After defeating Aberdeen Women on Sunday and cementing 4th place in the Park’s Motor Group SWPL 1, Dean Gibson’s side travelled to New Douglas Park to take on Hamilton Academical for the side’s penultimate game of the season.
The match started with a fast tempo as both sides created several half-chances during the opening 15 minutes.
Hamilton almost opened the score within the first six seconds of the match but were denied by a save from Gabby English.
Hibs responded well to this as their first chance of the match fell to Michaela McAlonie in the 3rd minute. Ellis Notley played an excellent ball across the field where it was picked up by Kirsty Morrison on the right wing. Morrison then delivered a cross into the box which was met by McAlonie, however, her acrobatic effort went over the bar.
A few minutes later, Shannon McGregor took a shot from the edge of the box, but it was caught by Sarah Rhind.
Hamilton’s Josi Giard had an excellent chance to score just before the 6th minute after she was played through on goal, but her effort went just wide of English’s post.
After a good Hamilton attack, Joelle Murray was forced into making a fantastic sliding challenge inside the box to stop Tiree Burchill from getting a shot away in the 10th minute.
Hibs’ first corner of the match came in the 14th minute. The ensuing delivery from Murray came to nothing, however, as Hamilton defended well and cleared their lines.
The game quietened down after the 15th minute with chances few and far between. Both sides defended well and stopped the opposition from creating anything clear-cut.
One of the final chances of the first half fell to Alexa Coyle who managed to get a shot away on her right foot from just inside the box but was denied by a good save by Rhind. The referee blew the whistle for halftime shortly after, with the score level at 0-0.
Hibs made a good start to the second half and won a corner within the opening minute of the restart. Hamilton once again defended well from a set piece and cleared the danger.
Colette Cavanagh opened the score for Hibs in the 52nd minute after some excellent build-up play. The ball was won by Jenna Penman who played a one-two with Coyle down the right. Following this, Penman played the ball forward where it was met by McAlonie who passed it to McGregor out wide. Hibs’ number 10 then played it across to Amy Muir on the left who back-heeled it into the path of Cavanagh who then smashed it into the top left corner.
Hibs doubled their lead in the 74th minute through Amy Gallacher. A corner delivered by Notley was cleared only as far as Gallacher waiting near the edge of the box. Gallacher then curled an effort from just outside the area which flew into the bottom right corner.
Only seven minutes later, Hibs made it 3-0 through Rosie Livingstone. Cavanagh played the ball to Murray, who drove down the right wing. The Hibs captain then swung a cross into the box which was met by Livingstone who headed the ball past Rhind and into the back of the net.
Hibs kept up the pressure and made it 4-0 through Gallacher in the 85th minute. A Hamilton goal-kick was won in the air by Cavanagh who then played it to Eilidh Adams on the wing. Adams then delivered a good cross to Gallacher who was waiting in the box to head home and get her second and Hibs’ fourth of the match.
In the end, a dominant second half display ensured that Hibs picked up a 4-0 victory and all three points in their final away game of the season.