SWPL: Glasgow City triumph helps Leanne Crichton put nightmare year behind her

Leanne Crichton was happy to put a nightmare year behind her as she helped Glasgow City clinch an 11th consecutive league title with a win over Hibernian.

The 30-year-old midfielder was left unemployed after previous club Notts County folded in April.

It meant she had to give up the game professionally, but after returning to City for a third spell, she is relieved to end the year on a high note.

"Personally, it's been a difficult year. I'm really delighted," she said.

"We've had loads of games, loads of challenges thrown our way.

"I think that performance just showed exactly what it meant to us."

Hibs had pushed City all season in the Scottish Women's Premier League title race, but in the penultimate game they found themselves 3-0 down to City within 25 minutes.

Lauren McMurchie volleyed in the opener for the visitors at Ainslie Park before two defensive lapses inside 60 seconds allowed Abbi Grant and Hayley Lauder to put the game beyond the hosts.

"For the whole time I've been at Glasgow City and the whole time we've reigned, people are always looking for us to fall," midfielder Crichton told BBC Scotland after the 3-0 win.

"Credit to Hibs, they've pushed us right to the last two games of the season.

"We knew we had to come here and perform and we knew that they were a decent team, so for us it's fantastic.

"It might have looked comfortable, but Hibs are always a team that can threaten.

"They've always got key players in there, good players, good individuals and they work hard as a team.

"We've not conceded domestically since May, we've kept clean sheets throughout.

"That was really important to us, so we worked hard right up until the end."

Hibs at one point were on course to win a domestic treble, having beaten City on their way to winning the League Cup in May.

However, City could now complete a league and cup double when they face Hibs in the Scottish Cup final on 26 November at Livingston's Toni Macaroni Stadium.

"Hibs will be telling each other that's what they've got to play for now," said Crichton.

"So we need to be aware of their motivation. They're going to be right up for that game and hoping they can take it to us."

City head coach Scott Booth, who secured his third league title since taking over from Eddie Wolecki Black in the summer of 2015, said he had told his side before the game to go out and create history.

"To win 11 league titles is unbelievable," he said. "It'll never be done again.

"I said to them before the game, you'll not get a better chance to win 11 in a row.

"But for Leanne Ross to have done it every single time is amazing."