Scottish Women's Football

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Manager of the year Eva Olid says leading Hearts to their first SWPL title would be the "dream" finish to her time at the club.

Olid claimed the PFA prize on Sunday night, with her side currently four points clear at the summit and just three games remaining.

Speaking after picking up the award, the Spaniard said: "It feels amazing. I didn't expect it. When they said my name, I was full of emotion.

"I was confident this season because we kept the same team as last season. When you keep working with the same group, it's important because they know you. They knew what I needed and what I wanted. They have been amazing.

"[Winning the league would be] a dream. It would be the best way to finish this project we started five years ago, when the team was amateur, and end by giving the title to the club. It would be the best thing ever."

Meanwhile, Glasgow City forward Nicole Kozlova won SWPL player of the year, with Rangers midfielder May Cruft claiming young player of the year.

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Rangers head coach Leanne Crichton: "Tough game, we always knew it would be. Montrose are a tough nut to crack. The reality is they marginally missed out on the top six. They've been a real handful this season.

"I'd love to say we've had consistency in preparing for it, but losing the players we did heading into this meant we needed to reshape things.

"We tried to be a bit braver in terms of the starting line-up, players who've not had a lot of minutes, but it didn't work. That's a lesson learned for us.

"I was really disappointed with the collective [in the first half], our use of the ball. If you don't want to work hard and track back, and look like you're hungry to win this kind of game, and get to a Cup final, we won't tolerate that."

Montrose manager Craig Feroz: "First half we were excellent and I don't think there was much in it then. Usual story, players tired in the second half and credit to Rangers, they went and did the job.

"Our shape was excellent, the fans were giving Rangers a bit of stick because we were closing them down well. I'm really, really proud of them.

"I've got nothing but pride for the team. Rangers are a really good side, they're in the final and deservedly so, but I'm really proud of them."

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Celtic head coach Grant Scott: "I thought we were good today and in the end, the win was deserved.

"We never fear any of these opponents and sometimes quirks happen that you've not beaten a team for a while and you can't really put your finger on it.

"I think I've questioned the character, the mentality of the groups, especially in the last two or three bad results we had there because the results, as bad as they were, it was the performances that were more disappointing and I hadn't seen that in the group since I joined the club.

"So, I think having put those performances to bed and showing now true versions of ourselves on Wednesday and today, we need to bottle that and move it forward and make our quality better at times and manage the game better.

"We shouldn't be conceding as late in the games as we are and even the second goal for City today in extra time, but there's a stack of positives in terms of knowing that we can compete,

"The evidence is now there and I said that to the girls before the game today that we've now got evidence-based stuff to work from that when we perform, we do well in games. When we don't turn up and don't perform, we get bad results.

"For me, it's just about pushing that through, hammering it home and then we'll increase the quality as we go."

Glasgow City head coach Leanne Ross: "It's hugely disappointing. Performance wise, we've matched Celtic. We started the game really well, positive, I felt we probably should have been at least two goals up, but in saying that, Celtic defended those actions really well and then the chances we gave up were far too soft.

"Three balls into our box and we've conceded three goals. It's out of character for us, to be honest, but it then gives you a mountain to climb.

"We need to score goals, that's all that's missing from us right now, because we're playing good football, we're more than matching teams, but we're not punishing them when we're on top in games.

"There's a distinct lack of confidence at the moment, I think you can see it in front of goal."

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Three sides from the top six and one from the bottom four will face off in the Scottish Cup semi-finals this weekend.

One of Celtic, Glasgow City or Rangers has contested each of the past five finals while Sunday will mark Montrose's first trip to Hampden and first Scottish Cup semi-final.

On Saturday Celtic and Glasgow City meet in a repeat of Wednesday night's SWPL fixture. And if that game, which finished 1-1, is anything to go by we could be on for extra time and penalties.

Even the two meetings between the sides before that finished 1-1. The teams are in pretty similar form too, both winning just one game in their past five, albeit City are unbeaten in two.

City have already won a trophy this season - beating Rangers 2-1 to lift the SWPL Cup in March - and remain in the title mix, four points behind leaders Hearts with three games remaining.

However, for Celtic - who languish 11 points off the top - the Scottish Cup is their only hope.

On Sunday, Montrose try to stun holders Rangers. The head-to-head results don't make great reading for Montrose - Rangers have won the previous seven and scored 46 goals in those outings.

With two league games to go and safety confirmed, Montrose are free of pressure as they look to end the season on a high.

Rangers will desperate to ensure they don't lose their grip on the cup, having won it two seasons running.

How to follow on BBC

You can watch both games - and follow live text commentary - on the BBC.

Celtic v Glasgow City is live on BBC Alba and the BBC Sport website and app on Saturday from 12:20 BST while Rangers v Montrose is live on BBC One Scotland and the BBC Sport website and app from 13:15 on Sunday.

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Hearts head coach Eva Olid, Partick Thistle manager Gary Holt and Glasgow City boss Leanne Ross have been nominated for the SWPL manager of the year award.

