Ladies Win First Friendly

Sunday 28th Feb - Hibernian Ladies travelled to Glasgow to face Rangers in their first friendly of their pre season schedule.

The much anticipated encounter didn't turn out to be quite as well matched as expected, as Hibernian dominated from start to finish with Rangers failing to put them under any spell of prolonged pressure with the ladies running out winners with four goals and keeping a clean sheet.

Hibernian took time to get started as players were adapting to a new formation and new positions.However, they kept possession well with only the final ball letting them down at times after some neat passing in midfield. The break through came after twenty minutes when Rebecca Zoltie played a clever pass down the left wing to Claire Emslie who cut the ball back, drilling a cross to the back post for Debbie McWhinnie to finish from close range.The ladies took confidence from the goal and started to play some good passes creating several opportunities but again the final pass or finish letting them down and they struggled to add to their lead.

After half an hour the ladies did add a second with Claire Emslie this time becoming scorer rather than provider. Emslie did well to work her way down the wing playing a one-two on the edge of the box an unleashed a stunning left foot strike to beat Rangers keeper at her front post.

It wasn't long before Hibernian made it three, the movement, passing and determination to keep possesion was awarded with a well worked goal. Laura Kennedy picked the ball up from deep, played a pass out wide to McWhinnie who then played one-two back to Kennedy, who played neat pass back, leaving McWhinnie to lift ball over the keeper.

HT: Rangers 0 - 3 Hibernian

Into the second half and Hibernian were again dominating but passing was slack and final pass was proving to be the break down of their possession. There were chances for Kennedy, Cunningham and McWhinnie who all came close.

The defence were doing well to build from the back and kept switched on throughout, cleaning up any trouble when needed but didn't have too much to do. It was the building from the back that led to McWhinnie grabbing her hat trick.  After keeping the ball Stacey Hutchison drove forward from midfield playing a perfect defence-splitting pass to the on running McWhinnie who easily rounded keeper to make it a four goal lead for the ladies.

Having won the game comfortably the ladies still looked as if they could up their work rate and passing.  Having positively created many chances, the score line didn't truely reflect this.  However to keep a clean sheet for their first friendly was very encouraging and the ladies will look to build on this performance and take the positives in to their first competitive game next week.

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