Hibs Women 5 Montrose 1

An improved second half performance would see Hibernian win at Meadowbank against Montrose.

Kathleen McGovern opened the scoring in the first half, before an equaliser from Talitha Ross levelled the scoring after the restart. An Eilidh Adams penalty put us back in front before sublime goals from Rosie Livingstone and Lauren Doran-Barr, either side of an own goal, completed the scoring.

Grant Scott made one change to the Hibs side that advanced to the quarter-finals of the Sky Sports Cup last weekend after defeating Queen's Park by seven at Ochilview, with midfielder Ciara Grant replacing defender Poppy Lawson. 

Centre-back Siobhan Hunter was honorary captain for the day, as she made her landmark 300th appearance for the Club. On the bench was Rachael Boyle, Rosie Livingstone and Kirsten Reilly - who have all been out for 19 months, six months and one month, respectively. 

Energised by last weekend's huge win, Hibs started on the front foot - with lots of time and attacking impetus on the ball. Doran-Barr and Kirsty Morrison worked particularly hard and effectively down the right-hand side, with pinpoint crosses being the only missing link between them and striker McGovern. 

Siobhan Hunter headed wide early on, before a deflected McGovern shot found its way to Morrison but the attacker couldn’t find the connection needed to force the ball over the line before it was hauled away to safety by a resolute Montrose defender.

After another fine sprint down the right flank, Doran-Barr also had a goal bound effort tipped over the crossbar by Montrose goalkeeper Kirsten Pratt to instill further pressure on the away side.

McGovern stood over a distant free-kick awarded shortly before the half-time whistle, with her powerful effort skimming Pratt's post.

A strike mere minutes later was far more spectacular, and also more successful, from the goal-hungry striker. Putting her foot through the ball after an agile twist and turn well outside the area, McGovern saw her looping effort duck underneath the bar and into the back of the net.

Six minutes after the restart, Montrose would find an equaliser through Talitha Robb. The Montrose number 21 stabbed a low effort past Erin Clachers to level the score after the vastly outnumbered Hibs defence were caught in possession deep inside their own half.

Reilly marked her return to action in the 65th minute when she, alongside keen goal-getter Adams, headed onto the pitch in an attempt to change the game. For the away side, ecstasy soon turned to despair come 70 minutes as the Hibees were awarded a penalty - with Scott's two substitutes paying off immediately for their role in the decision.

A calamitous move while defending from a corner resulted in Demi Taylor being shown a straight red card for a handball on the line - after Pratt had tipped her initial save from a powerful Reilly header onto the midfielder's arm. Reilly's fellow sub Adams stepped up to take the resulting spot kick, slotting calmy into the bottom-left corner to retake the lead.

Regaining the lead meant that there was a refound confidence within the squad, with further emotion found as Club captain Boyle made her way onto the pitch for the first time in 19 months - coming on alongside Livingstone, who had frustratingly missed six months of action herself. 

Boyle certainly influenced the remainder of the match with her excellent midfield play, but it was Livingstone who truly 'celebrated' her own return in some fashion. The young forward scored an incredible overhead kick from inside the area to give her side a well-earned insurance goal.

Exploiting further openings down the left-hand side, Hibs, and notably fifth and final substitute Mya Christie, would press high up the pitch. A promising cross into the area would result in Montrose backtracking, allowing Adams to glance the ball goalward before a helpless defender bundled the ball into the net to increase the score further.

With one last onslaught, Doran-Barr got onto the scoresheet herself while trying to best the earlier efforts of McGovern and Livingstone for October's Goal of the Month award. The wing-back had a pop from way, way out and sent the Meadowbank faithful into a frenzy as her unassuming strike arrowed into the top corner to cap off a superb second half showing.