Match Reports - Hibs v Queen's Park (Premier League) 09 sep 07 L

Last weekend Hibernian Ladies were the guests of honour at a Civic Reception held by Edinburgh City Council. The Ladies were given the reception in recognition of their efforts last season when they celebrated a league and cup double, but it was back to the business of defending these titles on Sunday when Queen’s Park Ladies came calling.

It has been a fine start to the season for Hibernian and they were looking to take that form into their latest encounter, Queens Park a side who were side trying to recover from a recent thumping by Glasgow City. Hibs made two changes with Suzanne Robertson and Suzanne Grant dropped out and replaced by Pauline Hamill and Laura Kennedy.

Hibernian made an expected start when they took the game to their opponents from the first whistle and the first move of the game involved Julie Ferguson, Joelle Murray and Laura Kennedy down the right hand side before the Queen’s goalkeeper made an early save. The Hibees were not however having it their own way and Queen’s Park looked a side hungry and ready to fight for any scraps. Hibs had to thank Gemma Faye for keeping the scored level when she denied the impressive Jenny Beattie who had burst through from midfield.

The game was shaping up as Hibernian’s toughest of the season so far, with Queen’s putting the Hibs defence under some unfamiliar pressure. Then, after twenty minutes the visitors took the lead, a ball in from the menacing Stephanie Handley was powerfully headed past Gemma Faye in the Hibs goal by Jenny Beattie. Disappointing from the Hibs point of view but it would be hard to argue that Queen’s did not deserve to be in front.

The loss of the goal acted as the jolt Hibernian needed and at once they sprang to action and set about seeking the equaliser. Immediately Kirsty McBride set off on a trademark run down the left wing, she found Kim Little and the prolific scorer was left with only the goalkeeper to beat - however the ‘keeper was equal to the task and the chance was gone. As the pressure from Hibs grew it seemed only a matter of time before they were level and the equaliser did not take long to arrive, Kim Little gathered the ball wide left, driving into the box before shooting into the bottom corner of the net for her thirteenth goal of the season.

The home side had the bit between their teeth now and within five minutes they were ahead. Joelle Murray made a bursting run down the right wing and fired a low cross into the penalty that was met by Laura Kennedy as the striker grabbed her first goal of the campaign. The first half ended well for Hibernian but at times their performance was lacklustre and an improvement was needed in the second period.

Half Time: Hibernian Ladies 2 Queen’s Park Ladies 1

The half time rollicking the players received saw Hibernian return with a great deal more determination, and they immediately caused problems for the Queen’s Park defence as Kim Little brought out a fine save from the goalkeeper. For all the Hibs pressure the Queen’s defence looked stubborn and determined and not looking like gifting any goals to an under-performing Easter Road side.

Hibernian then squandered a number of chances as they searched in vain for a killer third goal, first Kim Little picked the ball up from a Kirsty McBride pass, skipped past two defenders and her shot beat the goalkeeper and agonisingly crashed back off the crossbar much to the Hibees anguish. Then astonishingly Mandy Burns set Pauline Hamill off and running and the Scotland Internationalist also found the upright in her way as she too found her effort crashing off the crossbar!

Kirsty McBride was causing Queen’s Park a number of problems and it was from her fine play that Hibs carved out their next chance when her run and cross picked out Laura Kennedy arriving late at the back post only to fire the ball wide. That was to be Laura Kennedy’s last contribution as she made way to be replaced by Suzanne Grant and she almost made an impact immediately but found her goal chalked off for offside.

Hibernian’s performance in the second half was a massive improvement from the first and Queen’s rarely troubled them, but they still looked unconvincing in front of goal. There was to be no further scoring in the game, but the Hibees know they can play so much better and one positive is that even when they under perform they are still capable to taking all three points and at the end of the season it is this type of result that proves vital.

Full Time: Hibernian Ladies 2 Queen’s Park Ladies 1

After the game Scotland Internationalist Julie Ferguson commented: “This was a frustrating game for all, we started poorly I don’t know why, the whole squad has been involved in International camps so maybe there were a few tired legs. I was delighted with our response when we lost the goal and to score two goals in five minutes was a great achievement, but the game should have been put away in the second half. We had no luck in front of goal and I think we might be shooting at training this week! All credit to Queens Park after their defeat to Glasgow City they came out fighting and showed why they have great potential – we know now we have to up our performances for the hard games coming up.”

Hibernian Ladies: Gemma Faye, Julie Ferguson, Stacey Cook, Shelley Kerr, Kirsty McBride, Joelle Murray, Mandy Burns, Natalie Ross, Kim Little, Laura Kennedy, Pauline Hamill. Subs: Suzanne Grant, Suzanne Robertson, Alison Donnelly, Joanna Hutcheson, Marlene Pearson, Frankie Brown.

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Having just came off the back of a horrific reverse from Glasgow City last Sunday, Queens Park were able to welcome back regulars Jennifer Beattie and Terri Donnelly, although first choice goalkeeper Kate Lagan was still not available. Left footed talisman Lauren MacMillan was fit only for a place on the bench as the Spiders walked into their toughest ever test. Circumstance had already seen the departure of some “doubting Thomas’s” from the Spiders this season, however reigning champions Hibs Ladies certainly know they’ve been in a game after Queens Park put up a resolute showing in Dalkeith yesterday.

