It was a historic evening on Friday at Station Park with Forfar Farmington and Hibernian playing in the first ever televised Scottish women’s league game.
Despite some thinking a clash with Scotland’s game would keep fans away, a new club record attendance of 352 watched as two late Hibernian goals gave them all three points.
Head coach Mark Nisbet kept the same starting XI that played against Stirling University, with two changes to the bench as Julia Scott and Beth McPherson were replaced by Leah White and Lotte Deubel.
In the opening stages Hibernian had the lion’s share of the possession but struggled to break down a tough Farmington defence, with Megan McCarthy in particular denying the visiting attackers.
The first clear cut chance came in the 13th minute when Robyn Smith chipped a through ball towards goal; Danni McGinley nipped past the defence and lobbed Jenna Fife but the ball bounced away from goal and wide.
Following this, Hibs started to carve our chances of their own as former Farmington attacker Amy Gallacher fired at Fiona McNicoll.
On the half hour mark Lisa Robertson almost put Hibs ahead with a freak goal as her corner swung in before clipping the top of the crossbar.
Three minutes later Cassie Cowper was unlucky not to connect with a Robyn Smith corner at the other end.
Abi Harrison fired over from distance but the best chance of the half fell to Farmington striker Caroline Heron when her effort beat Fife but found the sidenetting.
Farmington were defending well despite increased pressure from the visitors and the final chance fell to Hibs’ Siobhan Hunter; a free kick played her way allowed her to strike a 25 yard effort into the arms of McNicoll.
Hibs came out from the break keen to get that vital goal and half time sub Rachel McLauchlan rounded McNicoll a minute after the restart but lost her footing and missed the open goal.
Jamie-Lee Napier and Kirsten Reilly failed to find the target for Hibs but at the other end Heron sent a 50 yard strike towards goal only to see the ball land over the bar.
Megan McCarthy saw a header held from a Smith corner and shortly after Kayleigh Brough saw her shot blocked as a throw in caused problems in the Hibs box.
Harrison was getting closer to goal as she dragged her shot past the post but she made the breakthrough for Hibs with thirteen minutes left. A through ball saw Harrison race clear and despite McNicoll saving the first effort the rebound hit Harrison and she stroked the ball into the net.
Farmington kept the hunt for an equaliser up but it was to be in vain in injury time as Robertson’s cross wasn’t cleared and sub Lauren Davidson bundled the ball home.
Despite the defeat, Farmington can be happy with their performance in front of a record crowd in the first ever televised SBSSWPL fixture.
Forfar Farmington: McNicoll, McGinley, Smith (White 90+2), Davidson, Bruce (Cattanach 70), Heron (Dempster 59), Deans, Kilcoyne (Robb 59), Cowper, McCarthy, Brough (Milligan 90+2)
Subs not used: Deubel, McKay (gk)
Hibernian: Fife, Napier, Hunter (Tweedie 67), Robertson, Michie, Gallacher (McLauchlan 46), Notley (Murray 80), Cornet, Harrison, Brownlie (Davidson 84), Reilly (McGregor 59)
Subs not used: McKay, Williamson