Hibs Women 2 Rangers 0

First-half heroics ensured Hibernian Women would reclaim their place at the top of the ScottishPower Women's Premier League after securing a 2-0 home win over title challengers Rangers.

After the visitors were denied an early goal, Kathleen McGovern used her head to capitalise on the missed opportunity within the opening 10 minutes. Stacey Papadopoulos soon fired home a fantastic piledriver to ensure victory.

In a tightly fought title race, Hibs began the day in third-place. With earlier results already favouring Hibs, the girls would end the day top of the table - leapfrogging their opponents in the process.

Anticipating an encounter similar to that against Celtic midweek, Grant Scott made just one change to his side that battled to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday. Noa Schumacher replaced the injured Erin Clachers in the goals.

Academy graduate goalkeeper Rowena Armitage also started on the bench after her emergency loan return from Montrose was extended.

Rangers thought they had opened the scoring within the first five minutes. Built up by Brogan Hay and Chelsea Cornet, Kirsty Howat struck past Schumacher before the referee called play back for a foul by Rio Hardy in the build-up.

Doing the maximum to ensure Rangers rued that missed opportunity, striker McGovern struck home the opener in some fashion on nine minutes.

A fantastic pinpoint cross, hit beautifully from Eilidh Adams, landed crisp on the head of our number 10, who effortlessly guided a bullet header past Jenna Fife to send Meadowbank into raptures. 

You could sense a moment of momentum swinging the way for Hibs after that goal as a succession of Rangers half-chances were either safely gathered by Schumacher or blasted away to safety by centre-back pair Siobhan Hunter or Linzi Taylor.

Adams was unfortunate not to get a goal of her own from two separate opportunities before the half-hour mark. Though she need not have worried; Hibs would be two-nil up with or without her heroics.

Dispossessing Rangers' Hay and in direct sight of goal, Papadopoulos’ distant effort deceived and squirmed beneath Fife, claiming a remarkable second goal for Hibs - as well as Stacey's second goal of the season.

Michaela McAlonie’s crossed ball almost made it a third but the delivery missed Tegan Bowie’s boots by millimetres. McGovern also fired close with an audacious chipped effort minutes before half-time.

Still vying with her strike partner for goals, Adams' snappy turn-and-strike whacked the post to provide some relief for the visitors.

Claiming Rangers' first clear-cut opportunity, Schumacher grabbed low to deny Camille Lafaix’s header. She was also standing ready to claim Kirsty Howat’s goal-bound header on 80 minutes.

In the end, Rangers looked like a shadow of the side that inflicted serious damage on Hibs the last time these sides met in the Sky Sports Cup Final.

With victory blowing away any pre-match hesitations, Hibs undoubtedly remained in the league title fight.