24 March 2007 Kilwinning FC v Hibs Girls - Scottish Cup Match Report

The under 13 squad travelled to Ayrshire on Saturday for their Quarter Final clash with Kilwinning in defence of their Scottish Cup title. The girls chalked up an impressive 11-0 scoreline but it must be said that the scoreline does not accurately reflect how good Kilwinning played. Kilwinning never let their heads go down or gave up the challenge at anytime and were unfortunate not to score on the day. When given a chance in front of goal, they were denied any sort of consolation as they found themselves up against an amazing talent in Hannah Reid. Hannah pulled off some unbelievable stops and a special mention must be made about her clearance from her own box that nearly nestled in the Kilwining goal. A fine stop by her opposite number denied Hannah a goal that would have been talked about for years. At the other end, her sister Ellen scored the goal of the day after connecting with a corner on the volley that flew into the top corner from 7 yards out. It was outstanding technique from the youngster and could be a contender for goal of the season as well. It's a not uncommon for Ellen to produce a piece of brilliance on a weekly basis.

Prior to second half talking points, Hibs took a 6-0 half time commanding lead through goals from Siobhan Hunter, Caroline Weir and Kirsty Smith. Siobhan produced a variety of finishes that underlines her strking prowess. Her direct and forward approach to the game makes her a deadly and accomplished finisher that leaves opponents scratching their heads. Backed up by the tricky and pacy wingers Stacey Hutchison and Kirsty Smith, the forward players are never short of chances and take them with delight. Siobhan scored an imporessive 4 goals in the first half and added to her tally in the second half to take her days haul to 5.

Caroline Weir again rose to the occasion and showed her magical footwork and vision. Her finishing credentials were boosted further when she got on the score sheet with a thundering unstoppable drive with her so called weaker right foot. Kilwinning came close on a number of occassions in the first half but could not take advantage of their promising moves. On another day they would probably have converted their chances but luck was not with them unfortunately. They play in an organised fashion and cleverly break at the right times. It took the Hibs defence time to adjust to the game plan and once they got a measure of their opponents, the girls started to find the back of the net. Yasemin Emek, Claire Emslie and Anna Green again combined to provide a solid defence. The defense contain the skills to quickly break up opposing attacks, their quick thinking and composure on the ball enables them to turn defending situations into their team's favour at the blink of an eye. Towards the end of the game, Yasemin Emek produced an outstanding sliding tackle that summed up the determination and strength of the defence as a whole.

The girls are now in the semi final and look forward to the tie. A large part of the squad experienced the cup win last year and this experience may prove to be a deciding factor in the game. The glory of last year's win has given them a taste of what hard work can achieve and they are desperate for success again.

It was the first time the u13s had played at Kilwinning and the coaches and players were met with a friendly and welcoming manner that added to the special occassion. The club looks forward to future matches with Kilwinning and hope to return the excellent hospitality shown.