Scottish Cup - Prelim Round: Hearts 3-2 East Kilbride (AET)
From Hearts News at Dalkeith Campus

After the heartbreak of losing out in extra-time in the League Cup last week, Hearts Women were determined to book their place in the first round proper of the country's premier competition on Sunday - they did so, but only after a scare, and the need for extra-time.

This task was made all the more difficult by the withdrawal through injury of influential skipper Kim Borthwick.

Hearts seized the early initiative and had their opponents pegged back for long spells without creating any real goal-scoring opportunities and much of the credit for this goes to the resolute and hard working East Kilbride side.

With so much possession of the ball it was surely only a matter of time before Hearts made the breakthrough that their play deserved and it duly arrived with 10 minutes of the first period remaining.

Danijela Rae sent in a tremendous free-kick from the right and stand-in-skipper Kelsey Campbell was on hand to bullet home the opener.

However, just within two minutes of going ahead East Kilbride drew level with what can only be described as a wonder goal, lashed home from 40 yards.

The second half saw more Hearts pressure but, very much like the first, very few goal-scoring opportunities were being created and the half finished with the score at 1-1 and extra time beckoning.

When East Kilbride took the lead five minutes into the second period of extra time, it looked like Hearts were to suffer their second 2-1 extra-time defeat in a week and exit another competition.

But the maroons showed great character to bounce back. Five minutes from time Jenny Rogers found herself bursting through the middle and despite being dragged back in the penalty box she found the bottom corner of the net to set up a grandstand finish.

With a penalty shoot-out now looming, Lynsay Anderson charged down the right wing and as she sent in her cross it came off the hand of the defender and the referee pointed to the spot. Up stepped Kelsey Campbell to calmly beat the keeper for her second goal of the match to send Hearts into the next round.

Head coach Tam Milne said afterwards, "This was a match we should have had won during the 90 minutes. We had so much of the ball but our final pass, and some solid defending from East Kilbride, saw us create very few good chances and this is something we will work on at training.

"We really have to make better choices when we get into good areas, especially when we come up against some of the stronger sides.

"I give great credit to our opponents today who worked very hard and made it difficult for us, but I must also compliment my girls for showing great character in that final 10 minutes.

"We had many good performers today: Kelsey with her two goals, Megan Paterson for her work-rate, but I thought that the most accomplished player on the park was Suzanne Gill who hardly wasted a ball all day and she showed great composure whenever she was on the ball.

"We are back to league business next week with a home match against Buchan and the highlanders will prove to be stern opposition in what should be a good match."

Hearts: Milby, Honjigawa (Scobie), Johnston, Gill, Campbell, Anderson, Paterson, Rae, Buchanan, Piaskowski (Porteous), Rogers.

Meanwhile in a league match through in Airdrie, Hearts U17s recorded a splendid 5-2 victory, despite having to play 50 minutes with 10 players after having a player sent off.