RANGERS played out a 2-2 draw with Hibs in the ScottishPower Women’s Premier League at Meadowbank this evening.
After falling behind early to a Kathleen McGovern goal, Katie Wilkinson headed home an equaliser as the two teams went in level at the break. The hosts went back in front through a Tiree Burchill header at the back post before an own goal saw the Gers get back on level terms and leave the capital with a point.
The Light Blues were looking to respond from their defeat in the Edinburgh to Hearts three days prior. Leanne Crichton named two changes that fell to the defeat to Hearts at the Oriam, with Leah Eddie replacing Laura Rafferty and Sophie Black coming in for her first competitive start for Mia McAulay.
In a new look step in Edinburgh Rangers look to assert themselves early in but it was the hosts who went close to taking the lead after just three minutes. Kathleen McGovern, who proved a real danger in the last meeting at Meadowbank, was played in behind and looked to place one into the far corner, but Jenna Fife did well to tip the effort onto the post and keep it out before it crossed the line.
After threatening moments earlier, McGovern made it count this time to put Hibs again as Rangers got off the worst possible start in the capital. Winning the ball high in similar fashion, she made no mistake by curling the ball beyond Fife as the hosts made a fast start count by breaking the deadlock after seven minutes.
They looked to go further in front and looked likely every time they came forward. Rosie Livingstone looked to get the better of Leah Eddie on the outside, she checked back and looked to pick out Eilidh Adams with a cutback, but the striker didn’t make the desired contact as she dragged her effort across the box before Rangers could clear it to safety with the Light Blues offering little control in the match in the opening exchanges.
However, in their first attack with real purpose, Rangers found a response. Cal Brookshire was well advanced down the left and did well to get the better of her marker, she dug out a cross which was met by the head of Katie Wilkinson who made no mistake in heading it into the bottom right corner to level up proceedings.
Adams was next to try her luck as Hibs looked to restore their advantage in a lively start in the capital. Working it down the left the Scotland Under-23s international had yards of space in front of her outside the area, but her effort was straight down the throat of Fife who collected.
Hibs thought they had restored their lead after McGovern’s free kick stung the palms of Fife before Adams tapped in the rebound from a yard, but the assistant on the near side raised her flag to deny the striker who was deemed to be in an offside position.
The hosts came within an inch of retaking the lead after a quiet period in the game. McGovern got the better of Jess Pegram inside the box, she cut it back with Livingstone making the initial contact before a combination of Eddie on the line and the goalkeeper snatching the bouncing ball saw Rangers scramble away the danger.
The Gers looked to pose a threat themselves on the counter-attack and had an opening on the left side through Brookshire. Striker Laura Berry switched the play and it broke for the Greece international, who homed in on goal from the left flank, Sophie Black was across the box poised for as pass, but the 24-year-old tried to cut in before turning into danger.
McGovern forced Fife into a smart stop to tip it over the bar as she was looking a live wire all evening. As the two teams went into the half time interval locked level in Edinburgh.
The away side were forced into an early second half change as captain Nicola Docherty had to be replaced with Brogan Hay coming on. Both sides looked to take the ascendancy after the restart and looked for what would be the crucial second goal for either to put themselves in front.
After a closely contested first 13 minutes of the second period, Hibs retook the lead. Livingstone’s positive run down the left saw her clip a ball to the back post, it evaded everyone except the arriving Tiree Burchill who headed it beyond Fife to put Hibs back ahead.
Substitute Camille Lafaix headed beyond Noa Schumacher but from an offside position, as Leanne Crichton’s side looked for a second response of the night and claw themselves back into the game.
Rangers were having their best spell of the second half with Brookshire proving a real outlet down the left. She combined with Berry with the latter firing the ball across the box on her left side, but it was just out the reach of Wilkinson who looked to tap it in at the back post.
Having been on the front foot for a period of the game, the Gers found their second equaliser of the night. Brookshire’s cross from the left was dangerous and looked like it came off the head of the unfortunate Scarlett Herron who diverted it into her own net with 16 minutes remaining.
There looked to be an eagerness on both sides to try find a winner heading into the final 10 minutes. Hibs had a couple of set piece chances go a begging, before Brookshire tested the goalkeeper at the front post at the other end.
Despite openings in both boxes and a great chance for Mia McAulay to win it at the end, the team’s couldn’t be separated as the Gers now gear up for the challenge of facing Glasgow City to round off their three-game week on Sunday afternoon.
HIBS: Schumacher, Herron, Papadopoulos, Grant (Jordan, 65), Adams, McGovern, Livingstone, Doran-Barr (Gibb, 45), Burchill (Bowie, 65), Taylor (Hunter, 87), Fitzgerald
SUBS: Armitage, Bryson, Notley, Morrison
RANGERS: Fife, Docherty (Hay, 50), Eddie, Pegram, Austin, Berry (McAulay, 78), Cruft (Connolly-Jackson, 78), Brookshire, McLeary, Black (Lafaix, 59), Wilkinson
SUBS: Kelly, Rafferty, Sabajo, Arnot
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