Cup glory for Hibs Ladies

Hibernian Ladies are within touching distance of a league and cup double following Sunday’s outstanding 5-1 victory in the Amicus Scottish Cup Final against title rivals Glasgow City at McDiarmid Park. The Scottish Cup Final is always a huge game in the Scottish Women’s Football calendar, as part of Women’s National Day, a huge crowd is guaranteed and it’s the game every female footballer wants to play in.

This year Scotland’s top two met in what would be the neutrals choice of game – both have pushed each other all the way this season in the Scottish Women’s Premier League, so this tie was a mouth watering prospect with no less that twelve international players on show. Hibernian fielded the same side that had defeated Hamilton 6-0 on Tuesday.

Hibs started the game nervy with Glasgow playing the early passes and looking slightly sharper than their Edinburgh counterparts, there were a few early scrambles with Ross and Lingor causing problems for the Hibs defence. Hibs put themselves under pressure and could have been a goal down in the first ten minutes, as the half wore on the Edinburgh side began to settle and were looking to play the football that had saw them reach the final in the first place, Kim Little almost created a goal for herself when she outran Montgomery on the left hand side, but found the city goalkeeper in fine form.

Hibs began to build in confidence, Joelle Murray broke away on the right wing and she found the run of Kim Little but Lindsay Hogg cleared for a throw-in. Joelle Murray stepped up to take the throw and her long ball into the box cleared the City defence and fell perfectly for the head of Suzanne Grant who make no mistake and fired Hibs into the lead. Grant who ironically played and scored for City in last seasons final again Aberdeen, claimed her 33rd strike of the campaign.

With Hibs still celebrating City kicked off and found Lingor out wide she drilled her pass into the box and Stacey Cook cleared for a corner. Lingor fired the corner in and Julie Ferguson rose to clear the ball wide of the goal, the ball came back in from Campbell and with the Hibs team disorganised the ball fell to the feet of Ross and she fired City back level Hibs clearly angered by the loss of the goal immediately looked to get their lead back, a good move down the left with Frankie Brown driving forward found the feet of Kim Little, Little was kicked to the ground the referee awarded a free-kick. The resulting free kick was floated into the box with the Lappin having to intervene she miss-hit the ball and the ricochet went into the net off Dalziel for an own goal and gifting Hibs back the advantage.

Not everything went to plan for the Hibees and they were rocked by a shoulder injury to Joelle Murray, she had to leave the game with Laura Kennedy coming on to replace her in thirty-nine minutes. City were still menacing and looking for that equaliser, Lingor always a threat down the left found the feet of Sommerville but the head of Robertson came to the rescue clearing for a corner met her long ball into the box. Campbell whipped the ball into the box and it dropped to the feet of Lappin, her strike looked goal bound until 47-year-old Debbie McDonald made a superb save to keep her team in the lead.

Soon after Stacey Cook found Frankie Brown who played the ball up the line to Kim Little, she went past her marker, then jinked past two other defenders and as she got into the box she fired the ball past the city goalkeeper to fire Hibs further into the lead and send her team-mates into Euphoria. It was Little’s 52 goal of an unbelievable first season in senior football. City tried in vain to get another goal before half time but they found the Hibs defence in a defiant mood.

Half Time: Glasgow City 1 Hibernian Ladies 3

The second half kicked off at a frantic pace with City knowing they had to chase the game. Hibs were satisfied to sit in and contain the Glasgow side, knowing that City would leave gaps that they could exploit. City were now channelling everything through Suzanne Lappin looking for a goal from their inspirational midfielder, but with Julie Ferguson, Natalie Ross and Mandy Burns lurking, each attack came to no avail. Hibernian were certainly in control and their dominance could have been furthered had it not been for the city goalkeeper making a fine save from Suzanne Grant. Hibs continued to press and with the presence of Kim Little and Suzanne Grant giving the City defence some concern.

 City were limited to long balls for the entire second half due to Hibs dominance but a ball into the box from Sommerville met the head of Lappin and her header skipped just past the post for a goal kick. Five minutes later and the killer fourth goal that Hibs had been looking for, Shelley Grant picked up the ball wide right and played it into her sister Suzanne, she dropped the ball back to Julie Ferguson who took the ball past two City midfielders and slid the ball in between the defence to the run of Kim Little. The youngster doing what she does best, outrunning her marker and making no mistake, taking the ball round the goalkeeper and slotting it home. The Hibs team, management and fans were ecstatic knowing that this goal had finally killed off any chance City had of getting back into the game.

City tried in vain for a consolation but the Hibs midfield and defence were in no mood to give anything away, as the game winded down and a ball over the top from Julie Ferguson saw Suzanne Grant outrun the City defence and play a first time ball across the box, with Laura Kennedy the first to meet it, her shot was well saved by the City goalkeeper but the rebound fell back to Laura Kennedy and she made no mistake the second time, claiming her 13th goal of the season. The game was over as a contest and the final stages filtered out as City now were dead and buried.

