Ladies back and winning

Hibernian Ladies were back in action after a long winter lay-off, the last outing was a defeat in the League Cup Final......

After a defeat in football players a desperate for the next game to come around quickly so you can put things right and move on, due to a combination on the Scottish weather and the winter shut-down, Hibernian Ladies have had to wait eight weeks since they were beaten by Edinburgh Ladies in the Premier League Cup Final before they could again taste competitive action.

On Sunday Hibernian washed away any lingering disappointment with a resounding win against Raith Rovers in Dalkeith. The game also marked the return to the team of Scottish International defender Stacey Cook who had been missing for six months due to a serious knee injury. Hibs were missing Natalie Ross (injury) and Marlene Pearson (Work Commitments) but were at otherwise full strength going into this clash.

Hibernian started off in their usual 3-5-2 formation and went at Raith from the kick off, despite the lack of recent action Hibs were their displaying their usual free flowing football and working as one cohesive unit. The Hibees front three of Grant, Little and Kennedy were giving the poor Raith defence a torrid time but they found the Rovers goalkeeper in inspiring form.

The Hibees created a great chance soon after when a fine passing move between Murray and Burns set up Grant but she could not get enough direction on her header and it went inches wide. It seemed only a matter of time before the Edinburgh side opened the scoring and they duel did in twenty minutes. Left Midfielder McBride received the ball out wide, she looked to cross into the box and with no one available she hit a shot that dipped over the unsuspecting goalkeepers head. A fantastic strike, McBride’s fifth of the season.

After planning so well and finally making the break through Hibs seemed to drop the tempo of their pl, soon after a lack of concentration allowed a Raith forward to get into a one-on-one position and with only goalkeeper McDonald to beat, the attacker hit her shot high over the bar and it was a chance the Rovers were to pay for failing to take. Almost immediately this sent Hibs back into life and they went straight up the pitch and saw Little hit a great shot off the post with the ball being cleared for a corner. From the resulting corner taken by McBride, Ferguson rose above the defence but her header narrowly dipped over the cross bar

Before the half time whistle went Hibernian again went close when a Burns, who was at the centre of most of Hibs positive play, went close with a stinging left footed drive that was sent narrowly past the post of a thankful Raith goalkeeper. Despite dominating the first half Hibernian only had a fragile one goal lead at the break and a stubborn Rovers defence were making it a close contest.

Half Time: Hibernian Ladies 1 Raith Rovers Ladies 0

Hibs came out of for the second half in determined mood and the Rovers were not able to cope, time and again Hibernian carved open the Fifers rear guard only to squander chances from good positions. With Hibernian pressing for a second goal Raith exploited a gap in the Hibs defence and once again found themselves with only the goalkeeper to beat, and as they had done in the first half the Rovers attacker showed a lack of composure by smashing the ball high over the cross bar to the frustration of their bench.

Almost immediately Hibernian doubled their lead when McBride hit a low drive across the box and Grant blasted the ball into the net from close range. Hibs looked relieved to have a two-goal cushion whilst Raith began to look a beat side. Then Hibernian twice were left with only the keeper to beat, the first saw Grant race onto a ball over the top with the goalkeeper making a fine save to push it around the post before Little accepted a great pass from Ferguson before looking on in anguish as her shot ricocheted against the post and clear.

Hibernian sealed the three points when Little grabbed a third goal of the game, she drove in from the right hand side and took the ball past three defenders before rifling her shot past the oncoming goalkeeper. With the game now won, Suzanne Grant grabbed her second goal and her sides fourth when she collected the ball from Sister Shelley and turned her marker before striking an unstoppable shot into the back of the net.

Hibs kept pressing for more goals and late on Cook, Kennedy and Shelley Grant went close to adding a fifth strike but there were not to be any more goals as the referee’s whistle ensured Hibernian remain top of the Scottish Women’s Premier League, albeit on goal difference from Glasgow City.

Full Time: Hibernian Ladies 4 Raith Rovers Ladies 0

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

After the game Midfielder Julie Ferguson was delighted with her sides return to action, she said: ”Going into the game we were feeling good, as a squad we have had a good start to the new year with some very good training sessions and a friendly under our belt as well as also having ten players part of the recent international training camp so everyone was lively and really looking forward to the game This was our first game since the Cup Final so we knew it was important to get a good performance to drive the team on. Before the game the coaches had pointed out the importance of pressing and keeping the ball moving.”

Julie continued: ”We were completely dominate in this game from start to finish, although Raith did give us a couple of scares they did not cause us a lot of problems, they worked hard and are always difficult to break down and who knows how they would have reacted had they pulled level. After the cup final it was important to get a good result and we did that that, we are pleased with the performance, the attitude and the commitment of the players. It was a good win that hopefully will set us up for the rest of the season”

Hibernian Ladies Manager Iain Johnston was pleased to see his side return to winning ways adding: ”It was a good game and I felt we dominated for long spells, squandering a few chances but that was also down to some fantastic work by Raith’s goalkeeper.”

Richard Payne

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There was no change at the top as Hibs defeated Raith 4-0 to maintain a three-point lead over Glasgow City. Kirsty McBride scored twice with Suzanne Grant and Kim Little also on target. “It was a good game,” says Hibs boss Iain Johnston. “I felt we dominated for long spells and squandered a few chances but that was also down to some fantatsic work by Raith’s goalkeeper.”