Hibernian WFC v Partick Thistle WFC – 8th October 2023

The are some victories that feel as if they have significance over and above the three points, and that was the case with victory in this match over a full-time Hibs side. A victory that took Thistle to fourth place in the league table.

After a bruising defeat in the capital in their previous league fixture the international break gave the squad the perfect opportunity to regroup and there was evidence of the benefit of that in the Sky Sports Cup win over Spartans the previous week. So much so that Brian Graham selected an unchanged starting eleven for this fixture. The only change coming on the bench where there was a place for Vhairi Munro.

The opening exchanges of this match were even, but there was a blow for Thistle with Emma Lawton having to come off injured with barely a quarter of the game played. Clare Docherty moved across to fill the right back role vacated by Lawton with Rosie Slater coming on at left back. The substitute would go on and have an excellent game contributing greatly to the eventual Thistle victory.

After that even opening though the first half belonged in the main to the home side. Baucom shot wide when she should have perhaps at least hit target,and Megan Cunningham made the first of a string of saves that marked a quite excellent display from the Thistle keeper to deny Bowie.

Cunningham saved again from Baucom and Ferguson as Hibs looked to establish a first half lead, but Thistle continued to defend well and offer a threat on the counter attack.

The early stages of the second half followed a similar pattern to the latter stage of the first. A Notley free kick stung the hands of Cunningham before the Thistle keeper was beaten only for Baucom’s shot to come off the Thistle crossbar.

A long range effort from Eddie suffered a similar fate as the rain battered down,and it took a quite magnificent challenge inside the box from Slater to deny Ferguson a chance.

It hadn’t been all one way traffic though. A Linzi Taylor effort forced an excellent fingertip save from Fraine as Thistle began to get the sense that they could emerge from this game with more than just a solitary point.

Brian Graham made use of his substitute bench as the game progressed, and it would be one of those subs, Lucy Sinclair, that would have a match winning impact on proceedings.

With less than 20 minutes to play, and Thistle beginning to carry more of an offensive threat, Taylor slipped a pass through to Sinclair to her right and Sinclair showed great confidence and composure to roll the ball wide of Fraine and into the net.

Six minutes later it was 2-0.

Hibs couldn’t deal with a Taylor corner from the right, and although Rachel Donaldson wasn’t able to knock the loose ball home, Sinclair was and she had her, and Thistle’s, second goal of the afternoon.

The travelling Thistle support were in full voice at this point but the game wasn’t quite won yet.

Cunningham, who had a truly outstanding afternoon in the Thistle goal, made probably the best of all her saves to tip a Ferguson shot onto the crossbar and then, with time running out, Cunningham’s outstretched leg denied Bowie a goal that would have meant a nervy ending for Thistle.

With that chance went any chance of a late Hibs comeback. There was even a chance of a hat-trick for Sinclair but nobody in the Thistle camp were caring too much about that as the full-time whistle sounded sparking jubilant scenes among players and fans alike.