Olid, who will be leaving the Edinburgh club at the end of the season, has guided Hearts to the top of the table with three games left to play. If they go on to win the league it will be the club's first ever SWPL title.

Holt was appointed Thistle manager back in November and helped his side secure a top-six finish, which at one point this season looked unlikely. While they're yet to win a game against the top five sides, they managed a goalless draw against champions Hibs earlier this month.

Ross' Glasgow City side sat top of the table for much of the season and went on an impressive unbeaten run for the entirety of the pre-split campaign. They have conceded the fewest goals, 10, of the top flight teams and have also lost the fewest games, three.

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Forward Georgia Timms of leaders Hearts, Rangers striker Katie Wilkinson and Glasgow City goalkeeper Lee Gibson and attacker Nicole Kozlova have been nominated for the SWPL player of the year award.

Timms, with 14 SWPL goals so far, has helped Hearts reach the top of the division with a two-point lead and four fixtures to play.

Top scorer Wilkinson's 19 league goals have aided Rangers' title push, with Leanne Crichton's side four points off Hearts and also in the Women's Scottish Cup semi-finals, where they will play Montrose.

Gibson and Kozlova's Glasgow City are two points below Hearts and will meet Celtic in the other cup semi-final. Kozlova has scored seven SWPL goals this season and Gibson has the most clean sheets, eight.

Amy Canavan
BBC Sport Scotland

Noa Schumacher (Hibernian): Produced a match-winning save in stoppage time to preserve her clean sheet - the third-in-a-row - and secure Hibs' three points against Celtic.

Emma Brownlie (Glasgow City): Opened the scoring with a lovely diving header for City at Firhill. Leanne Ross' side hadn't won in their previous four league outings, so it calmed a few nerves against Thistle.

Danique Ypema (Hearts): Eva Olid's side were under the cosh for most of the second half after taking a two-goal lead against Rangers, but the Jambos defended resolutely to shut them out until a late stoppage-time consolation goal. Ypema played a key part in keeping Leanne Crichton's side at bay.

Georgia Carter (Montrose): Fitting that a servant like Carter grabbed the goal that confirmed The Mo's status in the top flight next season. Not the best finish - stabbing home after a bit of a scramble - but no one of Montrose persuasion will care.

Linda Motlhalo (Glasgow City): Worked hard down the left and got herself into a good area to whip in the teasing ball which was poked in by Thistle defender Addie Handley for City's second.

Joely Andrews (Hearts): Put in a power of work in the middle of the park at Broadwood, both attacking and defensively. A calm head as Eva Olid's side extended their lead at the summit by one point.

Lucy Ronald (Motherwell): Got the ball rolling in the final Lanarkshire derby of the season and looked to be enjoying herself in the middle of the park with Milly Boughton, who assisted her goal.

Milly Boughton (Motherwell): Speaking of... the Hibs loanee has had a superb spell with the Well, and has played a huge part in helping them to their SWPL safety.

Rosie Livingstone (Hibernian): One of the most in-form players in the league. Won the penalty which led to the sole goal that secured the win over Celtic in a dominant individual performance. Playing terrific stuff right now and rightly nominated for PFA SWPL young player of the year.

Georgia Timms (Hearts): No goal this weekend, but still a huge shift from the Hearts skipper and striker. Had the ball in the net early doors but was flagged for offside and had a strong case for a penalty when ready to shoot in the box.

Eilidh Adams (Hibernian): Cool and composed from the spot when it mattered most. A huge win for Joelle Murray, and many of the players, against their former boss Grant Scott.

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Head coach Leanne Crichton has challenged Rangers to prove their SWPL title credentials by beating Hearts for the first time this season in Friday night's top-of-the-table showdown.

The Ibrox side, currently a point adrift with five post-split games remaining, can leapfrog Hearts and ascend to the summit with victory at Broadwood.

"It's a huge one and that's now off the back of the last two international breaks that Hearts will be the first side that we face," said Crichton.

"We've yet to beat them this season, that's something that we're striving for and they've been really close encounters, tough games. A draw in the first game at Ibrox and then subsequently 3-2 defeats in the other two.

"We look at those games, we've spent a lot of time, we've reflected on it, we've looked at where we are now and how we've regrouped and improved since those games because it always has been a moving part for us but it's a great opportunity for us.

"We're ready to go, you live for these moments. I want the players to thrive on that pressure and expectation from this football club."

Ranges, chasing a first SWPL title since 2022, began the 10-match post-split schedule with a defeat to Hearts and draw with Hibs before reeling off three straight wins over Glasgow City, Partick Thistle and Celtic without conceding.

"I do think form to a point goes out the window when it comes down to effectively five cup finals for all the teams that are involved, so really fine margins," added Crichton.

"But we feel we're in a good place and we're pleased with how we finished off before the international break, it was a really impressive win [beating Celtic 3-0] and one of most complete performances of the season, so again we look to try and tap into that and get back to that as quickly as we can.

"We've had such a up and down season but that's only because we're our own worst critics but I think it's put us in a good place."