There was a certain air of confidence around the Spiders as they strutted onto the park for their warm-up, heads held high despite recent setbacks and they showed their commitment to the cause after a fine warm up saw them fire into the game from the off. Hibs class was there for all to see throughout the starting line up as their team packed with internationals took to the field. Queens cursed luck looked to continue plaguing the team as they lost Lorna Gray in the warm-up, to be replaced by Tigger Kirkwood. Young Tigger went on to complete an excellent 90 minutes up against one of Scotland’s finest players in Km Little, but the Spiders are replete with youthful excellence themselves…

Cheryl McCulloch, Jenny Beattie and the irrepressible Stephanie Handley were outstanding breaking forward yesterday, and between them they created 3 excellent first half opportunities. Resolute defending across the back 4 and some fine goalkeeping from Nicky Black kept the score 0-0 before Handley broke right, McCulloch went left and Jenny Beattie ploughed through the centre, bearing down on goal. Jennifer chose to go to the air, but Scotland Number One Gemma Fay pulled off an excellent stop at the expense of a corner. The score stayed 0-0, but the Spiders had announced their intentions for this game.

After 27 minutes, Tigger Kirkwood lived up to her name with some tigerish tackling on the right hand side and played a raking 40 yard pass up the line for Stephanie Handley to pounce upon. There was a flash of Handleys yellow boots and a double step over before she whipped in a beautiful ball to Jennifer Beattie who had ghosted into the space opened up for her by Cheryl McCulloch. Jennifer showed talent and wisdom beyond her years as she rose unchallenged to bullet home for the opening goal, and for delirium to ensue on the Queens Park bench with Chief Conductor Lauren MacMillan!!

The opening half hour had been a tonic for Queens. After the freak result last week and some remarks made in the press and by others in the women’s football fraternity in the wake of that result and the start made to the season so far, it was refreshing to see the players put all of that aside and compete with the best team in the country for a full 90 minutes. 7 minutes after the Spiders took the lead, Hibs equalised through a goal that took 2 deflections to get past Nicky Black, and 6 minutes later they went into the lead with yet another slightly fortuitous goal, but Queens really should have cleared earlier.

At 2-1 down, many observers would have been thinking “good effort, but the floodgates will open”. However it was Queens who went on the offensive straight away, with Jenny Beattie again breaking from midfield after excellent movement from Handley and McCulloch put her through on goal at an angle. Jenny bulleted the ball across Gemma Fay but it missed the upright by a mere inches, meaning the Spiders went in one goal down at the interval, which was not a fair reflection of the play.

The Queens changing room must have been abuzz with conversation at half time, as the girls knew there was a real chance of making a name for themselves and stating that their roller-coaster start to the season was going to level out and allow them to dictate the pattern of play. For the first half they had lived and competed with the best team in the country, could they do so again…?

Vinny Bryson on the sidelines needn’t have worried, as Queens Young Guns (and thirty something Suzy Gribbin!!) went toe-to-toe with Hibs in the second half. Queens managed to create a few half-chances, but a couple of less hurried decisions in the centre of the pitch would have released the lightning quick Cheryl McCulloch one on one with the keeper, but we are not here to debate might-have-beens. The hard fact is that Hibs have rarely been as troubled as they were yesterday, by a team only 5 games into their run in the Premier League.

However, Hibs are not the force they are by accident, and the quality of their bench is formidable. Suzanne Grant came on in 71 minutes and looked dangerous as ever, posing a potent threat, but Queens back 4 resolutely worked to ensure the lethal Grant barely got a sniff of the ball and had to hurry her finishes. On the rare occasions in the second half when Black, Donnelly, Kirkwood, McMullen and Skipper Amy McDonald didn’t stop the threat, the crossbar finally worked in Queens favour with Pauline Hamill really unfortunate not to score for Hibs after excellent play on the right side, cutting inside Kylie McMullan and hitting the bar. After the horrendous run of luck Queens Park have endured, they’ll take any rub of the green that’s going!!

The second half began to take its toll on some weary legs in the hooped jerseys, with Suzy Gribbin replaced by Tina Ferguson, and Lauren MacMillan coming on for Sara Paterson. This part of the game became a defensive challenge for the Spiders, as Hibs began to creep further and further up the field, gaining more and more possession. Terri Donnelly in the back line was an inspiring figure during this high pressure 15 minutes. Winning everything in the air alongside Amy McDonald, Terri also powered through every tackle with 100% commitment, and drove those around her to achieve the same level of tenacity and desire to keep the Champions at bay.

The second half remained goalless, and the final whistle went at 2-1 to the home side, however Queens Park will draw a lot from yesterday’s result, chief amongst it being that they can compete with the top teams in the country. Vinny Bryson was full of praise for the Queens girls,

“I’m extremely proud to be involved with this team, and they proved a point to more than a few folk today. The last 2 games have been extremely tough, having competed well against Kilmarnock and come away with nothing, then circumstance putting paid to last weeks team selection against an excellent Glasgow City side. However, thankfully that’s all behind us and we certainly showed our class and capability today, not to mention more than a fair share of tenacity and desire against the best team in the country. Now, we have to build on these qualities and get ourselves more points on the board, which I am certain we can do. There’s no point in going all-out against Hibs if we can’t match the same level of performance against our next opponents. The girls have set themselves a standard, and I look forward to seeing them maintain it over this season.”