1 hr. ago
Second-half turnaround: Ashlyn Puerta scored only 45 seconds after entering the game and Baylee DeSmit netted two more goals to boost Sporting Club Jacksonville women's soccer to second place in the Gainbridge Super League, defeating Tampa Bay Sun FC 3-2 in the home opener on Aug. 22.
Puerta power: The league's player of the year in Sporting Jax's inaugural season, Puerta smashed a game-tying 25-yard laser in the 46th minute, moments after entering as a halftime sub for Maci Teater at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.
DeSmit double: Two more goals for DeSmit pushed Jacksonville in front. In the 60th minute, Meg Hughes dribbled down the right wing and cut the ball back for DeSmit, who cracked a 20-yard shot off the hands of Tampa Bay goalkeeper Liz Beardsley and into the net. Ten minutes later, DeSmit stayed onside for a crisp finish after a headed ***** ist by Coco Thistle.
Dinosaur in the house: The club introduced its new mascot, orange dinosaur Sporting Rex, in a pregame presentation that also included appearances from the Jaguars' Jaxson de Ville and the Jumbo Shrimp's Southpaw.
Quick free kicks: Tampa Bay (0-1-1) scored twice on the break, with Shea Connors giving the visitors a first-half lead and Jordan Zade narrowing the gap to 3-2 late. … Sporting Jax goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg made six saves, preserving the edge amid a stoppage-time flurry from the Sun. … Thistle made her club debut in place of Melina Descary in the 60th minute. … First-team all-league forward Paige Kenton was unavailable due to illness.
#desmit #jacksonville #thistle #second
Puerta power: The league's player of the year in Sporting Jax's inaugural season, Puerta smashed a game-tying 25-yard laser in the 46th minute, moments after entering as a halftime sub for Maci Teater at the University of North Florida's Hodges Stadium.
DeSmit double: Two more goals for DeSmit pushed Jacksonville in front. In the 60th minute, Meg Hughes dribbled down the right wing and cut the ball back for DeSmit, who cracked a 20-yard shot off the hands of Tampa Bay goalkeeper Liz Beardsley and into the net. Ten minutes later, DeSmit stayed onside for a crisp finish after a headed ***** ist by Coco Thistle.
Dinosaur in the house: The club introduced its new mascot, orange dinosaur Sporting Rex, in a pregame presentation that also included appearances from the Jaguars' Jaxson de Ville and the Jumbo Shrimp's Southpaw.
Quick free kicks: Tampa Bay (0-1-1) scored twice on the break, with Shea Connors giving the visitors a first-half lead and Jordan Zade narrowing the gap to 3-2 late. … Sporting Jax goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg made six saves, preserving the edge amid a stoppage-time flurry from the Sun. … Thistle made her club debut in place of Melina Descary in the 60th minute. … First-team all-league forward Paige Kenton was unavailable due to illness.
#desmit #jacksonville #thistle #second
2 days ago
Former Hibs midfielder Scott Allan is backing David Gray's side to make history by dispatching Gent at home on Thursday to reach the Conference League.
The play-off tie is on a knife-edge after a goalless first leg in Belgium, where Hibs defended stoutly and could have won had Owen Elding's early penalty not been saved.
"Obviously a slender scoreline and, yes, it would have been ideal to come back with a 1-0 win if Elding scores the penalty," said Allan.
"But I just feel Easter Road next week, the atmosphere, the crowd fully behind you, Hibs will manage to come through that and make a bit of history."
Former Partick Thistle striker and boss Kris Doolan agrees that Hibs will progress from the qualifying rounds for the first time - and says the Easter Road factor is key.
#history
The play-off tie is on a knife-edge after a goalless first leg in Belgium, where Hibs defended stoutly and could have won had Owen Elding's early penalty not been saved.
"Obviously a slender scoreline and, yes, it would have been ideal to come back with a 1-0 win if Elding scores the penalty," said Allan.
"But I just feel Easter Road next week, the atmosphere, the crowd fully behind you, Hibs will manage to come through that and make a bit of history."
Former Partick Thistle striker and boss Kris Doolan agrees that Hibs will progress from the qualifying rounds for the first time - and says the Easter Road factor is key.
#history
2 days ago
In fewer than 12 months, Inverness Caledonian Thistle have gone from being a Scottish League 1club in administration to potential dark horses for a return to the Premiership.
Scotland great James McFadden tipped them as one of the teams to watch this season during BBC Scotland's first live Championship match of the season.
Some managers baulk at the pressure such predictions can bring, but Caley Thistle boss Scott Kellacher is loving it before Friday's home match with Partick Thistle in front of the BBC Scotland cameras.
And Kellacher said: "I thought to myself, 'good on you, Faddy Boy!' I'll give him his due, he's always a man that's always positive and I love it.
