Hibs Women suffered a 2-0 pre-season defeat to Sunderland yesterday Sunday 2 August 2026.
Sunderland started the strongest; taking the lead through Elise Hughes on 54 minutes before securing the victory on 63 minutes via Katy Watson.
Hibs three summer signings Ariana Anastasiadis, Yuliia Khrystiuk and Aoife Colvill all started for the first time at home in Hibs colours.
“I think we probably had the better chances across the 90 minutes,” head coach Joelle Murray told Hibs TV. “Sunderland probably had more of the ball, but at times we were just allowing it. And I think for us it’s that final third efficiency that we need to be better at.
“I spoke to the players after the game and spoke about how we would do something extremely well, have a really good action, but we followed it up with a poor one – whether it be execution or decision making. So for us, it’s just having that consistency of good action, good action, good action to gain momentum.
“It was disappointing to lose the game, but we can’t forget that Sunderland have recruited extremely well over the off-season and they’ll be a force in the league down south, we can’t forget that.
“The two goals that we conceded were frustrating. When you dissect any goal, you can say it’s preventable, but certainly these two today were preventable. And I think that was probably the most frustrating thing, not taking our chances in the final third, but also being a little bit on the back foot in the box for the two goals.
“The good thing is that we’re creating an abundance of chances,” she continued. “We done it last weekend down south in a friendly and we’ve done it again today.
“That’s the positive thing, the fact that we’re creating and we’re creating it through wide rotations and central rotations – and it’s just that final third efficiency, that final action, whether it be execution or decision-making [we’re lacking].
“We had a few 1v1s and a few that we maybe delayed the shot, which meant that the Sunderland defence could recover and get a last-ditch tackle.
“So the good thing is that we’re creating, we’ve got a few weeks now to work on that final third, and make sure that we take our opportunities when they come.”
“It was really good for the supporters to come along in numbers as they always do and that’s the beauty of where we are situated at Meadowbank.
“It’s obviously a walking distance from Easter Road and the footfall is fluid between both stadiums, which is fantastic.
“We don’t just see women’s team supporters or men’s team supporters, they’re supporters of the Club. So we’re truly thankful for everyone that’s turned out today.
“Hopefully they saw a lot of exciting stuff, certainly from retained players but also new players.”
Aoife Colvill added: “They were a good opposition and I think we had a number of opportunities to get ahead especially in the first half.
“I think they came back well in the second [half], and I think we’ll go back and have a look at it this week but all [goals were] preventable I think.
“We have a number of new signings come in including myself.
“We’ve only had three games together, so I think it will come, especially in the final third, those connections we have with each other, it will come, we are not stressed about it.”
“I really get on with the team, they’re all really lovely and on the pitch you can see it.
“Our progression from the Treaty game to now is massive so we’ll just keep going and hopefully head into the first game of the season flying.
“I think there is loads of positives especially that first half performance. Defensively I think we’re really solid, our shape and everything.
“As I said its just that final third, creating those chances and putting them in the back of the net.”
Hibernian XI: Anastasiadis (Armitage 46′), Gibb (Bryson 64′), Hunter, Herron, Fitzgerald, Khrystiuk (I Taylor 60′), Colvill (Trialist B 75′), Notley, Ramsay, Boyle, Burchill.
Substitutes: Armitage, Bryson, Boughton, Trialist A, Trialist B, Broadrick, I Taylor, Corner, McIntyre.
