How SWPL leaders Hibs aim to 'deal with' pressure of being prime targets in pursuit of first title since 2007

Four games to go, a lead at the top of the SWPL table extended to three points, and the chance to take another giant leap by beating Hearts this Sunday. Not the worst, is it?

As Grant Scott looks to pull off a minor miracle by leading his Hibs team to a first title since 2007, the experienced manager knows that nothing is going to be simply handed to him over the closing stretch of a spectacular campaign. With nearest challengers Glasgow City, Celtic and then Rangers all to be faced head-on after this weekend’s derby on enemy territory, there’s still potential for high drama.

City overtook Rangers to move into second place by beating Jo Potter’s side in midweek. With Hibs seeing off Motherwell in what Scott called a “feisty” clash at Meadowbank, they’re now five points clear of Rangers, three ahead of City.

If the privilege of leading the league comes with a degree of discomfort, with Scott talking openly about Hibs having “a target on our back”, that’s a reasonable pay-off for the potential prize on offer. Hearts being out of the title race themselves will, of course, do nothing to dull the edge of Sunday’s game at Oriam.

Hibs have lost three times to Hearts this season already, twice in the league and once in the Scottish Cup, including taking a 4-0 scudding at Easter Road back in September. With just one derby win to their name over the course of the campaign, there are reasons beyond bragging rights to crave another three points this time out.

Scott revealed: “Look, I said to before the last game to their manager and staff. I don’t think either team has played particularly well in this fixture, apart from the first one at Easter Road when Hearts did very, very well on the night.

“For us, we just have to hope we turn up and turn in a better performance than we’ve done. But it’s tough.

“We’ve beaten them once in four this season. So they’ve been successful against us. Throw into that the fact that it’s a derby.

“And we’ve got a target on our back right now; with the position we are in the league. We accept that. It’s just something else we need to deal with.

“So it’s another tough game. But we just need to go in with positive belief that we can win.”

Gritty win over ‘feisty’ Motherwell put Hibs three points clear at top of table

Scott was as relieved as he was pleased with Wednesday night’s win over Motherwell, with Kathleen McGovern scoring one of a hatful of chances that came her way, while Kirsten Reilly bagged the second. At a stage of the season when it’s all about grinding out results, the gaffer admitted: “It was a difficult game. I think we’ve done well to come through that with another clean sheet. It was feisty, physical – and Motherwell also played some nice direct football at times.

“So yeah, it wasn’t without scares and moments. Credit to Motherwell.

“A lot of players left a lot out on the pitch. Delighted to get through it, because it was a tough one. We’ve come away with a win, which is great.

“Credit to the players, they kept doing the right things to create chances. Kathleen has scored so many goals for us, she’s entitled to miss a few.

“She’s in the right spot, the right places, and the girls linking up with her were good. We’ve hit the woodwork a few times, as well.

“You’ve no right to score these opportunities when they come. You just hope you score them next time – and see the game through more comfortably.

“I don’t think we deserved any more than we got, which is maybe a bit harsh on the players because we did create those chances. But when you don’t take them, you just need to see out the win.”

American goalie Noa Schumacher, content with another clean sheet, believes a gritty determination will be key over the closing weeks of the campaign. Asked how the players will be approaching this weekend’s derby, the Californian said: “I think we stay to the same thing we’ve been doing this season. Focus on us, work as hard as we can – and leave it all on the field.

“We’re just going to have to grind it out this week. I think we’re all pretty locked in right now, focusing on each day, just trying to grind, make each other better.”

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