Latest news with #SWPLCup
Scotsman
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Inside Hibs SWPL title win as 'stuff of dreams' has dressing room on cloud nine
Head coach Grant Scott and Linzi Taylor have reflected on a historic day for Hibs after they were crowned as SWPL champions. Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... An emotional Linzi Taylor hailed a united effort at Hibs Women claimed the SWPL title on the final day of a historic season. Faced with a challenging visit to a Rangers side that had condemned them to a heavy defeat in the SWPL Cup final earlier in the season, Grant Scott's side showed all of the grit and determination that had taken them to within touching distance of seeing off a number of big spending rivals to land the title with a narrow victory at Ibrox. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Roared on a strong travelling contingent, Hibs held firm throughout a surprisingly low-key opening 45 minutes before Taylor came to the fore with just over 15 minutes remaining as she broke out of defence and made her way towards the hosts area. After getting on the end of a cross from Kathleen McGovern, the Hibs skipper directed the ball beyond home keeper Jenna Fife and inside her far post to give her side the goal and win they needed to claim a first SWPL in 18 years. SNS Group Reflecting on a historic moment for herself and the side she has led throughout a remarkable campaign, Taylor praised key figures across the Hibs setup after they all played a part in a title triumph very few predicted ahead of the campaign. She told Sky Sports: 'Honestly, (I am) a bit emotional, I don't think it's sunk in yet. I'm delighted for that group of players, the staff, the fans that have followed us near and far. I can't believe it, it's the stuff you dream of when you're a wee girl and I think for anybody watching today, young girls and boys, this is the stuff of dreams. What had that cushion, we knew a draw would have got us a win, but we came here for three points and that's exactly what we've done. 'I think a lot of people wrote us off, especially when you look back to the 4-0 game at Easter Road. You look at how far we have come as a team, we are so together, everybody is in it for each other. That's from the coaching staff to the medical team, they bandage people up, they've kept people going through the season, sports scientists and stuff like that. This isn't just the players, this is absolutely everybody as a club and thankfully, we've went and shown what we can do.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The togetherness in the group' SNS Group For head coach Grant Scott, the title win is the result of a remarkable response to the deeply disappointing cup final defeat his side suffered against Sunday's hosts in March. After guiding Hibs to their first title since a Kim Little-inspired side won every game during their 2007 league campaign, Scott revealed what he felt had been the key ingredient in an unexpected success that had been predicted by few ahead of the season. He said: 'I think the togetherness in the group, that galvanisation. We've had a few knocks this year, we've had a few really poor performances. In the cup final I felt Rangers were great on the day and we hadn't really turned up. But the reaction to that, that's all you can ask your players to do. We've gone about our business consistently, the group's performed consistently Monday to Friday and we've turned up almost every week. So they deserve so much credit for that.' Your next Hibs read: Hibs boss on Euro ambitions, board backing, Boyle deal and emotional fan serenade after Rangers draw
BBC News
30-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
SWPL quartet vie for manager of year
Hibernian's Grant Scott, Rangers' Jo Potter, Glasgow City's Leanne Ross and Motherwell's Paul Brownlie are the nominees for SWPL manager of the Hibs currently lead the way in a thrilling race for the title as the capital side chase a first top-flight crown in 18 challengers Rangers have already won the SWPL Cup and will meet fellow title hopefuls City in the Scottish Cup final next has steered Motherwell to the club's first top-six winner will be announced on Sunday at the PFA Scotland awards dinner.
