Rangers 2-1 Hibernian
By Gethin Thurlow for Impetus at Broadwood Stadium 19/1/26
Above: Contrasting emotions as the full time whistle blew Photo: @RangersWFC on X
Rangers took advantage of Kirsten Reilly’s red card to claim an important victory in the SWPL, keeping themselves seven points off top and extending the deficit to Hibernian to nine points.
Teams
After what’s been a positive start to the window, Leanne Crichton was able to name a full strength team, with new signing Callie Brookshire and recently returned Lily Boyce on the bench to impact the game later. Young forward Laura Berry got the start on the right wing, while the McLearly-Cruft partnership in the middle was restored.
For the visitors, it was a much less simple story. Still suffering from an injury crisis, this time captain Siobhan Hunter wasn’t able to make the squad, leaving midfielder Ellis Notley to fill in at centre-back. Kathleen McGovern’s return to the bench was a positive for the Hibees though, joined on it unusually by left back Stacey Papadopoulos. 16 year old Jess Ramsey got the call in attacking midfield, while in-from Tiree Burchill was nowhere to be seen.
The Action
Rangers started on the front foot, calling Noa Schumacher into action early with a couple of long balls, drawing her out. It was a Hibs team that looked a bit disjointed, especially on the ball, which is not surprising considering the changes in personal and manager they’ve endured in recent matches.
While Hibs found themselves unable to effectively pass through the Rangers midfield, it was actually from the pressing that they threatened most. Some loose touches by the back four and a miskick from Fife only empowered this belief from the Hibees, as they had a spell on top.
One interesting tactical change from the Grant Scott era was the interchange of fullbacks and wingers. Quite often we see the wingers swapping sides for a few minutes if they end up like that from a set piece. This time however, it was wingers Tegan Bowie on the left and Rosie Livingstone on the right swapping places with their fullbacks behind them – Rachel Boyle and Lauren Doran-Barr respectively. Clearly, she trusted those wingers in defence enough, and for moments of the game it felt like Bowie spent more time in the back four than Boyle.
After 25 minutes, the game opened up. An ambitious Hibs cross was attacked unsuccessfully by Boyle, before Katie Wilkinson won the ball on the edge of the box and lifted it to the open Mia McAulay, who found the post.
Merely seconds later, Laura Berry controlled a goal kick from Fife, and Reilly went in to win it back. Unfortunately for the Hibs midfielder, she got no ball and her studs caught the thigh of the young attacker. In the end, it was a needless challenge to make and it forced her team to lose a midfielder, essentially handing over control to that ultra strong Rangers three.
This had an immediate impact, and Rangers started to dominate. Using the extra space in midfield to their advantage, it the right hand side of Eilidh Austin and Laura Berry who got in repeatedly, creating lots of chances within a five minute period. After one of her shots was blocked and another went wide, it was inevitable that eventually one would go in, and with a well-aimed effort the hosts took the lead in the 40th minute.
The Hibees were still in chaos mode five minutes later as Rangers continued to pressure. Shin-Ji pushed down the left this time, and pulled the ball out to May Cruft on the edge of the box. As she shot towards the goal, the ball rolled agonisingly past Schumacher who probably won’t be wanting to watch that back on the replay.
Looking to assert some dominance in the middle again, Joelle Murray withdrew both full backs, bringing on defender Papadopoulos and midfielder Ciara Grant. This allowed them to switch to a 3-2-3-1 formation, giving them that triangle in midfield that has been so successful – with Jess Ramsey sitting ahead of Grant and Jess Fitzgerald.
This prompted a shape change from the Glasgow side, with their wingers sitting in a front line, meaning one defender was marking each of them.
The red card had certainly spiced up what is a rivalry in the women’s game, and after Scarlett Herron picked up a yellow for a cynical foul, tensions between Wilkinson and the Hibs backline threatened to boil over.
Frustration was evident throughout the away team, and much of this was thanks to the aggressive pressing of Rangers. While the new formation reset the midfield balance, it took away a defender and this hampered Hibs’ buildup. Crichton’s team were able to commit a player to each Hibee, and they were absolutely set on giving no time or space up.
