Hibernian Ladies retained the SWPL Cup with a superb 4-1 victory over Celtic in the final at Broadwood Stadium yesterday.
Hibs star Kirsty Smith opened the scoring before Ruesha Littlejohn equalised moments later.
Lucy Graham restored the lead and Hibs went in at half time with a one goal advantage.
Rachel McLauchlan made it 3-1 just after the break then Rachael Small secured the victory with 12 minutes remaining.
After the game Smith told the club website: : “When I picked up the ball, I seen that I had space and I was able to hit the ball and luckily it went in.
“I’ve had so many shots in other games where the ball’s not gone in, so I’m absolutely delighted that it went in.
“It was a tough game, and it always is against Celtic. We dug deep in the first half and it was quite a close encounter and in the second half we scored twice and we got through the game well. We won, and that’s the main thing.”
Stand-in captain for the day Small said: “We’re absolutely delighted. It was always going to be tough coming into the game.
“We switched off in the first half, and at this level you can’t do that, we knew Celtic would come at us and they put us on the back foot. We gathered our thoughts at half-time and we put it right in the second half; we’re thrilled.
“We set out what we wanted to do, and thankfully we got the trophy and brought it back on the 21st of May.”
Head Coach Chris Roberts: “It’s means everything to me to see how happy the girls are. It’s been a tough four week period for us, we’ve played Celtic, Glasgow City, Glasgow City, Spartans, Celtic and Celtic in the space of the last four weeks.
“To be right in there with the league at this stage of the season and to lift a bit of silverware, on the 21st of May, I’m really delighted and pleased for the girls.”
Celtic: Cunningham, Ross, Napier, Crilly (Howat, 75), Montgomery, Whyte, Mulvey (Ewens, 70), Clark, Poucel (Richards, 64), Littlejohn, McFarlane (Fulton, 75). Unused substitutes: Dalgliesh, Gibson, Rafferty.
Hibernian: Fife, Hunter, Michie (Leishman, 90), Smith, McLauchlan, Graham, Turner (Turner, 64), Cornet (Gallacher, 77), Harrison (Murray, 89), Small, Brownlie. Unused substitutes: Reid, Robertson.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
