Dundee United 2 - 4 Hibernian  

Dundee United lost their third premier league match in a row, going down 4-2 at home to Hibernian Ladies.

Hibernian started on the offensive playing down the slight slope at Laing Park but it was United who took the lead on 15 minutes.

Hibs failed to deal with a free kick into the box and with the ball bouncing around in the penalty area, DENNEY was on hand to bravely nod the ball past Fay in the Hibs goal to give United a 1-0 lead against the run of play.

This seemed to rattle Hibs and United went two up on the half hour. DENNEY pinched the ball of Thomson and beat Jones in a one on one situation and slotted the ball under Fay to give United a 2-0 lead.

Hibs nearly grabbed a goal back on 35 minutes with Cunningham was denied by Clark in the United goal, but the ball spun across the line and only a goal saving tackle by Carol Fraser kept United's two goal lead in tact.

Then a moment of real real controversy which ultimately changed the whole complexion of the game.

With nearly 49 minutes gone in the first half Hibs were awarded a penalty. Hibs won a corner which was headed into the air by a United defender, as the ball dropped, it clipped Frasers arm which was by her side and the referee, with fifteen players blocking her view awarded the penalty to the disbelief of the United players and supporters. Fraser was booked for her protest and GRANT stepped up to slot the ball to the keepers right to pull a goal back for the Edinburgh side.

That was the last kick of an action packed first half.

Half time :- Dundee Utd 2 - 1 Hibernian

Hibs again started the brighter trying to get back into the game but it was United who could have added a third. A diagonal into the Hibs box by Harkin found Gallagher unmarked and she volleyed the ball first time where she could have taken a touch and picked her spot.

Hibs equalised with 68 minutes on the clock again to the surprise of everyone in the ground. MURRAY on as a substitute picked up the ball inside the Untied penalty area despite being five yards offside, the referee let play go and Murray slotted the ball into the net despite the protests of the United players.

Hibs took the lead with 15 minutes remaining. A free kick into the box was about to be cleared by McCulley, however, she was bundled out of the way and the Hibs striker knocked the ball past Clark to give Hibs a 3-2 lead.

CUNNINGHAM added a fourth with 7 minutes remaining with a fantastic effort from a tight angle.

Full time :- Dundee Utd 2 - 4 Hibernian

Manager Mary McDonald commented after the game "I am so proud of the girls today. They put everything into the game and if we had went in 2-0 to the good at half time, I am confident we would have won the game. Awarding Hibs the penalty changed the game and gave them a massive lift going in only one goal down at half time. Hibs are a quality side with international players all over the park, five of them within a whisker of taking Scotland to the European Championships, however our young girls have shown that we are more than capable of competing with the best teams in the league but at present aren't getting the rub of the green that we deserve."

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Hibernian Ladies came from two goals behind to defeat Dundee United at the weekend and continued their result good run of form. Victory for Jimmy Burns’s side moves them up the SWPL table into fourth place and puts them back into contention for the title.

Hibs started strongly and they put the home team under a lot of early pressure but they fell behind on 15 minutes when they failed to deal with a set piece. The goal came against the run of play but Denney was brave inside a crowded penalty area to nod the ball past Fay into the back of the net.

Before the Edinburgh side could regain their composure they found themselves trailing by two goals. Denney stole possession from Thomson before taking the ball past Jones and slotting it beyond Fay into the Hibs net. Hibernian were struggling but they almost pulled a goal back when Dundee United goalkeeper Clark denied Cunningham with a fine save.

Deep into additional time at the end of the first half Hibernian were awarded a controversial penalty kick after the ball struck the arm of United defender Fraser. The player could have done little to prevent touching the ball and the decision was very harsh but Grant despatched the spot kick to pull a goal back. Hibernian made both personnel and tactical changes during the interval and they would return a different side after the break. With 20 minutes remaining they levelled when substitute Murray fed the ball onto Kennedy who wasted no time in dispatching her shot into the back of the net.

Soon after Hibs took the lead for the first time in the game when Dalziel found a way past Clark after a deep free kick into the box and the scoring was completed with 7 minutes remaining when Cunningham found the net from tight angle.

Afterwards midfielder Joelle Murray revealed that it was the half time team talk from boss Burns that inspired the side to comeback. She said: “We deserved to be losing at the break as we lacked enthusiasm and reverted to the long high ball up the park instead of playing the one-two touch passing football that we usually play. Jimmy had a few harsh words with everyone at half time, which obviously worked, as we were a different team in the second half. After we scored the equaliser we went on to dominate the later stages of the game and should have had more goals.”