Match Report: Rangers 5-0 Hibernian

FIVE second-half goals saw Rangers secure another important three points against Hibernian in Park’s Motor Group SWPL 1 this afternoon.

Kirsty Howat and Megan Bell both netted doubles, with Chantelle Swaby also on the scoresheet as they helped the Light Blues to a 5-0 victory at Rangers Training Centre.

Malky Thomson named three changes to his side from the last match against Motherwell with Jenna Fife, Kirsten Reilly and Kirsty Howat coming into the starting XI.

Rangers lined-up at Auchenhowie with Jenna Fife in goal and a back four of Nicola Docherty, Chantelle Swaby, Brianna Westrup and Demi Vance. Tessel Middag, Kirsten Reilly and Sam Kerr were in midfield, while Brogan Hay and Lizzie Arnot provided support for striker Kirsty Howat.

There’s a strong bench available to Thomson should he need it with Megan Cunningham, Janni Arnth, Zoe Ness, Kayla McCoy, Megan Bell, Ciara Grant and Emma Watson all available.

It was an even start to this match at Rangers Training Centre, with the Light Blues seeing the most of the ball but unable to find the breakthrough.

Demi Vance fired just wide of the target early in the match as she latched on the end of a lovely ball forward to drive towards goal but her shot drifted past the post.

Kirsten Reilly did well shortly after to win the ball back in a dangerous area and find Kirsty Howat but the striker’s shot was deflected wide of the target.

Rangers were having the best of the chances in this encounter and were piling on the pressure ahead of the break as they looked to head into the interval with a lead.

Lizzie Arnot delivered a dangerous ball into the box which Kirsten Reilly tried to divert towards goal but a Hibs defender managed to block the shot. The rebound fell for Kirsty Howat who drilled the ball towards goal from close range but Hibs goalkeeper Emily Mutch got a touch to deny Rangers.

Just before half-time, Demi Vance found captain Brianna Westrup at the back post with a corner but she couldn’t keep her header on target as it hit the side netting.

Early in the second-half Brogan Hay found space to drive down the right before getting a cross into the box but it bounced off the crossbar.

A series of early corners saw Rangers find the breakthrough just four minutes into the first-half. From a corner, Kirsten Reilly touched the ball back to Kirsty Howat and she fired a shot from distance which flew past Emily Mutch and landed in the bottom corner of the net.

Malky Thomson’s side almost had a second and what a goal it would’ve been. Right-back Nicola Docherty found herself in space and released a powerful strike towards goal from distance which looked to be heading for the top of the goal but the woodwork denied the defender as it rattled back off the crossbar.

The pressure was paying off and that second goal did come with 59 minutes on the clock. It was another fantastic long-range effort but this time from Kirsty Howat, as she looped a ball over the top of Mutch and into the back of the net.

It was a fantastic start to the second-half and they made it 3-0 two minutes later. A short corner from Demi Vance was played out to Brogan Hay on the edge of the box and she found the feet of Chantelle Swaby in the box. It was a superb finish from the striker as she curled the ball beyond Mutch for her third goal of the season.

Malky Thomson made a double change to his side with 25 minutes of the match remaining as Megan Bell and Kayla McCoy came on in place of Sam Kerr and Kirsty Howat.

Both substitutes combined in the 83rd minute to net Rangers’ fourth goal of the afternoon. Kayla McCoy put pressure on the Hibs defence to win the ball back and played it through to Megan Bell. The Northern Ireland international fired low beyond Mutch to further extend the advantage.

It was a fantastic substitute performance from Bell who got her second of the match shortly after. Picking up the ball outside the box, she found space to get a powerful shot away and beat Mutch.

In the dying stages of the match, Rosie Livingstone shot from distance as Hibs looked for a late consolation but it was wide of Jenna Fife’s goal.

Fife was called into action in added time as she blocked a shot from Eilidh Adams to ensure a clean sheet and a strong victory for Rangers.

RANGERS: Fife, Docherty, Swaby (Watson, 85), Westrup, Vance, Kerr (Bell, 65), Middag, Reilly (Grant, 78), Arnot, Hay (Ness, 78), Howat (McCoy, 65)

Subs: Cunningham, Arnth, Watson.

Hibs: Mutch, Leishman, Eddie, Adams, McGregor, McAlonie, Penman, Notely, Coyle, McCafferty, Morrison.

Subs: English, Muir, Livingstone.

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