Spartans Women Defeat Celtic to Clinch Second Spot in Scottish Premier League

Ok, not exactly Sparta. I mean there wasn't any pumped-up, half naked men running about being led by a Scottish/American-speaking Gerard Butler, thanks goodness. No, this was Spartans, Spartans women to be precise, as they fought their way to second spot in the Scottish Women's Premier League.  

In the final league match of the season, Spartans needed just one point from their away match to Celtic to finish in second place which was currently held by Hibs. But as the Edinburgh side had no matches left to play, nothing could stop them from being pipped at the post for the runners-up placement. No matter the result from this match, Hibs would drop due to the points that the teams were sitting on prior to this match.

Played indoors at the impressive Toryglen Regional Football Centre in Glasgow, the match kicked off five minutes late but got off to a flyer as Spartans forwards pressed for the opening goal.

It was Celtic who nearly scored first though with a quickly taken free kick that left the Spartans defence all at sea, but the resulting shot was not struck well when clear on goal and the chance was lost.

Only three minutes later Celtic were to rue that missed opportunity as a goalkeeping howler from 134 capped Scotland keeper Gemma Fay was to lead to this early goal. The keeper tried to blast the ball clear but waited too long and was closed down by Spartans speed merchant Sarah Ewens, who deflected the ball into the gaping net much to the annoyance and embarrassment of the experienced keeper. This was Ewens' 21st goal of the season and probably the most important.

The game was flowing from end to end with chances being created by both sides during the opening exchanges and with free-flowing football being played, the game could have gone either way.

On 28 minutes the Spartans defence was caught in two minds what to do with the ball and ended up passing back to the keeper who picked the ball up whilst under pressure.

The referee had no option but to call a free kick, but the chance just inside the box was squandered and the scoreline remained 0-1 to the Spartans.

It was the visitors who were to add to the goal tally with some brilliant passing skills from Diana Barry and Lana Clelland to lay on for Hayley Lauder who superbly lobbed the floundering Gemma Fay in the Celtic goal to make it 2-0 for the visitors.

With only five minutes remaining of the first half, the game looked done and dusted. But as the teams moved into the second half, Celtic looked the fresher of the two and seemed to grab the match by the scruff of the neck.

It took only six minutes of the restart for the Glasgow side to pull themselves back into the reckoning with a perfect pass from Brown playing in Arthur to fire home leaving the Spartans keeper no chance of stopping.

Celtic were on the front foot and almost equalised 12 minutes into the second half with a sweetly hit strike from another Scotland internationalist, Megan Sneddon, who watched in anguish as it struck the post and rebounded into the arms of the keeper.

Sneddon and fellow Celtic midfielder Emily Thomson were controlling the match, and with the Spartans forward line being ineffectual due to no supply, it was all one-way traffic.

Spartans were limited to counterattacks but with the speed they managed these, it appeared that they could score when they received these opportunities. As the game drew to the last 10 minutes of play, these chances became more often as the Celtic were leaving themselves exposed in defence as they chased more goals to equalise.

Celtic's Chloe Craig went close on a couple of occasions with a well struck free kick and a glancing header. Meanwhile, Lauder and Barry were doing their best at the other end to score a third goal for Spartans that would surely finish the game.

The game was to end with the scoreline remaining the same at 2-1 for Spartans, and with this came second spot in the 2011 Scottish Women's Premier League.

Spartans head coach Debbi McCulloch said on the club website: "We didn’t play well but battled really hard. Our team spirit on and off the pitch has been superb and we’re already looking forward to next season, even although it doesn’t start until March!"

Marc Roseblade is a contributor for Bleacher Report as well as Not Just Scottish Football and youth development reporter for Ayr United Football Academy. All quotes are obtained first-hand unless otherwise stated.

This is Sparta! Spartan Women Clinch Second Spot