Hibs Sky Sports Cup hopes ended with a comprehensive 5-0 defeat to Rangers at Fir Park this afternoon.
Grant Scott’s team went into the game on the back of a log unbeaten run and as league leaders, but the Glasgow side proved too strong on the day.
Scott swapped his keeper from their 1-0 victory over Glasgow City with Erin Clachers replacing Noa Schumacher.
15-year-olds Isla Taylor and Jessica Ramsay were named on the bench alongside Kirsty Morrison, who took a nasty knock against City.
For Rangers, Leah Eddie returned from injury to replace Tessel Middag.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
David Gray, Malky McKay and Barry Ferguson were among the fans. Others included Judy Murray and Rose Reilly.
Hibs played in their away strip of white tops and green shorts. Rangers played in their traditional blue top with whte shorts.
Tegan Bowie created the first chance of the game with a cross from the left, but former Hibs keeper Jenna Fife caught the ball.
At the other end Brogan Hay fired over the bar from 20-yards.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Rangers were dominating possession without testing the Hibs goal before, against the run of play, Eilidh Adams shot deflected of Nicola Docherty and bobbled into the arms of Fife.
Clachers then denied Kirsty Howat from close range as play raged from end to end.
In the 22nd minute Rangers’ Camille Lafaix was shown a yellow card for a reckless challenge on Ciara Grant in the centre circle.
Moments later Hibs Michaela McAlonie latched onto an Adams pass before firing the ball past Fife but the midfielder was clearly offside when she received the pass and the ‘goal’ was correctly disallowed.
On the half-hour mark Hibs came within inches of taking the lead when a lovely lay-off from Adams found Kathleen McGovern but her strike was just wide.
Hibs Siobhan Hunter joined Lafaix in the referee’s book for a foul on Kirsty Howat.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Credit: Ian Jacobs.
Rangers took the lead against the run of play in the 38th minute after the Hibs defence were unable to clear an attack and Katie Wilkinson volleyed the ball into the net from eight yards after her initial shot was blocked.
In added time at the end of the first-half Rangers almost doubled their lead when Howatt broke clear but Clachers produced a fine save and Hunter managed to clear the danger with Lizzie Arnot poised to pounce.
Just after the restart Rangers doubled their lead in controversial circumstances when Lafaix ran through and fired the ball past Clachers although there were two Rangers players in an offside position but the officials deemed they were not interfering with play.
And a minute later it was 3-0 when Hibs skipper Kirsten O’Reilly turned the ball into the back of her own net trying to defend Howat’s cross.
In the 55th minute goal scorer Lafaix made way for Jodi McLeary.
Hibs fought back though and Ciara Grant’s free-kick was parried away by Fife for a corner.
On the hour mark Grant Scott made a double change with Rosie Livingstone and Ellis Notley replacing Lauren Doran-Barr and Hunter.
Moments later a stunning double save from Erin Clachers denies Rangers a fourth. Her initial save from Howatt fell to McLeary but the Hibs keeper managed to save her effort from point blank range.
Clachers did well to save an Arnot strike from the edge of the area as Rangers pressed for more goals.
The Hibs keeper then produced another great save to deny Howat and another to deny Arnot.
In the 68th minute Wilkinson and Arnot were replaced by Rio Hardy and Olivia McLoughlin.
Ciara Grant sent in another dangerous free-kick and the ball fell to McAlonie on the edge of the six-yard area but Fife was able to gather the ball.
With 10-minutes remaining Clachers produced another great save to deny Hardy.
Two minutes later Rangers extinguished any slight hopes Hibs had of a comeback when Howat fired the ball into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Goal scorer Howat and Kathy Hill were then replaced by Laura Rafferty with Jane Ross.
Notley was booked for a tug on Ross then managed to deflect a Liv McLoughlin’s shot just wide.
Kirsty Morrison and Abbie Ferguson replaced Bowie and McGovern and Lia Tweedie replaced McAlonie with two minutes left.
In added time Hardy added a fifth to put the icing on the cake.
Hibernian: Clachers, Hunter, Papadopoulos, Grant, McAlonie, Adams, McGovern, Doran-Barr, Bowie, Taylor, Reilly.
Substitutes: Schumacher, Ferguson, Tweedie, Notley, Livingstone, Morrison, Ramsay, Taylor.
Rangers: Fife, Docherty, Eddie, Hill, Hay, Howat, Arnot, Cornet, Lafaix, Maclean, Wilkinson.
Substitutes: Ivarsdottir, Esson, Rafferty, Middag, Hardy, Ross, McLoughlin, McLeary, Cruft.
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.
