Clinical Hibs stroll to victory over Hamilton.

It was Michaela McAlonie who had the first chance of the match in the second minute. The midfielder was coming off the back of a four goal player-of-the-match performance in the Scottish Cup against St Johnstone the previous week, but could only force a good save from Chloe Nicolson with a shot from range.

Lauren Doran-Barr takes the ball past Chloe Muir

However, the number eight didn’t have to wait much longer to get her name on the score sheet. In the 13th minute she got herself into a similar position outside the box after skipping past a defender. Nicholson got a hand to the ball but it wasn’t enough as McAlonie netted her first league goal of the season with her shot going in off the post.

McAlonie has been determined to kickstart her goal tally as of late, speaking to Hibs TV last week she said: 

“I wanted to add more goals to my game. Hopefully, I can now kick on and do it in the league as well”

Hibs weren’t satisified with just the one goal and continued to rattle on Hamilton’s door. Naomi Powell and Jorian Baucom both narrowly missed the target with headed efforts inside the box, courtesy of some impressive deliveries from Kirsty Morrison down the right flank. 

The referee’s first caution of the match came in the 28th minute as Shelley Campbell was booked for dissent.

Hibernian’s confidence in the air would soon pay off. Just a minute later Powell whipped an inswinging corner into the six yard box, and in a tightly contested area it was Ellis Notley who would reach the cross first as she headed the ball into the roof of the net to double Hibernian’s lead.

In the 35th minute the referee was reaching for his cards once more. Lauren Kerr would be carded for a tactical foul, while Kirstie McIntosh received the same punishment for dissent.

With three minutes left of the half, Lauren Doran-Barr took the ball down the right-hand side and found Baucom waiting in the penalty area with a driven pass. Baucom left the keeper with no chance and nestled the ball into the bottom left corner to give Hibs a three goal advantage.

As has been seen so often this season, this is a Hibs side that is never satisfied and always wants more - tonight was no different. In the 45th minute Notley took the ball down from an excellent chipped pass over the defence, her touch helped her past a defender and she was then brought down in the six yard box.

The referee awarded a penalty, Baucom stood over it and once again sent her shot past the goalkeeper into the bottom left corner to put Hibs 4-0 up going into the break.

It took six minutes after the restart to Test Nicholson between the sticks. With a row of Hamilton defenders in front of her, Notley opted to shoot from inside the D but the keeper pushed it wide.

Hamilton made the first changes of the match in the 54th minute, with the booked Campbell and Kerr being replaced by Hannah Coakley and Rebecca Taylor.

On the 62nd minute Grant Scott made substitutions of his own. Brooke Nunn, Baucom, and Morrison were replaced by Lia Tweedie, Eilidh Adams, and Mya Christie.

The second-half was a more relaxed affair, Hibs dominated possesion and once Hamilton got hold of the ball they couldn’t keep it for long. 

Hibs should have had a fifth of the match in the 72nd minute as Adams curled the ball into the box, Tweedie got on the end of it but was kept out by an impressive point-blank save from Nicholson. Not long after Adams had a chance of her own, the ball was pulled back to Adams in the penalty area but she could only hit the side netting

Hibernian’s next change came in the 78th minute as Leah Eddie replaced Shannon Leishman.

With ten minutes to go the travelling support were tricked by the side netting once again. Tweedie stood unmarked at the back post from a corner, Powell’s cross sailed over the heads of the defence and landed at the feet of Tweedie. Her touch perfectly set up her shot but the angle was too tight for the 26-year-old.

While the goals weren’t coming, Hamilton still faced an onslaught of pressure from Hibs. McAlonie was dictating the play, and sent Christie down the line with a superbly weighted pass, Christie took it past a defender and after swiping at the ball to send it into the box the ball looked like it could bounce past the goalkeeper, however the linesmen signalled that the ball had gone out of play.

With a minute left of the match, Hamilton had their first real chance of the game. With her first error of the game, McAlonie was dispossessed by Jose Giard outside the Hibs box. Giard send a curling shot into the bottom left corner and forced an impressive save from Nina Wilson, especially considering it was one of the keepers only saves of the tie.

There were a few more chances that went Hibernian’s way before the final whistle, but in the end it Hibs went home 4-0 winners with a dominating display.