Hibernian FC

Hibernian Women returned to action after their festive break, as they welcomed Celtic to Meadowbank in the Scottish Gas Scottish Cup Fourth Round - which was also Joelle Murray’s first game as Hibs Women’s Head Coach. 

Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the Hibees, as they bowed out of the cup after being defeated by the side from Glasgow, 3-2. Celtic found themselves two goals up at half-time following an Emma Lawton header and a Morgan Cross finish.

Hibs overturned the deficit in the opening five minutes of the second half, where goals from Tiree Burchill and Eilidh Adams brought us level at Meadowbank. However, Celtic went back ahead with the eventual winner via Maria McAneny. 

Murray made three changes from last time out, which was also against Celtic in the girls' final match before the break, as Kirsten Reilly, Tegan Bowie and Tiree Burchill came into the lineup to replace Siobhan Hunter, Stacey Papadopoulos and Kirsty Morrison.

Hibs Women: Schumacher, Herron, Grant (Jordan 89'), Adams, Notley, Livingstone, Doran-Barr, Boyle (Morrison 80'), Bowie, Burchill, Reilly (Fitzgerald 62').

Unused Substitutes: Armitage, Hunter, Papadopoulos, Ramsay.

Hibs started proceedings strongly, and this was indicated by Adams, who did brilliantly well to skip past the Celtic midfield. The forward found herself inside the box and superbly chopped inside on her left foot to create space for a shot, but she blazed over the bar after six minutes. 

The Hibees continued to threaten, as Ellis Notley found space from 25 yards to create a shooting opportunity, but her well-hit right-footed effort went straight into the hands of Lisa Rodgers. 

However, Hibs were made to pay for not scoring whilst on top, as Celtic opened the scoring after 16 minutes. A dangerous corner was fired into the middle of the Hibs box by Amy Gallacher, which met the head of Lawton, who headed home well to put the visitors ahead at Meadowbank. 

Reilly went close just two minutes later as she hit a dangerous free-kick from 25 yards from goal, but her effort went just whiskers past Rodgers' post, as the home side looked to grab an equaliser. 

Hibs threatened to equalise once again, as an attempted clearance at the back from Claire Walsh rebounded off the pressing Burchill, who then broke through on goal with speed to go one-on-one with Rodgers, but the Celtic goalkeeper made herself big and saved well after 24 minutes. 

Celtic then began to control play more than they previously did earlier in the half, and they attempted to use this to their advantage as McAneny was played through on goal but saw a left-footed effort saved simply by Noa Schumacher on 28 minutes. 

Hibs went very close to equalising, as Bowie found space on the right-hand side and cut onto her left foot and attempted to find the top corner with a curling effort, which looked like it was going to nestle in the net, but Rodgers pulled off a spectacular save to keep her side ahead after 38 minutes. 

Just three minutes later, Celtic almost extended their lead, as McAneny found space on the left-hand side of the box and attempted a powerful effort on goal, but this was saved well by Schumacher. 

This save rebounded to the edge of the box, where then a foul was won by the visitors. Up stepped Saoirse Noonan, who hit a brilliant free kick on the edge of the box; however, it powerfully rattled the crossbar, and Hibs were let off on this occasion, in the 43rd minute. 

However, Celtic did extend their lead one minute after the free-kick attempt, as Noonan played a dangerous ball in behind, which found Cross on the right-hand side, who broke through on goal and finished well past Schumacher to double their lead. 

After the goal, Hibs created a couple of chances of their own on the stroke of half-time, as Lauren Doran-Barr saw an effort from a tight angle saved by Rodgers, and just moments later, Rosie Livingstone went extremely close, but unfortunately saw a curling effort with her left foot on the right-hand side of the box go just past the post. 

Hibs immediately brought themselves back into the game, as Burchill reduced the deficit to one just 65 seconds into the second half. Schumacher played a long direct ball to Adams, who flicked on a brilliant header, which played Burchill through on goal, and she burst forward and showed great composure to find the bottom left-hand corner to grab a goal back for the hosts, against her former club. 

Hibs then brought the game level, just five minutes into the second half, as they started the second 45 in spectacular fashion.

Burchill played the ball wide to Livingstone, who then found space to deliver a brilliant ball into the centre of the box to find Adams, who excellently headed home to equalise for the Hibees. 

However, the match did not stay level for long, as Maria McAneny found the bottom-right corner with a left-footed finish inside of the box to put the ball past Schumacher to put Celtic back ahead on 52 minutes. 

Hibs searched for their second equaliser of the match, as a corner-kick from the left-hand side was delivered into the box, and was cleared away to the edge of the box, which landed to the feet of Livingstone who attempted a powerful effort on the bounce, but this sailed over Rodgers’ bar, after 71 minutes.

Hibs did not give up, as they went close once again, this time being two minutes from the allocated ninety, as Rosie Livingstone managed to get onto the end of the ball, from close range, and she stuck her leg out to take a shot on first time, however her attempt hit the crossbar, which rounded off a frustrating afternoon for the Hibees.