AN otherwise stellar season for SWPL2 champions Motherwell ended in disappointing style when they were blown away by Hibernian in a one-sided SSE Scottish Women's Cup final at Firhill. The top league side wasted no time in ensuring they would win a third successive cup double and in doing so join Glasgow City on a record eight Scottish Cup wins.
Motherwell were two down after just six minutes and manager Donald Jennow admitted: “We didn't live with them, particularly in the first half, and they exploited a lot of our mistakes. But it would be unfair to say it was purely down to us – Hibs played incredibly well.
“Their two centre halves, and Lisa Robertson in front, moved the ball side to side at a pace we're not used to and that created the gaps that their attacking players, especially in the wider areas, were able to exploit.”
Hibs head coach Grant Scott said: “We did plan for a tougher game, but with the greatest of respect to Motherwell when we scored the first two goals so early it's going to be difficult for them.
“We've scored a lot of goals in the season, and we've not lost a lot. If they'd managed to keep us out for a bit longer it might have been a different story.”
Whatever game plan Motherwell had was in shreds after when Hibs got off to their flying start. The first goal, scored by Abi Harrison with less than two minutes on the clock, came after Motherwell right back Emma Black lost possession to Kirsten Reilly 30 yards out.
The Hibs player fed Harrison and the striker was given plenty of space to turn and send a fine curling shot beyond Autumn Farrell from 20 yards. Four minutes later Jamielee Napier scored the first of her three when she converted a Rachel McLauchlan cross at the far post.
Harrison got her second after 15 minutes, sending a low volley into the net from close in. The striker's involvement ended with a hamstring injury on the half hour but her replacement, Lauren Davidson, almost immediately made it four.
A Maxine Welsh own goal, shortly after she had cleared a Napier shot off the line, and a well taken individualistic goal from Cailin Michie completed the first half rout.
Scotland under-19 winger Napier got two more in the second half to complete her first senior hat-trick.
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