Brian Graham was relieved Rangers didn’t run riot at Tynecastle as the Partick Thistle boss praised his players for their valiant efforts in the Sky Sports Cup final.
The Jags striker saw his side make history by becoming the first Women’s team from Firhill to reach a national final and a strong red and yellow travelling support were daring to dream when Rachel Donaldson produced a stunning strike to cancel out Mia McAulay’s opener.
Rangers went in 3-1 ahead at the break after Rachel Rowe and Rio Hardy netted and Thistle had to accept defeat when Liv McLoughlin added another shortly after the interval. In the end, Rangers’ class and quality was too much for Graham’s side on a tough afternoon.
“We came here to have a go at Rangers and I felt we came out of the blocks really well,” Graham said. “It is fine margins in a game of football. We have one cleared off the line at 0-0, we lose a sloppy goal with a ball over the top and then Rachel Donaldson shows us a bit of magic and gets us right back in the game.
"Listen, we are playing a very good side in Rangers and when you switch off at set-play, Rowe has been one of the outstanding players in the league this year and scores a magnificent goal. I don’t think we deserve to be 3-1 down at half-time but that is the harsh reality of this level and if you don’t clear your lines properly you get punished.
“We changed the shape at half-time. We tried to put their back three under pressure because I felt we had them scared in the first half. But when they score the fourth, I didn’t want my girls to get embarrassed, if I am being really honest with you. I said that to them. It was my decision to go to a back five and shore it up and see the game out. I thought we looked a bit leggy at that stage, we looked out on our feet and Rangers, as the full-time team, the fitness started to show.”
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