Celtic Women survived a late fright from a resilient Partick Thistle Women side to claim a dramatic 3-2 victory in the Scottish Women's Premier League. On a tense evening at Petershill Park, the visitors edged a five-goal thriller that kept them firmly in the title picture — but not without a spirited comeback effort from the home side.

Celtic start strong and strike early

Celtic arrived as clear favourites, and they quickly set about justifying that billing. Their movement and crisp passing caused problems for the Partick Thistle defence, and the breakthrough came with a well-worked goal that saw their attacking midfielder arrive late in the box to finish smartly. A second goal, not long after, appeared to put the visitors in cruise control and left the home crowd fearing a long evening.

But Partick Thistle refused to fold. Growing into the contest, they began to find their rhythm in midfield and asked questions of the Celtic back line. They pulled one goal back just before the interval, a reward for their persistence, and suddenly the momentum shifted.

Second-half drama and a Thistle rally

Celtic responded well after the restart, restoring their two-goal cushion midway through the half with a precise finish from close range. It felt decisive, yet Partick Thistle showed character to keep pushing, and their second goal of the evening made for a frantic finish. Celtic, tested in the closing stages, were forced to defend deep and hold onto their slender lead.

The final whistle brought relief for the Glasgow giants, who had to grind out the result against a stubborn Thistle side. It was a performance full of attacking intent but also blemished by lapses in concentration that the home side ruthlessly punished.

Implications for the SWPL season

The win keeps Celtic within touching distance of the top of the Scottish Women's Premier League standings, but this result also highlighted the growing competitiveness of the division. Partick Thistle may have left empty-handed, yet their spirited display suggests they will trouble plenty of teams this season.