It was a special score line on a momentous day for the ladies of Renfrew as they welcomed their captain after a long absence in stunning style.
Kristy Mcgunnigle has patiently waited to return home after spending the past two years on the sidelines with a serious ACL injury.
She returned to lead the side to an emphatic 10-0 win in the Renfrewshire derby at New Western Park on Sunday, with the hosts winning Thistle that day.
The game started in amazing fashion with Renfrew taking a three-goal lead in the first five minutes.
Goals from Karen Baillie, Nicole Telford and Sinead MacLeod set the tone for the afternoon ahead.
After the frantic start the game died down but Renfrew still enjoyed the lion’s share of ball possession, Baillie striking again to put the hosts further in front.
The in-form striker wasn’t done there, as only minutes later she netted a well-deserved first-half hat-trick with Renfrew leading 5-0 at the break.
The second half did not start as quickly as the first, partly due to the onset of torrential rain and high winds which hampered any attractive football.
It was until a moment of magic on the wing of Jodie Bell, who crossed superbly to find MacLeod in the box who headed home to make it 6-0.
That goal seemed to lift Renfrew once again as they found the rhythm they had in the first half.
It showed when once again winger Bell snuck into the box again before being brought down for a penalty.
This was coldly dispatched by Baillie, who is eager to hunt down MacLeod who is the club’s current top scorer.
Just before the 75 minute mark, history was made for the ladies of Renfrew when academy goalkeeper Sarah Clow came on as a substitute to make her first-team debut.
This marked a milestone for the club, with the creation of the girls’ path over the past three years leading to this point in allowing youngsters to play at senior level.
The count had not yet been made. Michaela Brown wanted in on the action and converted back-to-back chances in quick succession to make it 9-0.
Baillie thinking she would bring the game ball home, she was forced to share it when Brown rounded the goalkeeper to seal his own hat trick.
Along with Mcgunnigle’s return, Renfew Ladies boss Aldo Hunter heaped praise on young prospect Clow as she made her team debut from the bench in the second half.
Hunter said: “It was a fantastic win.
“We asked the players to bounce back from a disappointing result last week and they did just that.
“It was also fantastic to see Kristy Mcgunnigle back on the pitch for so long.
“Also a big special mention to our goalkeeper Sarah Clow for making the step to senior level for the very first time.”
