Elgin City women’s football team fight back from 3-0 down to defeat Huntly Women and go top of SWFL North table thanks to hat-trick of penalty kicks
Elgin City moved to the top of the Scottish Women’s Football League North after a thrilling comeback victory over Huntly.
City’s women trailed 3-0 early in the second half but a hat-trick of penalty kicks helped them pull things back to snatch the win.
Both sides went into Sunday’s match at the Gleaner Arena in Elgin with 100 per cent records, leaders Huntly having won all three matches so far while Elgin had secured two high-scoring successes.
It was the visitors who looked likelier to maintain their winning run when they build up a strong advantage.
Leah Mearns headed home the only goal of the first half for Huntly, and when Nicole MacLean and Laura Parsley netted in quick succession after half time, it looked like the three points would be heading east.
However, referee Alan Proctor awarded the home team two penalties in a three minutes spell, both converted by Lily Morrison to cut the deficit to one.
Darcy Matheson then slotted Elgin level on 65 minutes, and incredibly a third spot kick award on 72 minutes allowed Morrison to score for the third time and turn a three-goal deficit into a lead within a quarter of the match.
The goals dried up for a period, until Mearns slammed in her second goal of the match for Huntly with just two minutes to go, making the score 4-4.
Elgin refused to settle for a point and mounted one last attack, with the ball falling for Matheson to steer home her second of the afternoon and nick victory right at the death.
The Black and Whites have scored 21 goals and conceded seven in their three wins in the league.
That takes them top on goal difference ahead of a Huntly side which had conceded just one goal in their three games prior to Sunday’s loss.
Both clubs are in League Cup action on the road next week with Elgin visiting Championship side Glasgow Girls and Women, while Huntly make the trip to Rossvale Development.
