot high into the top corner from outside the box. She then added another only one minute later with an audacious effort with the outside of her foot from inside the box. With twenty minutes remaining, Callaghan scored her second and City’s eighth, with a fantastic looping shot from 25 yards out, catching Skelton off her line with a sublime finish. Commenting on the win and the first half of the season, Head Coach Eddie Wolecki Black said: "At the start of the season the players set themselves targets and at the half way point it is very pleasing to see them having achieved all of them so far. I feel we have been really enjoyable to watch this campaign and this is really important for the philosophy of our club. It was great to have the new players, Ashley and Jennifer starting today and both played very well and of course got on the scoresheet. It will take them time to settle into our system and style of play but they will get there and their team mates will help them on that journey. Our target today was 3 points and to get this along with 8 goals and a clean sheet was very pleasing and caps off an excellent first half of the season. It was also fantastic to have Lauren McMurchie back playing today and having her back is like another outstanding signing given her long absence through injury."
Source: FOOTYMAD
