Ladies Back In Style

Hibernian Ladies continued their impressive run of results with a 5-0 win over Aberdeen Ladies at the Hibernian Training Centre on Sunday afternoon. Due to international commitments, Scottish Cup involvement and match postponements against Hamilton Academical and Boroughmuir Thistle, this was incredibly the girl's first league game since returning from the winter break.

Because of Hibernian's inactivity in recent weeks on the league front, rivals Glasgow City and Spartans have both managed to leapfrog the Edinburgh club in the table. However on the back of convincing wins against Kilmarnock and Falkirk in the Scottish Cup, Hibernian went into the crunch clash with Aberdeen full of confidence.

The match took place at the Hibernian Training Centre in almost perfect conditions. The home side only had eleven fit players, including a trialist, and they were praying to come through the match without any further injuries that would hamper their already depleted squad.

Aberdeen have been stubborn opponents to overcome in recent seasons but Hibernian were able to score an early goal and that gave the visitors no option but to open up. Hibernian made the breakthrough on 15 minutes when a long ball over the top of the Aberdeen defence left Mandy Burns clear in on goal. The midfielder, who had missed similar opportunity just moments before, kept her composure to fire his side into the lead with a powerful low shot.

The goal settled the nerves in the Hibernian side and they began to pass the ball around the park in confidence. Almost immediately Hibernian scored a second as the visitors were once more caught out at the back. Again it was a ball over the top of the Aberdeen defence that found the run from deep of Mandy Burns who yet again raced clear before drawing the goalkeeper and slotting the ball into the back of the net.

The visitors were left shell-shocked. Their normally stubborn defence had been breached twice in the opening period of the game and their game plan, to stifle Hibs creative outputs, was in ruins. To their credit Aberdeen did push forward and carved out a couple of chances for themselves, but unfortunately for them, they were unable to convert those opportunities into goals.

The trickery and link-up play of Kirsty McBride and Lisa Robertson on the left flank was causing Aberdeen a number of problems, but despite excellent deliveries from the pair to the Hibernian forwards, the Leith side were unable to increase their lead any further until just 5 minutes before the half time break when Stacey Cook fired the ball into the bottom corner of the visitors net.

Hibernian survived an appeal for a penalty kick just seconds before the half time whistle and had Aberdeen been given the kick the whole complexion of the game would surely have changed at the interval.

Tam Shield's Hibernian side opened the second half in determined fashion and they retained possession well whilst creating a number of chances without increasing their lead. Indeed Hibernian had to wait until the latter stages of the game before they scored a fourth goal, but it was certainly a goal worth waiting for.

A Hibernian corner kick from the left found its way to Stacey Cook on the edge of the penalty area, the Hibs midfielder meeting the ball on the run managed to smash it into the top right hand corner of the net, giving the poor Aberdeen goalkeeper no chance. It was a move that was reminiscent of the link up between Franck Sauzee and Russell Latapy in years gone by.

In the dying seconds of the game Hibernian scored a deserved fifth goal and once more Stacey Cook was involved. Hayley Cunningham played a neat one-two with the midfielder before slotting the ball beyond the despairing goalkeeper and into the Aberdeen net to round of a fine performance from Hibernian.

Hibernian Ladies next two fixtures will prove pivotal in determining whether this season will be looked back upon as a successful campaign or not. The Ladies are in action this weekend against Spartans in the Scottish Cup before travelling through to Glasgow to face undefeated league leaders Celtic the following weekend.

Richard Payne

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Aberdeen opened strongly in the first few minutes but it was Hibs who had the first chance with a corner headed onto the bar before it was punched away and a long shot from Cunningham hit wide.

Hib’s Mandy Burns then sprinted onto a long ball with only the keeper to beat. Taylor did well forcing enough hesitation to allow Murray to track back and tackle. The Dons offside trap was broken again this time by Cunningham who darted forward tracked by Anderson and forced a save on the ground.

Hibs opened the scoring on 16 minutes, BURNS again losing her marker and from a suspiciously offside position ran forward and this time made no mistake sinking her shot low into the net.

Hibs were now pressing hard more chances from Cunningham and Burns but the Reds defence and keeper worked hard to break down the danger. Then a run from midfield by COOK saw her weave through the Aberdeen midfield and defence before wrong footing Taylor to make it two.

From the kick off Aberdeen had a good chance, Martin going one on one with Scotland keeper Faye. A strong claim for a penalty was denied as the Hibs stopper dived at Martin’s feet to send her clattering to the ground. 

The Hibees made it three with five minutes of the half to play once again BURNS again looking offside before latching onto the pass and beating Taylor.

Half Time: Hibernian 3 – Aberdeen 0

With Murray injured, Small dropped to defence as the Dons reshuffled to a back three and Wright and Mckenzie making it five in the middle. Seven minutes into the half bad luck for Aberdeen as a corner was played short then driven in hard ricocheting off Fitzpatrick for an own goal.

Aberdeen pressed, Bradford breaking forward and crossing to Hamill whose shot was blocked at close range. Fifteen minutes in, Hibs made it four, JONES heading in unmarked from a corner. Then a let off as a chip over the keeper hit the bar and Andersen cleared off the line.

Hibs continued to press hard and earned their final goal with ten minutes to play McBride crossed for COOK to sink the ball from 30 yards

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