Glenrothes Strollers Ladies boss Pauline Harley is celebrating promotion to League One
After leading Glenrothes Strollers Ladies to a nerve-shredding 1-0 promotion play-off victory over Bishopton at Ochilview Stadium on Sunday, gaffer Pauline Harley praised penalty hero Rachel Fowler for blasting home the crucial spot kick, awarded with just five minutes remaining for a foul on Kerri Dinnel.
Centre-back Fowler’s well-struck effort into the top left corner saw SWPL East champions Strollers defeat the SWPL West winners to book a spot in the 2025-’26 Barclay’s Scottish Women’s League One, sparking wild scenes of celebration and much to Harley’s delight.
She said: “Our squad was more or less down to a bare minimum. We’d had a couple of really bad injuries a couple of weeks ago.
"I’m really proud to win. It was nerve-wracking and it was a really good game.
"At the end of the day, we hung in there. I thought we were fitter in the last half an hour and we looked more likely to get a winner.
"We hit the crossbar and we hit the post in the second half as well.
"You know, the lassies were tired. They were dead on their feet.
"When we got the penalty it was a bit of a relief. I had no doubt that Rachel would score.
"She is very calm and composed and touch wood, she has never missed a penalty.
"I know where she puts it all the time but no keeper will ever save them!
"I take my hat off to anybody that can take a penalty and actually put it in the top corner. It was a cracker.”
When asked about what her and the team’s celebrations were like on Sunday night, Harley added: "We behaved ourselves at Ochilview because we weren't allowed alcohol, we weren't allowed flares.
“It was a good laugh on the bus on the way back from Stenhousemuir to our sponsors, the Station Hotel in Thornton.
"We were in the field at the back of the Station Hotel in Thornton and the flares came out. People must have been wondering what was going on.”
Strollers’ promotion means they are in League One alongside Airdrie Ladies, Cambusdoon, Dunipace, Edinburgh Caledonia, Elgin City, Hutchison Vale, Inverurie Loco Works, Kilwinning, Queen of the South, St Mirren and Westdyke.