BBC News
27-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Holders Rangers reach Women's Scottish Cup final
Jane Ross scored a hat-trick as holders Rangers beat Aberdeen 5-0 to set up a Women's Scottish Cup final meeting with Glasgow bettered City's 4-0 semi-final defeat of Motherwell but Sunday's tie was not quite the commanding performance the score suggested, with Rio Hardy and Lizzie Arnot also on favourites applied pressure right from the off and, while Aberdeen goalkeeper Annalisa McCann and the Dons defence held firm by keeping out efforts from Arnot and Katie Wilkinson, the underdogs succumbed after nine McAulay raced down the right and laid the ball on a plate for Ross, who from six yards got her side off the a rare foray forward, Aberdeen's Kerry Beattie burst down the wing and sent in a fine ball for Francesca Ogilivie. Unfortunately for her, 15-year-old May Cruft, on her second competitive start for Rangers, was there to snuff out any should have doubled Rangers' lead on 33 minutes, but she showed an uncharacteristic lack of accuracy in front of they scored again when keeper McCann came out for a long ball, Ross got their first and unselfishly squared for Hardy to roll into an empty was a cruel blow for Aberdeen, who had been defending well and growing into the substitute Brogan Hay headed towards Ross, who controlled the ball with her chest before finishing early in the second the game wore on, Aberdeen were clearly tiring against their full-time opponents but Eva Thompson did brilliantly to put in a timely tackle just as Cruft was about to unleash a did add some shine to their performance. Ross sealed her treble after pouncing on a rebound, McCann's save from Arnot falling to the Scotland international almost on the goal Ross turned provider for Arnot at close range in the closing will take some positives from their first ever Hampden appearance, as they now look to maintain their top-flight perhaps weren't at their best but are through to their third Scottish Cup final in as many seasons and still have a chance of a domestic treble after sealing the SWPL Cup in they will meet future Hampden opponents City in Wednesday's SWPL encounter, which is live on BBC Alba, iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and trail SWPL leaders Hibernian by two points and are one point in front of City. What they said Rangers head coach Jo Potter: "They made it difficult for us today. Today, it was about getting a job done and getting into a final. A clean sheet was important for us. Some really nice goals from Jane and into a final - job done for us."It's not easy to pick a team. There's a lot of quality. We ask them all to produce and we have a lot of top goal scorers in the squad. Having that competition's bringing out the best in each other."
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'No sulking' for treble-chasing Rangers
Rangers manager Jo Potter insists her side are "not sulking" after their defeat to Hibs as they prepare for Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final against Aberdeen. The Ibrox club slipped to second in the SWPL table after they were beaten 2-0 by title rivals Hibs at Meadowbank last weekend. But with the SWPL Cup already in the cabinet and a potential treble still on the table, Potter insists her side need to be fully focused on booking their place in next month's Scottish Cup final. "I'll be honest, it was a down couple of days, which I'd expect," she said. "I think they really felt the loss, which is not a bad thing from my perspective. But we really managed to dig into it and pick the bones of it. "We've spent quite a while looking at the game and looking at certain aspects of the game and what we didn't do so well."We tried to put it right this week and made a very clear point that there's a cut-off point. There's no sulking and feeling sorry for ourselves because we've got another big game to look ahead to for the weekend. "They've been great ever since after that first day back in. We've changed mindsets, we've looked positively at it and they've been really good in training."
BBC News
19-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
SWPL Game of the weekend: Hibernian v Rangers
The latest twist in the SWPL saw Rangers head to the top of the table with a 2-1 victory over fellow title contenders Glasgow City on Wednesday night. Rangers failed to capitalise last weekend after Hibs were beaten by Edinburgh rivals Hearts, allowing City to swoop in and take top City's defeat to Rangers midweek, coupled with Hibs' goalless draw against Celtic, dropped City back to third and sent Rangers to the summit as the top flight table reshuffled again. As things stand, Jo Potter's side are top on 62 points, Hibs are behind them on 61 and City are just one adrift on 60 points in third. On Sunday Grant Scott's side host the league leaders knowing the winner is heading top of the table while the loser could slip to third spot (depending on the result in City's game against Hearts).Hibs have only been beaten once by Rangers this season and that was a disappointing 5-0 defeat in the SWPL Cup final not so long ago - the Edinburgh club won the previous meeting 3-0 and the match before that ended all square at the cup final Hibs have won one of their three league outings (one draw and one defeat) while Rangers are unbeaten and Sunday is the next opportunity for these two to showcase their title credentials. How to follow on BBC The game between Hibernian and Rangers is live on BBC Alba which you can watch on the BBC Sport Scotland website and app, as well as on BBC iPlayer. It kicks off at 16:10 v Glasgow City is the early game and you'll be able to follow all the action live on the BBC Sport Scotland website and app when it kicks off at 13:00 BST. There will also be live text commentary of all of Sunday's matches there too.
