Dean Gibson's side were looking to bounce back after a 4-0 loss at Celtic Park last Saturday, as they travelled to Petershill Park to take on Partick Thistle in the quarter-finals of the Biffa Scottish Women's Cup.
Partick made a strong start to the match and forced Gabby English into a save within the opening 30 seconds.
Hibs began to grow into the game and won their first corner of the match in the 7th minute. Amy Gallacher delivered the corner into the box, however, the chance came to nothing as Partick cleared the danger and got the ball away.
A few moments later, Partick were able to win their first corner of the match after some nice build-up play. The Partick corner went directly into Hibs’ box and ricocheted off English’s near post before coming back into play. Hibs capitalised on this and launched a counterattack into the Partick half. Gallacher carried the ball down the left flank and attempted to find Colette Cavanagh who was running through on the right but the pass was denied due to an excellent block inside the box which resulted in the ball going behind the Partick goals. The ensuing Hibs corner came to nothing.
Over the next 15 minutes, the game became quite a cagey affair with neither side able to control possession.
Partick found the breakthrough in the 31st minute through Clare Docherty. After pressing the Hibs defence high up the field, Partick were able to gain possession just outside Hibs’ box. The ball came to Cara McBrearty who then squared the ball to Docherty at the far post. Partick’s number 8 took her shot first time and finished passed English to give her side the lead.
The hosts doubled their lead in the 41st through Taylor Hamill after a well-worked set-piece. Partick were awarded a freekick just inside their own half which was delivered into the Hibs box. Following the delivery, the ball was knocked loose inside the box. Hamill reacted first to the loose ball and curled an effort passed English to give her side a 2-0 advantage.
This proved to be of the final actions of the half as the referee blew the whistle for halftime shortly after.
The hosts made an excellent start to the second half and made it 3-0 within two minutes of the restart through McBrearty. After forcing English into an error, Rachel Donaldson won the ball for her side and squared it to McBrearty who finished the chance well inside the box.
Hibs responded well to Partick’s third and were able to pull one back through Shannon Leishman in the 54th minute. Hibs worked the ball well down the channel and it eventually came to Gallacher on the left. Gallacher then delivered the ball into the box where it was met by Leishman at the pack post who finished passed Lauren McGregor.
Hibs managed to pull another back in the 64th minute through Michaela McAlonie. After a nice exchange between Alexa Coyle and Leishman down the right, the ball was sent to the back post by Leishman. McAlonie reacted first to Leishman’s ball at the back post and was able to head the ball beyond McGregor to make it 3-2.
The hosts were able to retake control of the match and made it 4-2 in the 74th minute through Cheryl McCulloch. After winning a corner, McCulloch was able to rise the highest and sent her header beyond English to regain her side’s two-goal advantage.
The game became end-to-end during the final 15 minutes as both sides looked to find the next goal. There were also several turnovers during this period as both sides looked to take control of the ball.
After a nice counterattack in the 86th minute, Coyle found space in the box and forced an excellent save from McGregor at her near post.
Despite a good response in the second half, Dean Gibson’s side were knocked out of the Biffa Scottish Women’s Cup 4-2 at the hands of Partick Thistle.
