Hat-trick hero helps Hibs cruise into Sky Sports Cup semi-final

It was a phenomenal performance from the striker who held the armband as she made her 100th appearance for the club. The 19-year-old only scored her first professional hat-trick last month in an 8-1 victory against Hamilton and she showed her clinical touch yet again on Sunday as she ran the show. Speaking about her performance, manager Grant Scott was delighted for the striker. 

“Her goals are one thing but she is a great link-up player across the forward line,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News. ”For someone of her young age to have scored so many goals for us and make her 100th appearance. She led the team out and is a lifelong Hibs fan. She is ticking every box and it is a great day for her. She is a brilliant player for us in the squad and I hope she is here for a long time."

Hibs maintained a strong start to the game with the hosts controlling the possession and flow of the game from the off. It didn’t take long for the hosts to take the lead as Naomi Powell’s shot clattered off the bar before Adams smashed in the rebound from close range 18 minutes in. Dundee United continued to sit deep despite Hibs’ lead. Both Poppy Lawson and Abbie Ferguson were forced to fire efforts from a distance with neither troubling the ‘keeper. Michaela McAlonie almost saw her effort sneak in as she looked to double Hibs’ lead but it bounced just wide of the post. Jorian Baucom was next to go close as she was inches away from connecting with Tegan Bowie’s flashed cross across the box. 

Hibs doubled their lead eight minutes into the second half. Adams chested down a cross from Tegan Bowie and Baucom smashed the ball into the corner of the net. Two minutes later, the hosts had their third. Baucom was the provider for Adams this time as she played through a delightful ball for the striker who took it round the ‘keeper and placed it into an empty net. Adams then completed her hat-trick just after the hour mark as she slammed the ball into the net from Bowie’s cross. 10 minutes later, substitute Ellis Notley added Hibs’ fifth from close range after Rosie Livingstone’s ball caused problems. A sixth goal came not long after when Siobhan Hunter headed in from a corner. Another substitute then got in on the action as Lauren Doran-Barr tapped home from a fantastic Leah Eddie cross. 

“I’m delighted to be in the semi-finals,” Scott added. “We have set ourselves our own targets privately and getting this far was one of them. We are in it now to win it, it’s the last two rounds of the cup. We will see what the draw does for us and I am delighted to be in the next round.”

The semi-final draw of the Sky Sports Cup will take place on Thursday on Sky Sports News. The three other remaining teams are Celtic, Partick Thistle and holders Rangers.