SWPL Roundup – Spartans and Hearts comprehensively beaten while Hibs narrowly defeated

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On Sunday all three Edinburgh Scottish Women’s Premier League (SWPL) sides fell to disappointing defeats, conceding 10 goals between them. Hibs lost 2-1 to top-of-the-table Rangers, while Spartans and Hearts were defeated 4-0 by Glasgow City and Aberdeen respectively.

Hibernian have struggled to challenge the three Glasgow sides at the top of the table this season, despite having a squad full of talented players. Dean Gibson’s side were beaten 2-1 by top of the table Rangers, although they led 1-0 at half-time.

McAlonie made it 1-0 to the side from Edinburgh, converting Muir’s cross in the 23^rd minute. From then on, it was all Rangers, as the
home side piled the pressure on and fashioned many goalscoring chances, eventually equalising from the penalty spot through Arnot, before making it 2-1 in the 65^th minute from Ross.

The latest defeat leaves Hibs in fourth spot – 6 points clear of Motherwell in fifth – but 10 points behind third placed Celtic. Challenging the SWPL’s three professional sides has proven to be a step too far for Hibs this season: they have one point against them, and were
knocked out by Celtic in the SWPL Cup. Still, Hibs are comfortably the ‘best of the rest’ again this season.  

Hearts boss Eva Olid said that she knew it would not be an overnight success in Gorgie, and her side have struggled at times this season, sitting in eighth place in the SWPL table. Hearts were beaten 4-0 by Aberdeen at Oriam, after McAneny’s red card for two bookable offences in the space of eight minutes left the home side having to play the majority of the tie a player down. Talented Scotland youth international Eilidh Shore got on the score sheet for the away side, Ogilvie got one, and Bayley Hutchison bagged a brace in a comprehensive Aberdeen win.

Elsewhere in the capital, Spartans were defeated 4-0 by Glasgow City, which leaves the most successful side in Scottish women’s football within touching distance of reclaiming the title, sitting two points behind Rangers. Lauder opened the scoring in the 12^th minute, sliding the ball past Harrison for a tap-in. Davidson made it 2-0 from the penalty spot, while two late goals, one from Beattie before Priscilla Chinchilla capped a characteristically scintillating performance with a goal. Spartans sit in seventh, 3 points ahead of Edinburgh rivals Hearts.