"You want people to come to games and you want them to be excited. You want them to look forward to the game and it's not going to be boring this-and-that.
#always
Scotland great James McFadden tipped them as one of the teams to watch this season during BBC Scotland's first live Championship match of the season.
Some managers baulk at the pressure such predictions can bring, but Caley Thistle boss Scott Kellacher is loving it before Friday's home match with Partick Thistle in front of the BBC Scotland cameras.
And Kellacher said: "I thought to myself, 'good on you, Faddy Boy!' I'll give him his due, he's always a man that's always positive and I love it.
"You want people to come to games and you want them to be excited. You want them to look forward to the game and it's not going to be boring this-and-that.
#always
3 days ago
There was a lot to like about Hibernian's performance last week in North Macedonia.
Playing on a difficult surface in a hot and stifling atmosphere, they rarely looked in trouble and, when Shkendija did press late on, the defence stood strong.
The tie could easily have gone the other way, but the discipline and spirit shown by everyone on the pitch were a joy to behold.
Scottish clubs have often struggled after returning from a demanding European trip, but Hibs got the job done against Partick Thistle to maintain their pursuit of League Cup silverware.
Now it is on to another European encounter, where Gent await in Belgium.
#macedonia #shkendija #scottish
Playing on a difficult surface in a hot and stifling atmosphere, they rarely looked in trouble and, when Shkendija did press late on, the defence stood strong.
The tie could easily have gone the other way, but the discipline and spirit shown by everyone on the pitch were a joy to behold.
Scottish clubs have often struggled after returning from a demanding European trip, but Hibs got the job done against Partick Thistle to maintain their pursuit of League Cup silverware.
Now it is on to another European encounter, where Gent await in Belgium.
#macedonia #shkendija #scottish
6 days ago
There was plenty to be positive about for Hearts fans after their 6-2 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
New signings got a chance to stake a claim and plenty delivered, with Ugandan winger Rogers Mato and French midfielder Tom Renaud impressing.
But one of the best showings came from a player who was already at the club last season. Well, for half of it anyway.
After returning from a loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur, where he made no first-team appearances after joining in January, James Wilson looks to have a future at Hearts.
But where does the 19-year-old striker fit in Wouter Vrancken's plans?
#plenty
New signings got a chance to stake a claim and plenty delivered, with Ugandan winger Rogers Mato and French midfielder Tom Renaud impressing.
But one of the best showings came from a player who was already at the club last season. Well, for half of it anyway.
After returning from a loan spell at Tottenham Hotspur, where he made no first-team appearances after joining in January, James Wilson looks to have a future at Hearts.
But where does the 19-year-old striker fit in Wouter Vrancken's plans?
#plenty
7 days ago
Left-back James Penrice says joining Rangers on loan from Greek champions AEK Athens - with the Ibrox club having an option to buy - is "a bit surreal".
The 27-year-old Scot previously played in his homeland with Livingston and Hearts after earlier spells with Partick Thistle and East Fife.
Penrice moved to the Greek top flight from Hearts last summer and played 32 times for the side who beat reigning champions Olympiacos to secure their 14th national **** le. Sixteen of those appearances were starts.
The defender has made more than 300 senior club appearances overall and arrives with fellow left-back Tuur Rommens absent for up to seven weeks with a groin injury.
The deal is subject to international clearance, with Rangers' next game at home to St Mirren in Sunday's League Cup tie (16:00 BST).
#greek
The 27-year-old Scot previously played in his homeland with Livingston and Hearts after earlier spells with Partick Thistle and East Fife.
Penrice moved to the Greek top flight from Hearts last summer and played 32 times for the side who beat reigning champions Olympiacos to secure their 14th national **** le. Sixteen of those appearances were starts.
The defender has made more than 300 senior club appearances overall and arrives with fellow left-back Tuur Rommens absent for up to seven weeks with a groin injury.
The deal is subject to international clearance, with Rangers' next game at home to St Mirren in Sunday's League Cup tie (16:00 BST).
#greek
1 month ago
Celtic have reportedly made contact with AEK Athens to sign left-back James Penrice. The 27-year-old made the switch to Greece in 2025, with Hearts receiving £2m for the player.
According to transfer journalist Ben Jacobs, Celtic have made contact with the Super League side as they look to tempt ex-Livingston defender to Glasgow East End.
You would imagine that Celtic would have to pay in excess of the £2m that AEK paid for Penrice. The product of the Partick Thistle Academy has made 33 appearances for the Greek side, ***** isting once. His figures from Hearts are impressive, considering the circumstances of that season at Tynecastle. The left-back made 46 appearances, scoring twice and ***** isting on seven occasions.
Celtic are in the market for a left back to act as cover for Tierney after no deal was forthcoming to re-sign Marcelo Saracchi. The 28-year-old was instrumental in Celtic's final day success over Hearts, playing the defence splitting pass that helped Callum Osmand slide the ball into the path of Daizen Maeda to give Celtic the lead.
