The home side were the first to draw a save from one of the goalkeepers inside three minutes, as London Pollard picked up a bit of space on the edge of the Hibernian box. Her shot did little to trouble Emily Mutch though, and the Hibs ‘keeper could collect with ease.
Partick went close again through Pollard in the eighth minute. A free kick was swung towards the centre of the box, but the ball dropped just ahead of the Thistle striker, much to the relief of the away side.
Alexa Coyle called Danica Dalziel into action for the first time after 12 minutes. After Amy Gallacher split the defence with a through ball, Kirsty Morrison sent a cut-back towards Coyle, whose shot was on target, but tame enough for the defender-come-goalkeeper to deal with comfortably.
Hibs had an opportunity to create a chance from a set piece after 18 minutes, as Gallacher was hauled down 30 yards from goal. Rachael Boyle played a clever ball low into the box, and Siobhan Hunter peeled off to fire a first-time strike past Dalziel to give Hibs the lead.
After an opening spell where chances were few and far between, both teams went searching for goals following Hunter’s opener. Coyle saw a header deflected behind for a corner after a pinpoint cross from Shannon Leishman, while Thistle drew Mutch into a smart stop immediately after going behind.
As the game edged towards the final stages of the half, the state of play had balanced out. Partick were employing a high press on the Hibernian backline, but the away side were keeping a hold of the ball well and looking to foray forward as much as possible.
Morrison had a golden chance to double Hibs’ advantage in the 40thminute, with a deep cross from the left finding the winger free in the area. However, she tried to take the shot on first time, which resulted in the chance going abegging.
There was little of note to follow, as the referee brought the half to a close five minutes later. Hibernian had the lead at the break but would have to expect a challenge from Partick in the second half, especially after a competitive opening spell.
Hibernian were keen to add to their lead as early as possible – Gallacher looked to send a strike from range goalward, but her effort deflected off a Partick defender and out for a corner, which came to nothing in the end.
Partick had a brilliant opportunity to level the tie in the 54thminute, after Leishman was adjudged to have committed a foul in the box. Amy Bulloch stepped up and smashed the spot kick into the top right, with Mutch diving in the opposite direction, giving Partick the equaliser and the momentum to keep coming at the away side.
That momentum stayed with the home side and they would reap the rewards in the 65thminute. Partick broke up the pitch quickly after winning the ball in the middle and after a quick one-two with Pollard, Rebecca McGowan slotted the ball past Mutch to give the home side the lead.
Partick gave Hibs even more work to do just two minutes later. Bulloch lined up a strike from range and managed to find the top right corner despite a touch from Mutch. The home side had battled well throughout the match and were now comfortably ahead in the tie.
That comfort would turn to unease just a minute later, as Hibs found a way back into the match. Morrison teed up a cross into the box from the right and Colette Cavanagh ghosted in to glance a header past Dalziel.
Hibs could well have found the equaliser in the 72ndminute, after Cavanagh was hacked down on the edge of the penalty area. Gallacher stepped up and curled an effort over the wall, but the strike also cleared the crossbar.
Hibs continued pressing for the equaliser and thought they had found it in the 84thminute, as Cavanagh collected a breakdown from a corner and worked to create an angle for the shot. She found the space and sent an effort goalward that would have levelled the tie, if not for a clearance off the line from one of the Partick defenders.
Partick had the chance to completely wrap up the game in stoppage time, as Eleanor Smith was played through one-on-one, but Mutch did well to smother the attempt.
Despite that miss, Partick held on for the three points, with the referee blowing the whistle shortly after that chance.
Hibernian have a visit from SWPL 2 champions Aberdeen to follow this match, while Partick return to Petershill to take on Hamilton.
Match Report by Jack Donnelly
