By Craig Edwards
Glasgow City made it five wins from five in the SWPL with a 4-0 victory over Hibernian at Meadowbank Stadium.
An early strike from Lauren Davidson along with a double from Emily Whelan and a volley from Kinga Kozak secured the three points while Erin Clachers also saved a Siobhan Hunter penalty on the hour mark.
Eileen Gleeson made three changes from the side that beat Aberdeen before the International break with Erin Clachers, Hayley Lauder and Emily Whelan replacing Lee Gibson, Clare Shine and Abbi Grant.
City started brightly and were rewarded with a goal inside 100 seconds. A cross from Amy Muir found Kinga Kozak free in the penalty area but her acrobatic effort crashed off the crossbar. Hibs failed to clear properly, and the ball came to Davidson on the edge of the penalty area who fired it into the far corner and past the diving Benedicte Haaland in the Hibernian goal.
One became two five minutes later when Hayley Lauder’s corner kick was put into the back of the net by Whelan despite the pressure of the Hibs defender.
The home side looked for a way back into the match with a Joelle Murray cross evading everyone in the Glasgow City penalty area before Leah Eddie’s corner kick clipped the crossbar.
Hibernian grew into the game as the first half wore on, but it was City who added to the scoreline. A deep cross from Megan Foley found the head of Whelan who flicked the ball into the far corner and out of the reach of the Hibernian goalkeeper for her fifth goal in three games.
City got a fourth right on the stroke of half time when a cross from the left wing was headed into the Edinburgh sky by Hibs and the ball fell to Kinga Kozak, who volleyed it into the back of the net.
The first talking point of the second half was on the hour mark when referee Fraser Bushell pointed to the penalty spot. Siobhan Hunter stepped up for Hibernian but her penalty was brilliantly saved by Erin Clachers who dived low to her right with Hunter putting the rebound wide. Shannon McGregor then went close for the hosts but her effort went over the crossbar.
City were awarded a penalty of their own ten minutes later when Kozak was brought down by Leishman, but Mairead Fulton saw her spot kick well saved by Haaland.
Summer signing Chloe Warrington came on to make her Glasgow City debut along with youth player Lisa Forrest in the final stages of the game.
Glasgow City are next in action when we welcome Hearts to Petershill Park on Sunday 25th of September.
Match Information:
Team Lines:
Hibernian: Haaland, Parry, Hunter, Eddie, Hinds (Thomas, 68), McAlonie, Adams (Kuyken, 79), McGregor, Mustafa, Notley (Leishman, 46), Murray. Subs not used: Kosinska, Livingstone, Freda, Giannou, Morrison, Lawson
Glasgow City: Clachers, Muir, Lauder (Grant, 62), Fulton, Whelan, Clark (Walsh, 72), Davidson, Kozak, Moore (Forrest, 85), Chinchilla (Greening, 62), Foley (Warrington, 72). Subs not used: Gibson, Gibb, Allie, Martin.
Scorers:
Glasgow City: Davidson 2, Own Goal 7, Whelan 37, Kozak 45+2
Yellow Cards:
Hibernian: Mustafa
Glasgow City: Davidson, Grant
Referee: Frazer Bushell
Stadium: Meadowbank Stadium
Photo credit Hibernian FC