Penrice would satisfy Celtic's quotas for homegrown talent in Europe and Celtic would be getting a player that can ably deputise to Tierney, getting game time and improving, as well as moving closer to home.
#left #back #year
According to transfer journalist Ben Jacobs, Celtic have made contact with the Super League side as they look to tempt ex-Livingston defender to Glasgow East End.
You would imagine that Celtic would have to pay in excess of the £2m that AEK paid for Penrice. The product of the Partick Thistle Academy has made 33 appearances for the Greek side, ***** isting once. His figures from Hearts are impressive, considering the circumstances of that season at Tynecastle. The left-back made 46 appearances, scoring twice and ***** isting on seven occasions.
Celtic are in the market for a left back to act as cover for Tierney after no deal was forthcoming to re-sign Marcelo Saracchi. The 28-year-old was instrumental in Celtic's final day success over Hearts, playing the defence splitting pass that helped Callum Osmand slide the ball into the path of Daizen Maeda to give Celtic the lead.
Penrice would satisfy Celtic's quotas for homegrown talent in Europe and Celtic would be getting a player that can ably deputise to Tierney, getting game time and improving, as well as moving closer to home.
#left #back #year
2 months ago
Your club-by-club guide to the summer 2026 transfers in Scotland's top tier.
Who has your Premiership club brought in & let go? - January 2026
In: Tony Yogane, forward (Brentford, undisclosed); Ayoub Mouloua, forward (Rabat); Connor Ronan, midfielder (Colorado Rapids); Alexander Briedl, midfielder (Blau-Weiss Linz); Brad Lyons, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Lewis Mayo, defender (Kilmarnock); Dan Happe, defender (Leyton Orient); Toyosi Olusanya, forward (Houston Dynamo, loan to permanent).
Out: Graeme Shinnie, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Per Kristian Bratveit, goalkeeper; Ryan Duncan, midfielder; Vicente Besuijen, forward; Tom McIntyre, defender; Elvis Bwomono, defender; Conner Douglas, goalkeeper; Oliver Green, defender; Tristan Stephen, forward.
Loan ended: Dennis Geiger, midfielder (Hoffenheim); Lyall Cameron, midfielder (Rangers); Liam Morrison, defender (Queens Park Rangers).
Who has your Premiership club brought in & let go? - January 2026
In: Tony Yogane, forward (Brentford, undisclosed); Ayoub Mouloua, forward (Rabat); Connor Ronan, midfielder (Colorado Rapids); Alexander Briedl, midfielder (Blau-Weiss Linz); Brad Lyons, midfielder (Kilmarnock); Lewis Mayo, defender (Kilmarnock); Dan Happe, defender (Leyton Orient); Toyosi Olusanya, forward (Houston Dynamo, loan to permanent).
Out: Graeme Shinnie, midfielder (Inverness Caledonian Thistle); Per Kristian Bratveit, goalkeeper; Ryan Duncan, midfielder; Vicente Besuijen, forward; Tom McIntyre, defender; Elvis Bwomono, defender; Conner Douglas, goalkeeper; Oliver Green, defender; Tristan Stephen, forward.
Loan ended: Dennis Geiger, midfielder (Hoffenheim); Lyall Cameron, midfielder (Rangers); Liam Morrison, defender (Queens Park Rangers).
2 months ago
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Sarah Ferguson, who are currently absent from the public eye over fallout from revelations about their relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, would've celebrated 40 years of wedded bliss later this July – had they not divorced in 1996.
Their four-decade old wedding day was one filled with pomp and circumstance, though, plus the odd quirk. The late Queen Elizabeth II's son married Fergie in 1986, and his bride attempted to indulge his passion on their big day.
Designer Lindka Cierach reportedly discouraged Sarah from having decorative teddy bears and helicopters embroidered into her dress in a sentimental nod to her husband.
Instead, the puff-sleeve dress with a 17-foot train featured hearts to represent love and romance, anchors and waves to pay tribute to Andrew's career in the Royal Navy, and **** blebees and thistles representing motifs from the Ferguson family coat of arms.
The couple's initials "A" and "S" were also sewn into the gown, for which Sarah admitted she lost weight.
Their four-decade old wedding day was one filled with pomp and circumstance, though, plus the odd quirk. The late Queen Elizabeth II's son married Fergie in 1986, and his bride attempted to indulge his passion on their big day.
Designer Lindka Cierach reportedly discouraged Sarah from having decorative teddy bears and helicopters embroidered into her dress in a sentimental nod to her husband.
Instead, the puff-sleeve dress with a 17-foot train featured hearts to represent love and romance, anchors and waves to pay tribute to Andrew's career in the Royal Navy, and **** blebees and thistles representing motifs from the Ferguson family coat of arms.
