Hibs Women captained by Siobhan Hunter on her 300th appearance, beat Montrose 5-1 at Meadowbank Stadium on Sunday.
Long-term absentees Rachael Boyle and Rosie Livingstone were listed amongst the substitutes.
Hibs opened the scoring from Kathleen McGovern’s first half lob before Talitha Robb equalised after the break.
Four second half Hibs goals, an Eilidh Adams’ penalty, Livingstone’s acrobatic finish, an own goal, and Lauren Doran-Barr’s stoppage-time effort secured the three points.
After the final whistle Hibs Head Coach Grant Scott told Hibs TV: “She ( Siobhan Hunter) lives and breathes it, she knows the club inside out.
“Terms like ‘legend’ are used far too much these days but she has played so many games for the club, and has been exceptional over the years.
“A misunderstood character if I’m being honest. It’s just a privilege every day. We have had our moments, as all players and coaches do. She gives everything that you ask of her.
“She’s just one of the best people we could have in our squad. I’m delighted. It’s a great achievement for her.”.
“It’s phenomenal for us as a coaching staff [to have both players back].
“The medical staff have had to work wonders with them. There has been up and down days for both players.
“You saw the quality of both of them today in those fifteen minute spells. Energy and a goal for Rosie. Rachael just gives us that leadership quality on the pitch. There is a real calmness around the group when she’s on the ball.
“You can see Rachael’s qualities there, I don’t think she gave the ball away at all. Her awareness of space and knowing where to be. It’s like two new signings. I’m absolutely delighted to have both available.
“We took our time to get going. The most pleasing thing is that other games we’ve had when it’s been like that, we’ve defaulted to doing strange things.
“But we continued to keep moving the ball well today. I believed that if we kept doing the right things, it would come.
“That was my major takeaway. We prodded away and it’s just pleasing, as Montrose are a very difficult side to roll over.”
Next up for Hibs is a trip across the capital to take on Spartans at Ainslie Park.
“I would expect something very similar [to Montrose],” Scott said, thinking ahead to the next game.
“The qualities Spartans have will be in their organisation, it’s always a little bit of a fight between the sides in the most positive sense possible with both teams trying to win.
“We’ll need to keep our discipline again, work hard and do the right things with the ball. If we are consistent, that will take us to the result we want.”
Hunter added: “I’m over the moon. To represent this club is a huge honour for me and my family, so to do it 300 times is really nice.
“It was also nice to get the result in the end. But it was a really nice milestone and I’ll take that away.
“Montrose did well. They dug in and frustrated us a little bit.
“For us, it was about being calm and being patient on the ball. These thinngs will come. You saw that in the second half.
“We waited and waited, but eventually we got the goals in the end.”
Hunter was also pleased to see the long-awaited returns of both Club captain Boyle and forward Livingstone.
“It’s fantastic. Just those two individuals in particular – their quality and the people that they are means it’s great to have them back. They’re two fantastic additions to the squad.
“They’ve both worked very hard over the time they’ve been out and it’s so pleasing to see them back out on the pitch.”
Looking forward to her side’s upcoming match against Spartans next Sunday, Hunter believes the squad can keep the momentum going as long as they keep their effort levels high.
“It’s all about working hard. We’ve got a new week and a new game to come.
“We’ll all be working hard to get into the starting XI next time.”
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.
