Hibs building momentum for next season - Dean Gibson
Hibs head coach delighted to see his side's upward trajectory as they claim Edinburgh derby win
The season is finishing at the wrong time for Hibernian believes Dean Gibson, with his side building momentum just as the curtain is set to close on the SWPL 1 campaign.
Goals from Eilidh Adams and Amy Muir sealed a dominant 2-0 win over Hearts at Oriam.
But what also pleased the Hibs head coach was that his side have conceded just five goals in their last eight games, with Hearts failing to register a single shot on target against the visitors.
“It’s the story of our season where we’re not clinical enough at the top end of the pitch, but it’s not as worrying anymore because of the way we defend - we never look like conceding in many games now,” Gibson told Anyone’s Game.
“We’re restricting teams to very little. Most goals we’ve conceded have come from set plays. When we don’t concede from set plays we’re a very hard team to break down which then gives us a belief that if we only score one goal in a game we can win it now.”
Hibs closed the gap on fourth-place Spartans to two points, and if they can beat Forfar Farmington on Sunday - coupled with Spartans failing to win at Hearts - then they will leapfrog their Edinburgh rivals.
However, Gibson is unconcerned about the final league placing, and says it’s all about next season’s campaign for him.
“I think the last 13 games we’ve done very, very well,” he said, with his side losing just two of their last eight games.
“I think if you ask any of the big three [Glasgow City, Celtic and Rangers] we’ve probably been their most competitive game and there’s a reason for that.
“We know the first seven games have probably done our season in, in terms of where we want to finish in the league, but at the same time I’m not fussed about finishing fourth if we’re 27 points off the top. For me when we got the return date it was about starting the building blocks for next season.”
Hearts had made headlines when they defeated Hibs 1-0 the last time these two clashed at Oriam in December.
However, the prospects of a repeat were slim with Hibs taking control of the match early.
Adams should have scored when one-on-one with goalkeeper Charlotte Parker-Smith only to slice her shot wide, but she made no mistake when given a similar opportunity when the impressive Muir laid the ball into her path.
Parker-Smith was to have a terrific afternoon in the Hearts goal; tipping away a curling Colette Cavanagh free-kick then twice denying Amy Gallacher in the second half.
But when Cavanagh outpaced her marker down the left and cut-back for Muir, the goalkeeper was left with little chance as Hibs doubled the advantage to secure the points.
Anyone’s Game player of the match
Special mention to Hearts goalkeeper Charlotte Parker-Smith who pulled off three fine saves, with at least two of them absolutely top drawer.
But Hibernian’s Amy Muir did her chances of a Scotland call-up for June’s friendlies with Northern Ireland and Wales no harm. She was strong defensively and also a threat down the wing; assisting the first goal and adding a cool finish of her own to make it 2-0.
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