Hibernian Ladies 3-2 Motherwell Ladies: Loss tough to handle for Women of Steel

Trailing 2-1 at Ainslie Park early in the second half, Motherwell controversially conceded a free-kick on the edge of the box when handball was given against Chelsie Watson.

Amy Gallacher scored from the resultant dead ball to put the Hibees 3-1 up.

Hall told the Times and Speaker: “She (Chelsie) has gone out to press the player, her hands by her side in a natural defensive position.

"And literally the Hibs girl is maybe two yards away at most and she’s struck the ball pretty cleanly and quickly and it’s hit her left arm. But her hand is inches from her left hip so it was a wee bit dubious.

“If you see the highlights, the referee is at the opposite angle and he only sees the hand going back the way after the ball’s made contact with it. So I can understand why he’s given it.

"But the Hibs manager Dean Gibson turned round to me as soon as the free-kick was given. His eyes were raised and he said: ‘That’s not a free-kick, not a handball’.

"A bit dubious but these things happen when you’re down the bottom of the table, where decisions like that go against you.

"The free-kick that Amy Gallacher’s hit for Hibs has been an absolute beauty.

"Over the wall, perfect into the top right hand corner. There’s nothing our goalkeeper can do to save it so on that front the free-kick’s amazing, there’s nothing we can do to stop it.

"It’s just one of those things that goes against us but it’s annoying because it stops us getting a point and we deserved a point out the game after the girls’ reaction.”

After the free-kick controversy, Motherwell scored late on when Nicole Pullar nodded in to add to Rosie Slater’s earlier headed opener which was followed by two Hibs strikes by Gallacher and Colette Cavanagh.

Motherwell, second bottom with three points from nine games, travel to second placed Glasgow City this Sunday, kick-off 4.10pm.