Vale coach brings the fun factor back to team

Hutchison VALE coach Ian MacDonald admits it was important to put a smile back on his side’s faces after their recent morale-sapping defeat to Hibs Ladies.

With no match last weekend to get the Hibs result out of their system due to the international break, Hutchie sought to bring the fun back to their game ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Rangers at Toryglen Regional Football Centre (kick-off 2pm)

“Ideally we would’ve wanted another game straight away,” commented Hutchie boss MacDonald. “However the break has given us time to work on a few things in training.

“We have tried to raise the girls’ spirits, put a smile on their faces and make training fun again rather than pick the bones out of the Hibs result.

“The girls are certainly up for the Rangers match and are looking to right the wrongs from the Hibs game. We know that Rangers will be difficult opponents because they like to get the ball down and play football.

“Rangers, like us, are keen to push on in the women’s game and progress. They’ve made a few signings over the close season and are somewhat an unknown quantity to us at the moment.

“The squad is down to the bare bones. We only have 12-13 players to choose from, but this is an opportunity for some of the girls on the fringes of the starting XI to come in and stake their claim for an extended run in the side.”

Hibs Ladies look to continue their fine start to the season when they take on Hamilton Academical at Albyn Park, Broxburn (kick-off 2pm) and coach Willie Kirk has warned his side to guard against complacency.

He said: “We are pleased with the start we have made to the league campaign; however, we must not get complacent and lose our focus. Hamilton is a difficult side to play against and they have given us problems over the last few seasons.”

Elsewhere, Spartans look to bounce back from their disappointing and painful defeat to title rivals Celtic by taking maximum points from Inverness City at Spartans Academy (kick-off 1pm).