Hibernian 7-0 Dryburgh Athletic
By Gethin Thurlow For Impetus at Meadowbank (8/12/25)
Above: Rebecca Lonie (Maroon) and Jess Ramsey (Green) chase the ball in the rain Photo: Hibernian FC
Dryburgh shot-stopper Zoe MacLean made a number of incredible saves in what was a strong defensive display by the third division side, who kept the score at a more than respectable 4-0 for the majority of the game. In a significant moment for the hosts, 16-year-old wonderkid Jess Ramsey scored her first goal for the club, as they advanced to the fourth round of the SWF Cup.
The Action
Given the gulf between the sides – a fully professional and current defending SWPL champions outfit up against third tier Dryburgh it was not surprising that Hibs controlled the ball at the edge of their opponents’ box for the majority of the game.
Dryburgh’s game plan became obvious from the first minute, to sit back in an ultra-low block with so many bodies crowding the box that Hibs couldn’t operate effectively enough to create clear shooting opportunities.
This proved effective as the game advanced, and while Grant Scott’s team able to fire the ball towards the box whenever they wanted, his players never had time or space on the ball and it was continually cleared by the Dryburgh defence.
It didn’t take long for the hosts to accrue some shots on target, as Livingstone and Herron both had strong efforts kept out by MacLean, who didn’t look anything like a third tier goalkeeper throughout the match. The first shot which didn’t find the hands of MacLean in fact was an absolute fizzer from Ellis Notley that rattled the bar.
The champions of Scotland that they are, Hibernian weren’t going to let any moment slip. When they had any sort of space inside the box for the first time just before the 20-minute mark, Kirsty Morrison drove down the right wing and pulled the ball back beautifully to Tiree Burchill, who smacked the ball straight into the far corner. A brutal display of patience and clinical edge.
By no means did this open the floodgates however, and some more defending and shot stopping occurred for the next 10 minutes. From a corner, the ball briefly bounced around the various heads inside the six-yard box, before Scarlett Herron decisively forced the ball into the net, with MacLean having no chance amidst the chaos on her goal line.
On the stroke of half time, Rosie Livingstone showed off the quality that saw her start multiple European games thrashing a goal in from the edge of the box. This was only after she had a close-range effort and Siobhan Hunter a furiously strong freekick saved by Dryburgh’s hero, who’s hands seemed to be made of steel.
As the second half got underway, Dryburgh stayed resilient. Despite the physical advantage that Hibs players had from training full time and the mental discipline required to play how they did, the away side inspired the large fan support they managed to bring from Dundee.
They held out until the 63rd minute, when academy star Jess Ramsey scored her first goal with her first touch in the match – redirecting Tegan Bowie’s cross past MacLean.
While Rowena Armitage faced zero shots in the Hibs net, Dryburgh’s attackers worked tirelessly throughout, and in one particular example, winger Emma Lawson delightfully received a long ball towards their oppositions box and controlled it with a backheel.
Naturally, one would assume that as the game wore on, Athletic’s resistance would break down, but in reality, the opposite happened. As Hibs introduced striker Eilidh Adams back from injury they still pushed with the same intensity but were repeatedly denied by whatever Dryburgh could throw in the way of the ball.
In the final 10 minutes of the game, Hunter rifled a free-kick through the wall, before Boyle and Adams added finishes from close range; but ultimately those goals did an injustice to the overall display from Dryburgh Athletic, who defended with more vigour and application than a fair few semi-professional sides have at Meadowbank this year.
Player of the Match Zoe MacLean
It’s difficult to sum up Maclean’s performance for the people unlucky enough not to witness it. While there is no official stat line, she must have been close to if not into double figures in terms of saves made. Her positioning, movement and strength were all that of a much higher level than she’s currently playing. These shots were powerful and well-placed efforts from league winners, and the torrential Scottish rain can’t have made the ball easier to handle.
While Maclean remains a Championship player for the moment, I wouldn’t be surprised if she finds herself in the SWPL or SWPL2 soon. Based on this display, she would barely have looked out of place starting in goal for any of the teams that Hibs come up against in the top tier of Scottish football.
Where this leaves the teams
There were positive signs for the Hibees in terms of injury returns, with Caley Gibb’s start confirming her full fitness. Eilidh Adams’ 20-minute spell finally signalled the return of an out-and-out striker. Scarlett Herron got another 90 minutes of valuable experience under her belt, as it looks like she’ll be continuing at centre back for the foreseeable with Linzi Taylor still missing.
Advancing to the next stage of the cup was always going to be the Edinburgh side’s main aim, and achieving this whilst giving all seven goal scorers confidence in front of goal is an added bonus for Grant Scott.
Before the game, Dryburgh Athletic called this the biggest game in their history, and the performance certainly matched this. Holding the SWPL champions to seven goals might not seem impressive, but this a prolific attacking unit which regular puts five or more goals past SWPL sides, and beat current seventh placed Motherwell 9-0 earlier this year.
The gaps between leagues are huge, with the training and preparation of either side unrecognisably different. Dryburgh had a plan, went out there and made the travelling fans – which outnumbered some SWPL clubs at Meadowbank, ever so proud. While Zoe MacLean was incredible, it was a full 16-player defensive effort, and they showed what Dryburgh Athletic are all about.
Teams: HIBERNIAN (4-2-3-1): Armitage, Doran-Barr, Hunter, Herron, Gibb, Notley, Boyle (c), Morrison, Boughton, Livingstone, Burchill. Substitutes: Papadopoulos (for Gibb 46’), Bowie (for Livingstone 46’), Ramsey (for Boughton 62’), I Taylor (for Burchill 62’), Adams (for Morrison 70’).
Scorers: 1-0 Burchill 19’, 2-0 Herron 30’, 3-0 Livingstone 43’ 4-0 Ramsey 63’, 5-0 Hunter 82’, 6-0 Boyle 87’, 7-0 Adams 90’.
DRYBURGH ATHLETIC (4-3-3): MacLean, Delworth, Hassett, Kelly, Martindale, Dailly, Robbie (c), Fraser, Laing, Christie, Lawson. Substitutes: Scobie (for Christie 51’), Lonie (for Lawson 62’), Burns (for Dailly 62’), Watt (for Kelly 86’), Coutts (for Fraser 86’).
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