After a dominant display against St. Johnstone in last weekend’s Scottish Women’s Cup tie, Hibernian Women headed north to face off against Aberdeen in the Park’s Motor Group SWPL 1.
Hibs made the stronger start to the match, keeping the lion’s share of the ball as Aberdeen sat in deep. The away side were seeing some good fortune down the left-hand side, with both Alexa Coyle and Colette Cavanagh sending in teasing crosses which were unable to pick out a green shirt.
Aberdeen earned the first corner of the game after Shannon Leishman raced back to dispossess Bailley Collins. A good delivery was swung towards the back post, with Siobhan Hunter eventually clearing to the edge of the box. Unfortunately for Hibs, Eva Thomson arrived to thump the ball through a crowd of bodies and into the bottom left corner, giving the home side the lead after eight minutes.
Aberdeen were continuing to take the game to Hibs, with the home side winning the midfield battle early in the first half. Thomson went close again with a thunderous effort from the edge of the box after 22 minutes and was unlucky to see the strike cannon back off the crossbar.
Hibs went agonisingly close in the 25th minute, as a lovely passing move down the left saw Amy Gallacher breaking down the wing. Her first touch took her past Loren Campbell and she made her way into the box, but her effort was deflected just past the bottom right corner. The resulting corner also came to nothing in the end.
In the 33rd minute, Gallacher stood over a free kick on the left. Her delivery fell all the way through to Joelle Murray on the far side of the box and the captain returned it towards the left. Hunter kept the ball in play, sending a high effort towards Ellis Notley, whose header was cleared off the line before Aberdeen were finally able to escape unscathed.
Whenever Hibs came forward in the first half, Aberdeen were ready and willing to throw their bodies on the line to keep their lead, and they had to do so on multiple occasions. Kelly Forrest cleared a sure-fire goal from Gallacher off the line and keeper Aaliyah-Jay Meach combined with her defence to prevent both Gallacher and Shannon McGregor just moments later.
Aberdeen fully deserved their lead at half time – they had defended resiliently against plenty of Hibs chances and had threatened on the counter numerous times. Hibs were certainly not down and out, though, with opportunities falling consistently throughout the opening 45 minutes.
Hibs began the second half on top, keeping the ball in the Aberdeen half and constantly looking to break through the lines. Coyle managed to turn her marker in the 53rd minute and fire an effort on goal, but Meach got down well to her right to match the strike.
Aberdeen had a great chance to double their advantage after Leishman was dispossessed in her own half, leaving Hibs short at the back. A dangerous cross was swung into the box, with Bayley Hutchison unmarked in the centre, but the ball flew past the head of Aberdeen’s number 10 and Hunter cleared.
Aberdeen spent the rest of the second half frustrating Hibs, as they sat in deep to defend wave after wave of green and white attacks. Hibs were continuously breaking into the box, but Aberdeen were always quick to rush the ball down and block any attempted shot.
There was little of note to mention in the game’s closing stages, as Aberdeen kept Hibs at bay and secured all three points.
Attention now turns back to the Scottish Women’s Cup, with Hibs travelling to take on Gartcairn next weekend.