This forced long, desperate balls from the Edinburgh side, and they lacked that quality needed to make anything of these rare chances.
While they defended well, Rangers would’ve wanted to put the game to bed earlier. Laura Berry missed a sitter, while Wilkinson fired into the hands of Schumacher again.
It was a dismal attacking showing by Hibernian, with every cross easily heading to keeper Fife, constant miscommunications and poor touches. With virtually the last kick of the game, McGovern took a half-hearted long-range shot, which was heading slowly into Fife. Somehow, the bounce caught the goalkeeper out, and it bounced in off her arms. Luckily for her, Hannah Jordan’s volley a few seconds later flew over and the whistle did finally sound.
Player of the Match Eilidh Austin
She really impacted the game in defence and attack. When Rangers really took control of the game during that period from the red card to half time, it was the right-hand side that all the prominent attacks flew down – with the running of Austin crucial for this. She kept putting good balls into the box, eventually getting the assist for the opening goal. Playing in behind Laura Berry – who’s naturally more of a striker, Austin thrives off having that width to herself and it really worked to cause this Hibs team issues.
Defensively, she gave Tegan Bowie an absolute nightmare. Never have I seen Bowie play like that. Frustrated, inaccurate with her crosses, unable to dribble through the Rangers right back, it was truly astonishing stuff from Austin. A lot gets made of Rangers’ attack and number of goals they score, but they have a solid defence as well, and with a visit to Glasgow City next weekend they’re going to have to be right on it if they want to close down the gap in the title race.
Where this leaves the teams
It was a massive win for Rangers. They hadn’t beaten Hibs in the league since 2024 and had a poor record against the other top sides apart from Celtic this season. Even with some injuries, this is still a top team to face, and they really limited the Hibees throughout the 90 minutes. Whilst Celtic did beat them twice in the last two games, this felt more dominant – and the last second goal, coming from a huge goalkeeping error misrepresents the game.
There’s a massive month now before the split in the SWPL. Rangers and Celtic travel to Petershill Park over the next three weeks, and with them both sitting seven points back right now, City’s lead could be anymore from nothing to 10 or more. This was a massive win, but for Leanne Crichton it has to be the start of a run. In only her first season as the boss, it seems like they have gone through the adjustment period – but the real test of that is next week.
Just brutal for Hibernian. Since November 2nd, their only win is against third tier Dryburgh Athletic, losing four and drawing two in that time. Injuries are an issue yes, but they shouldn’t be so bad even when you take that into account. Dealing with a shock managerial change will also have been difficult, but this is a side that won’t the league last year in such magical fashion.
The most concerning aspect of today was the attack. Defensively, they were dealt a tough hand and did exceptionally not to concede in the second half. Only three shots all game – two of them coming after the 93rd minute, a goal that would’ve only gone in once out of 100 times, and really just a lack of communication and that cutting-edge precision. Hamilton Accies visiting next week is exactly what they need to try and get any confidence and put something together, but this looks like a team that would struggle to get through them at the moment.
Joelle Murray isn’t under any pressure yet and it’s hardly been a run-of-the-mill two opening fixtures to a career, but she’ll want this one to be the exception, not the rule going forward.
Teams: HIBERNIAN (4-2-3-1): Schumacher, Doran-Barr, Herron, Notley, Boyle (c), Fitzgerald, Reilly (sent off 30′), Livingstone, Ramsey, Bowie, Adams. Substitutes: Papadopoulos (for Boyle 46’), Grant (for Doran-Barr 46’), Jordan (for Ramsey 62’), McGovern (for Livingstone 76’), Morrison (for Fitzgerald 76’).
Scorer: 2-1 McGovern 90+3’.
RANGERS (4-2-3-1): Fife, Austin, Pegram, Rafferty, Docherty (c), McLearly, Cruft, Berry, Shin-Ji, McAulay, Wilkinson. Substitutes: Sabajo (for Cruft 67’), Brookshire (for McAulay 67’), Mengwen (for Wilkinson 81’), Eddie (for Pegram 81’).
Scorers: 1-0 Wilkinson 40’, Cruft 45+1’.
Referee: Lorraine Watson
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