HIBERNIAN GIRLS CROWNED SCOTTISH CHAMPIONS
Hibernian U16 Girls will represent Scotland in the British Finals at the Reebok Stadium, Bolton on Sunday the 24th of May 2009. They will be defending the trophy our U16 team won in the City of Manchester stadium last year.
The Girls won the Scottish Tesco Cup, in Stirling, after playing 4 x 30 minute group games plus a 40 minute semi-final and a 40 minute final between 11am and 5.30pm on Saturday.
In the first game they beat Dumfries 4-0 with two goals from Siobhan Hunter and one each from Anja McConnachie and Sarah Robertson.
This was followed by a powerful 6-0 display against Falkirk. Despite this result Falkirk still managed to get into the semi final as best losers. Goals came from Gemma Robb, Claire Emslie, Louise Mason, Ellen Reid and two from Kirsty Smith.
In the next game Hibs beat Clyde Cosmos 4-1 with two goals from Sarah Robertson, Anja McConnachie and Kirsty Smith. Anja's strike was from well outside the box showing her quality.
The final game of the five team group stage was a 1-0 victory against Tayside Celtic: scorer Kirsty Smith.
Hibs beat Falkirk again 4-1 in the Semi final with goals from Stephanie Malcolm, Louise Mason, Ellen Reid and Claire Emslie.
In the Final Hibs played Motherwell who they had not beaten this season. Straight from the first whistle, the girls were utterly determined to make sure that they were not going to be the "also rans" putting Motherwell under some intense pressure. Kirsty Smith with her electric pace was causing all sorts of damage down the left, whilst Siobhan Hunter and Sarah Robertson in the midfield battled like demons to maintain possession and momentum.
Through this pressure Hibs were able to score through the prolific top scorer Claire Emslie after 15 minutes with a low drive into the corner of the net.
A further 3 or 4 other clear goal scoring opportunities were squandered by Hibs which could have put the game beyond Motherwell in the first half. However, at the end of the half against the run of play Motherwell scored having won a corner on the right. The cross came in which was not dealt with allowing a Motherwell player to shoot into the corner with a low drive from 18 yards.
A different Hibs team appeared in the second half scoring 3 goals and controlling much of the match. Ellen Reid who had played so well all day scored the fourth with a trademark cheeky lob over the keeper.
A measure of the role played by the defenders was that the "stand in" captain for the day Stefanie Malcolm won the best U16 'Defender of the Tournament' for her outstanding performances. Teammate Siobhan Hunter was awarded the 'Player of the Tournament' having played well throughout the day..
Result: Hibernian Girls & Ladies FC 4 - 1 Motherwell Girls FC
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