Cup specialists Hibs aiming for seventh successive knockout trophy

Based on their respective starts to the season, Glasgow City will be favourites to beat Hibernian and lift their first domestic knockout trophy for three and a half years at the Pennycars Stadium in Airdrie tonight.

Hibernian's Joelle Murray, left, and Glasgow City's Hayley Lauder with the SWPL Cup. Picture: SNS

Scott Booth’s side have made a flawless start to 2019, winning all eight league games as well as reaching the SWPL Cup final. They have scored 61 goals and conceded only four, including a 1-0 league win over Hibs at Ainslie Park.

The tight nature of that game, and the fact Hibs have not been beaten in any domestic cup tie since losing 3-0 to tonight’s opponents in the 2015 Scottish Cup final, will bolster the Edinburgh side. Hibs are aiming for a fourth successive SWPL Cup win and a seventh successive domestic knockout trophy, but already trail City by five points in the league and have played a game more.

Hayley Lauder, the Glasgow City attacking midfielder, believes that gives her side the edge tonight.

“Last year we didn’t play particularly well at times but found a way to win,” she said. “This season we’re implementing a style Scott wants us to play and you can see we’ve got a different dimension to us. I can’t put my finger on what happened in one-off cup games against Hibs over the last three years, but I think we’ll be favourites given our league form.”

Lauder helps provide the ammunition for strikers Kirsty Howat and Clare Shine, who have scored 26 league and cup goals between them already this season. “Kirsty had a bit of a slow start last season, but this year she’s flying,” Lauder said. “She’s improved her whole game and is a real focal point within our team. She’s someone you can rely on to change the game for you and Clare complements her.”

Hibs head coach Grant Scott admits Sunday’s 3-0 defeat at Celtic was not ideal preparation but is heartened by the return of captain Joelle 
Murray and her deputy, Rachael Small.

Illness kept Murray out of the game at the K Park, while Small, who is due to marry Hibs player Martin Boyle, was on her hen weekend in Spain.

Hibs season ticket holders are being offered free admission to the final by the club, but it remains to be seen if the attendance will suffer from the showpiece game being moved away from its previous Sunday afternoon slot.