Hibs Women Head Coach Joelle Murray described the team’s performance as a ‘disappointing’ one following the 3-2 defeat to Hearts at Easter Road.
Aoife Colvill grabbed a brace, but that wasn’t enough for Hibs, as Mariana Speckmaier’s hat-trick sealed the victory for the visitors.
Speaking after the final whistle Murray said the goals conceded were far too simple.
“It was a tough one, a disappointing one,” she said. “The players, the staff, they’re deflated in the changing room just now and I think for us the disappointing thing was the goals we conceded, of course.
“I think when you dissect every goal, I don’t think Hearts were made to work for it, whether it be lack of press at the top end or awareness in our box.
“Then couple that with a lack of desire at times. I think when you’re playing in a derby, you shouldn’t need to tell the players to tackle harder, to run harder. It should be a given, and I think for us the lack of desire at times in certain actions was a disappointment.”
Following an even first half, it looked certain that the two sides would go into the half-time break with a goal apiece following Speckmaier’s 23rd-minute opener and Colvill’s strike nine minutes later.
However, Speckmeier grabbed her second just moments before the half-time whistle, which Murray described as “not ideal at all” giving the timing.
“I mean the timing’s not ideal, not ideal at all. We get ourselves back in the game and fully credit to Aoife, two wonderful goals with her left foot.
“[Aoife’s] two goals probably, especially the second, deserved to win any game. It’s crucial goal to concede just before half-time because I think we got the momentum back and then conceding so late in the half just gives Hearts it back going into the half-time team talk.”
Normally following a disappointing defeat, Murray and her team would have the opportunity to right some wrongs in their following game in a quick turnaround. However, the team now goes into an international break.
“It’s a difficult one. I mean, an international break is what it is. Regardless of the result today, I think it was an opportunity for us to reset, reflect, and allow the girls to recover a bit.
“But on the back of a defeat, you’re always looking for the next game to come as quickly as possible, and obviously now we won’t get that.
“But the girls will be fighting fit; they’ll be fully focused as soon as the international break is done and we go into that next game.”
