Nunn saves a point for Hibs after controversial red for Spartans

In one of the best examples of a ‘tale of two halves’, Hibs came from 2-0 down to equalise in the 95th minute against Spartans to salvage a 2-2 draw. Spartans were the better team in the first period and found themselves 2-0 up at the break. However, a penalty and a red card conceded by Dion McMahon completely changed the game which allowed for a dramatic 95th minute equaliser from substitute Nunn to salvage a point.

“Brooke [Nunn] has got that in her,” Grant Scott told the Edinburgh Evening News. “To come on and get the crucial goal so late in the match, it is difficult for players to do that but she has done well and we are grateful for that.

“To get the point in the manner that we did is a positive however, we weren’t good enough on the day. The goals we lost were poor but I am happy we came away with something after a good second half.”

Spartans got ahead mid-way through the first half as Sarah Clelland cut inside just outside the box to curl a beautiful effort into the top left corner of the net to 22 minutes in. Just over five minutes later, the visitors had their second as Robyn McCafferty drilled the ball into the net on the edge of the box after Hibs failed to clear from a corner. Hibs did have chances to pull a goal back before half-time as Eilidh Adams and Abbie Ferguson both headed wide from a corner. Shannon McGregor arguably should have hit the back of the net after she was found free on the edge of the box but her effort flew over as Spartans finished the first half in front.

Hibs picked the pace up in the first half as they slowly started to pull themselves back into the game. After a few balls into the box went astray, the hosts got a bit of luck. Adams was played through on goal only for Simone McMahon to bring the striker down in the box. The defender was sent off for the challenge with Jorian Baucom converting from 12-yards to pull the score back to 2-1. Shortly after, Alicia Yates did extremely well to come out and stop Adams from getting a quick equaliser as she kept the ball out at the near post. Then, when the game seemed to be over, substitute Brooke Nunn popped up with a stunning volley off a corner in the last second of the game to pull back a point for the hosts.

“I feel a real sense of pride, my players were excellent for the full 90 minutes,” McCulloch added. “A decision that I believe was the wrong decision took the game out of our hands slightly, however, to a player, we were brilliant and we battered them and worked really hard in that last 30 minutes. In the first half, we controlled the game and looked dangerous every single time we went forward. In the second half, things like that happen in football but for that to be a red card at this level, that is not good enough.”