Two games to go and three points clear at top of SWPL table

Hibernian Women go into their final two league games of the season leading the table on 71 points ahead of both second-place Rangers and third-place Glasgow City by three points. 

Yesterday the team drew 2-2 with Glasgow City at Meadowbank.

The visitors broke the deadlock after seven minutes with a successful corner turned in by Kimberly Smit.

Kathleen McGovern and Eilidh Adams turned the game around following an early City opener, but substitute Nicole Kozlova earned her side a point with a smart second-half finish. 

Players from both sides collapsed to the ground as soon as the full-time whistle blew, showing the enormous graft both teams put in on a tough Meadowbank surface. 

“It was a battle,” head coach Grant Scott told HibsTV after the final whistle. “I thought, in fairness to Glasgow City, that they played probably the more attractive football today and we’ve had to dig in.

“We’re disappointed we didn’t play better with the ball today.

“But to see that courage and hunger from the players to see the game out level, to not concede late on when Glasgow City threw a lot at us, the players deserve another dose of immense credit for that.

A brutal second 45, which includes a sparse amount of clear-cut chances for either team, saw plenty of direct football being played

Each side executed their fair share of long passes, high presses and heavy challenges as desperation set in amongst the backdrop of a thrilling title race. 

Scott was full of good things to say about his team’s conditioning and effort, especially in a crucial fixture at the tailend of a long, gruelling league campaign.

“I think they’re now two, three years into the model that we’re working with and I think we can see the benefits this season.

“Their strengths there, their appetites there, their physical conditions there to get them through very, very tough matches like today and tough conditions.

“Because we spent so long today without the ball, it made it a harder game for us. But again, players are due so much credit for the way they fought through. It’s a big week, everyone knows that.

“It’s the same for all the teams. So we’ll have to dust ourselves down, recover as best we can and probably look for the same effort again on Wednesday.”

Siobhan Hunter was proud that the team “never gave up.” 

“At this point in the season you take every point that you get,” she told HibsTV. Nothing is won or lost in this game, everyone knew that.

“A tough opponent, really good opponent. They probably pinned us in for 45 in the second half, so we’ve done well to keep them out. Obviously conceded that one goal but we’ll take the point and move on to Wednesday.

“You can crumble or you can come back and fight and I think we did that. We came back and fought and we never gave up. 

“We’re really resilient in what we do and we never give up on each other. We have our backs and we’ll keep fighting until the very end.”

The defender was full of praise for the home support in attendance. 

“They are massive [for us]. They give us goosebumps going throughout the game. They’re loud, they never stop.

“They’re here, home and away and they’re a real pleasure to play for.

“We need them for next two massive games and we’re really thankful for them.

“The games are so big, they keep getting bigger and bigger. But we want to be in this position, we want to keep fighting and it’s something that we’re really proud of but we don’t want to stop now.”

Hibs Women take on Celtic in a pivotal ScottishPower Women’s Premier League clash at Meadowbank Stadium this Wednesday. 

The penultimate league fixture, which will have a major effect on the title race, kicks off at 6pm on Wednesday 14 May.