This was an interesting game that in the early stages could have went either way – once Hibs got in front the second time the never looked back, the Hibs defence were outstanding and City failed to test 47 year-old goalkeeper Debbie McDonald at all in the second half. Hibs were the dominant team for large parts of the game and deserved their victory, City now have a massive mountain to climb if they are to claim the only piece of silverware left open to them, the league title, not only do Hibs have a five point lead with three games to go, they also have to face the Edinburgh side who have now beaten them twice this season. If Hibs show this kind of fighting performance in their final games there could a league and cup double on the cards.

Full Time: Glasgow City 1 Hibernian Ladies 5

Hibernian Ladies: Debbie McDonald, Suzy Robertson, Frankie Brown, Stacey Cook, Shelley Grant, Joelle Murray, Julie Ferguson, Mandy Burns, Natalie Ross, Kim Little, Suzanne Grant. Subs: Louise Young, Kirsty McBride, Alison Donnelly, Laura Kennedy, Marlene Pearson

Glasgow City: A Livingston, L Hogg, J Sommerville, L Montgomery, S Lappin, R Littlejohn, M Sneddon, J Ross, L Campbell, K Lindner, D Dalziel, K McNicol, J Condie, D Bruce, Marie Gemmell.

Referee: Stuart Dougal, Assistants Norma Watt and Lorraine Clark and Fourth Official Kelly Kyle.
 

Richard Payne

VIEW FULL PHOTO REPORT HERE

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Cup Final - Glasgow City v Hibernian

Glasgow City suffered one of their heaviest defeats in recent years when they went down 5-1 to Hibernian in the Amicus Scottish Cup Final.

City started the game well, putting the Hibs back line under pressure, but a defensive mistake allowed Hibs Suzanne Grant to score the opener. The Glasgow side responded well and got their deserved equaliser through a good strike from Scotland Under 19 forward Jane Ross. But within minutes Hibs were back in front as City’s defensive frailties were highlighted again as a mix up at the back caused midfielder Suzanne Lappin to score an own goal.

Having given away two very cheap goals, City had a lot to do, but things were made even tougher when a great run from the outstanding Kim Little saw her finish in style with a low strike into the corner of the City net.

Throughout the first half, City had the majority of the possession and looked the better side, but were unable to convert any dominance into more goals. A good header from Lappin landed agonisingly on the top of the Hibs net, and a great strike from distance from Dalziel hit the crossbar as City were not getting any luck in front of goal.

The second half continued like the first, with City searching for a goal to get back in the game, but as they pushed up, Hibernian caught them on the break and another goal from Little and a strike from Laura Kennedy ensured an emphatic win for the Edinburgh side.

City Manager Peter Caulfield was obviously disappointed with his side’s performance and said “I was happy with the way we passed the ball but defensive mistakes meant we had lost 3 goals in 19 minutes, leaving us with a mountain to climb. Overall missed opportunities in the first half when we played some good football, ultimately cost us the game. I am disappointed with the scoreline as the game was a lot closer than the result suggests.”

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Hibernian lifted the Amicus Scottish Cup after beating Glasgow City 5-1 in the Final at McDiarmid Park. 
 
Suzanne Grant gave Hibs an early lead and, although Glasgow fought back to level through Jane Ross, Hibernian went back in front via an own goal and Kim Little increased their advantage before the break with a fine individual goal.
 
In the second half, Little scored her second to give Hibs a stronger grip on the game and the 16-year-old sensation set up Laura Kennedy to complete the tally.
 
Hibs now require five points from their remaining three league games to clinch the League and Cup 'double'.

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HIBS LIFT THE AMICUS CUP

Hibs LFC picked up their first silverware of the season when the won 5-1 over close league rivals Glasgow City LFC at McDiarmid Park, Perth today in the Amicus Scottish Cup Final.

The teams went in at half time 3-1 for Hibs courtesy of goals from Suzanne Grant and and Kim Little and a Glasgow City og. Joelle Murray who suffered a shoulder injury was substituted by Laura Kennedy in the 39th minute.

The second half saw Hibs pile on the pressure and put another three past Glasgow City who lacked defensively. One more from Kim Little and one from substitute Laura Kennedy rounded of the second half.

The match referee was Stuart Dougal, with Norma Watt and Lorraine Clark Assistant Referee’s and Kelly Kyle Fourth Official.

Kim Little was named as Amicus Player of the Match.

Hibs: D McDonald, S Robertson, F Brown, S Cook, S Grant, Murray, J Ferguson, A Burns, N Ross, K Little, S Grant, L Young, K McBride, a Donnelly, L Kennedy, M Pearson

Glasgow City: - A Livingston, L Hogg, J Sommerville, L Montgomery, S Lappin, R Littlejohn, M Sneddon, J Ross, L Campbell, K Lindner, D Dalziel, K McNicol, J Condie, D Bruce, Marie Gemmell.