The couple's initials "A" and "S" were also sewn into the gown, for which Sarah admitted she lost weight.
2 months ago
This summer's truncated Commonwealth Games represents "a really unique opportunity" to showcase netball, Scottish Thistles captain Emily Nicholl says.
It is one of just 10 sports that will be contested in Glasgow next month.
Scotland first fielded a netball team at the Games when it was last held in the city in 2014 - and a then 10-year-old Nicholl was in the crowd.
"I have first-hand experience of the impact a home games has and the fact that it really truly gave me belief and inspired me as to what is possible," the 32-year-old tells BBC Scotland.
"Because, before that, I didn't really know who the Thistles were to a great extent, so it did put them in the limelight and I think it was the start of a springboard for Scottish netball.
It is one of just 10 sports that will be contested in Glasgow next month.
Scotland first fielded a netball team at the Games when it was last held in the city in 2014 - and a then 10-year-old Nicholl was in the crowd.
"I have first-hand experience of the impact a home games has and the fact that it really truly gave me belief and inspired me as to what is possible," the 32-year-old tells BBC Scotland.
"Because, before that, I didn't really know who the Thistles were to a great extent, so it did put them in the limelight and I think it was the start of a springboard for Scottish netball.
2 months ago
Thistle Resources (TSX-V:TRCG, OTC:TRCGF) earlier this week reported encouraging drill results from its flagship Middle River Gold project in New Brunswick's Bathurst Mining Camp, with management saying the latest intersection continues to support the scale and growth potential of the emerging gold system.
Speaking with Proactive, chief executive Patrick Cruickshank said drill hole 21TRC-AU007 returned a significant gold-bearing interval from a shallow section of the deposit. The hole formed part of the company's ongoing drilling campaign aimed at expanding and defining mineralisation at Middle River.
Cruickshank reported that the 74-metre drill hole intersected 21 metres of significant gold mineralisation at a composite grade of approximately 1.66 g/t gold. He described the result as "a pretty rich composite over 74m" and noted that it also contained stronger intervals over eight metres and 14 metres.
The CEO said the result further validates the company's exploration model. Thistle has identified seven kilometres of mineralised folds across the project area through geophysical work undertaken with specialist partners. To date, the company has defined a deposit extending roughly 400 metres along one of those folds.
A key catalyst for investors will be the company's continued drilling program. Cruickshank explained that Thistle intends to focus on expanding the current mineralized trend before progressing to additional targets. The strategy is designed to support future inferred and indicated resource estimates through systematic step-out drilling and improved drill density.
Speaking with Proactive, chief executive Patrick Cruickshank said drill hole 21TRC-AU007 returned a significant gold-bearing interval from a shallow section of the deposit. The hole formed part of the company's ongoing drilling campaign aimed at expanding and defining mineralisation at Middle River.
Cruickshank reported that the 74-metre drill hole intersected 21 metres of significant gold mineralisation at a composite grade of approximately 1.66 g/t gold. He described the result as "a pretty rich composite over 74m" and noted that it also contained stronger intervals over eight metres and 14 metres.
The CEO said the result further validates the company's exploration model. Thistle has identified seven kilometres of mineralised folds across the project area through geophysical work undertaken with specialist partners. To date, the company has defined a deposit extending roughly 400 metres along one of those folds.
A key catalyst for investors will be the company's continued drilling program. Cruickshank explained that Thistle intends to focus on expanding the current mineralized trend before progressing to additional targets. The strategy is designed to support future inferred and indicated resource estimates through systematic step-out drilling and improved drill density.
2 months ago
Kris Doolan believes Scotland head coach Steve Clarke's first priority is to "protect the herd".
A training-ground friendly with Norway was cancelled, with Clarke saying "it wasn't worth the risk". Norway head coach Stale Solbakken said Clarke was "unprofessional".
"This happens at club level a lot if they're arranging behind closed doors games," former Partick Thistle manager Doolan told the BBC's latest Scottish Football Podcast.
"Things change, plans change, things within the squad. The manager's job is to protect the herd. That's what Steve Clarke's doing."
Meanwhile, Doolan believes Lawrence Shankland should start Scotland's World Cup opener against Haiti on Sunday after three goals in his past two international appearances.
A training-ground friendly with Norway was cancelled, with Clarke saying "it wasn't worth the risk". Norway head coach Stale Solbakken said Clarke was "unprofessional".
"This happens at club level a lot if they're arranging behind closed doors games," former Partick Thistle manager Doolan told the BBC's latest Scottish Football Podcast.
"Things change, plans change, things within the squad. The manager's job is to protect the herd. That's what Steve Clarke's doing."
Meanwhile, Doolan believes Lawrence Shankland should start Scotland's World Cup opener against Haiti on Sunday after three goals in his past two international appearances.
