Hibs end Glasgow City’s domination in Scottish Women’s Premier League competitions with a stoppage time winner…
SWPL Cup Final, Ainslie Park (Spartans FC)
15 the June, 7:30pm
Hibernian LFC 2-1 Glasgow City FC
(L Graham ’37, L Arnot 90+2′) (J Fleeting ’29)
Maybe the mizzle and the YouTube Live stream of the game (and more free footie on the TV) would put people off? Not so the several hundred who turned out to watch a fast-paced, competitive but well-tempered contest between Scotland’s two premier women’s sides.
From the off, Hibs Ladies looked determined to ruffle orange and black feathers with positive passing and pressing and in the early stages the strong forward running and closing down was coming from Sarah Ewens down the centre and Lucy Graham and Lizzie Arnot down the flanks. Gemma Fay in the City goal was the busier of the two keepers, though aside from a half chance at the near post on 15 minutes and a cut back that could have been more dangerous if Graham hadn’t slipped on the turf, it wasn’t until 21 minutes that the Scotland number one was called on to make a testing save and a fine one it was. When City didn’t quite clear a corner, Lisa Robertson sent in a powerful drive from just outside the box, which Fay tipped over.
For all Hibs’ intent and speed of play, City are a class act and though they had not quite settled into their stride their attacking players exude perennial menace. Fiona Brown’s speedy runs down the left and Hayley Lauder on the right, Erin Cuthbert’s control and swagger – she went close with a strike that flashed by the left upright as the half hour approached, and the ultimate goal getter up top, Julie Fleeting. And so it was that having ridden Hibs’ stronger start, it was City, through Fleeting, that found the net first. When the ball dropped to her when Savannah McCarthy rose highest to head on a left wing corner on 29 mins, the inevitable happened: 1-0 Glasgow.
McCarthy was then involved in the equaliser which came 8 minutes before the break, her somewhat clumsy challenge on Kirsty Smith appeared to be a certain penalty and FIFA referee Morag Pirie did not hesitate in pointing to the spot. Lizzie Arnot stepped up to take it but saw her effort parried away by Fay, then fluffed her follow up, before Lucy Graham arrived to gleefully (and cleverly) side foot home the rebound.
If that was a slightly scruffy equalizer – and no one in green and white could care less how it happened – then the manner in which the game was decided, in stoppage time, was even less picture book. After an entertaining second half, played again at a lively tempo and with stout defending and goalmouth action (mostly from set pieces) at both ends, as the game looked to be heading for extra time, a long punt forward from the back turned the City defence. Arnot immediately set away to chase it as it headed out to the left flank, along with City sub Sarah Crilly. Arnot got the ricochet in the challenge and raced off down the sideline before cutting in and centring the ball. Somehow, I’m still not sure how, amid the haste of the attack, the ball did not reach the onrushing Ewens but squirmed goalwards, in off Fay, who was diving to cut out the cross.
In the ‘sort of’ match-winner Lizzie Arnot’s words it was all a bit of a blur too:
“I was involved in the build up and stuff but at the end of the day, it did take a deflection but that’s what happens, you get your luck, so…
“I just remember thinking we need to chase down the ball, I just pressed it, luckily it stayed in. I saw Sarah and thought, ‘I need to get a cross in, we might nick something,’ so I just remember Gemma diving and then it was in the back of the net. It was mad.”
It was a cruel goal to concede at the death, but it sparked inevitable scenes of mass celebration on the field, in the Hibs dugout and in the stands, where the Edinburgh crowd outnumbered their loyal, travelling rival support.
Glasgow City have an incredible record domestically. They’ve dominated Scottish Women’s Premier League silverware since 2011, when they last lost the cup, and few would bet against them retaining their 10th league title in row, later this year. But Wednesday was Chris White’s night. The Hibs manager summed it up like this:
“We’ve always known that in the dressing room we have the ability and I think that we’ve got a young squad and the last couple of cup finals in the first half we did well but in the second half we went into our shell a little bit and with City’s experience you can’t afford to do that.
“So, the message through the whole of the second half was keep passing and do not stop pressing because if you give players like Glasgow City have time and of course you’re going to find yourself in trouble. We knew we didn’t perform well in the league meeting earlier this season but in the first half I thought we were the better team, though City had a couple of very good chances.
“Second half, it looked like a cup tie. Set plays were quite a big part for both sides and it’s just an amazing feeling for this group of players to go and win that at the end, after the knock backs they’ve had. To go forward and take the goal and I don’t care how it goes in, it was an amazing feeling and I’m so proud of the girls.
Hibs: (4-3-3) Jenna Fife; Rachel McLauchlin, Joelle Murray (c), Emma Brownlie, Kirsty Smith; Chelsea Cornet, Lisa Robertson, Lucy Graham; Abigail Harrison, Sarah Ewens, Lizzie Arnot
Glasgow City: (4-2-3-1) Gemma Fay; Leanne Ross (c), Cheryl McCulloch, Savannah McCarthy, Nicola Docherty; Lauren McMurchie, Jo Love; Fiona Brown, Erin Cuthbert, Hayley Lauder; Julie Fleeting
*Apologies for small errors and ommissions, inc. subs, my notes and tech were all soaked!*
ALL IMAGES: CATHERINE ETOE
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