Jorian Baucom netted from the spot to give Hibs the lead, before a quickfire brace from Darcie Miller turned the game on its head. The momentum quickly shifted back in the Hibees’ favour, however, as Poppy Lawson netted before the break to level proceedings.
Second-half strikes from Abbie Ferguson and Siobhan Hunter, as well as Baucom and Lawson grabbing their braces gifted Grant Scott’s side entry into the next round of the Sky Sports Cup.
There were three changes to the side that snatched victory at K-Park two weeks ago before the international break. Shannon Leishman, Leah Eddie and Tegan Bowie were replaced by youngsters Mya Christie and Michaela McAlonie, as well as Siobhan Hunter – who was making her first start of the campaign following her return from injury.
Despite Hannah Stewart’s early go at Katie Fraine’s goal, it was Hibs who looked the sharpest in the early stages of the second-round clash – with the team fairly rewarded for their strong start after 7 minutes as Lauren Doran-Barr was felled in the penalty area.
Jorian Baucom stepped up to the spot for the fourth time this season and coolly slotted the ball beyond Dons ‘keeper Annalisa McCann to open the floodgates.
Eager to add to her ever-growing goal-scoring tally, Baucom nearly netted once more in the 28th minute. Shannon McGregor’s terrific floated cross was met with a fierce bicycle kick by the forward, though the acrobatic effort bounced wide.
With 10 minutes until half-time, Aberdeen suddenly took control of the game. A sublime stop from Fraine to keep out an equally sublime Chloe Gover free-kick was all for nothing when Darcie Miller netted from the subsequent corner after some brief confusion in the mixer.
Miller would, just two minutes later, give the visitors the lead after besting Fraine with a curling effort from inside the area. The Dons' domination lasted mere minutes, however, as two Hibee centre-back compatriots combined to equalise for Grant Scott’s side.
Hunter had already excellently kept a dwindling attack alive, before scooping a delightful cross into the path of her defensive partner. Poppy Lawson made no mistake in slamming her effort goalward and putting enough power on it to defeat McCann in the Aberdeen goal.
It took only six minutes of the second 45 for Hibs to retake their lead through Abbie Ferguson. Some effortless play from Baucom and McGregor sent the winger through on goal and allowed the number 7 plenty of time to ready herself to thrash the ball through McCann and into the back of the net.
Just beyond the hour mark, Baucom dispatched once more to grab her eighth goal in the last six games. A majestic touch-pass from McGregor found McAlonie, who’s inch-perfect through ball unearthed a scoring opportunity for Baucom. The forward deceived her marker with some nice movement and rolled the ball into the bottom corner with relative ease.
Before fans could sit back down again in the bright orange seats of Meadowbank Stadium, it was Hunter’s time to shine. Already with an assist to her name on her full return to the matchday squad, the defender snatched a goal by bravely hurtling her body through the air to meet a deep corner delivery from Naomi Powell at the back post and head home in domineering style.
The fantastic celebrations that followed Shiv’s aerial antics weren’t the last. But plenty happened before those further moments of glee returned. Brooke Nunn, Eilidh Adams, Tegan Bowie, and Rosie Livingstone all entered the fray.
Both Nunn and Adams nearly found the net after their introduction. The former struck the side-netting not long after the latter was thwarted by a low stop from McCann. The chances kept on coming as Scott’s team ruthlessly chased more goals en route to the Sky Sports Cup quarter finals.
That final goal came four minutes into stoppage time as Ellis Notley, after picking the ball up following a poorly cleared corner, picked out an unmarked Lawson lurking at the back post. The defender grabbed her second after neatly taking the ball down and placing it past McCann.
A final substitution saw Hibs academy prospect Rowena Armitage make her senior debut off the bench when the youthful shot-stopper replaced Fraine.
The dominant performance sees Hibs coast into the Sky Sports Cup quarter-finals ahead of a return to SWPL action next Sunday at Meadowbank versus Partick Thistle.
