A goal in each half courtesy of Kathleen McGovern and Megan Bell saw ten-women Hearts run out 2-0 winners in the Edinburgh Derby at Oriam and move six points clear in fourth spot.
Eva Olid two changes to the side that defeated Partick Thistle last time out. Lizzie Waldie returned in the backline, with Kathleen McGovern starting in attack, Danni Findlay and Sade Adamolekun dropped to the bench.
It was a frantic start to the derby and after just four minutes, Hearts were in front. In her first senior Edinburgh Derby, Jess Husband could be forgiven for showing some signs of nerves, however there was no such things from the 16-year-old left-back, who was influential in the opening goal.
After receiving the ball on the touchline, she cut back inside of Lauren Doran-Barr and delivered a teasing in-swinging delivery, which was begging to be attacked, McGovern duly obliged, as she powered a header back across goal and into the far corner to open the scoring.
Hibs were perhaps seeing more of the ball in the early stages, but it was the women in maroon who were looking the more dangerous in front of goal. McGovern was again causing problems for the Hibs backline on the 15-minute mark.
She dropped into a nice of pocket of space just inside the Hearts half, before receiving the ball from Georgia Hunter, she turned and ran at the Hibs defence, sliding the ball in for Georgia Timms, who was denied down low by Comfort Erhabor in the Hibs goal.
Just five minutes later, came another game-changing moment. McGovern was stretching for a pass in her direction from Hunter in the centre circle, but when Hibs midfielder Naomi Powell got to the ball first, the Hearts striker made contact on the follow through.
The referee deemed it to be a red card challenge, and the Jambos were reduced to ten players after just 20 minutes.
Naturally, the visitors began to see more of the ball, following the red card, but it was the women in maroon who continued to look the likelier in front of goal and they could easily have doubled their lead before the interval.
Firstly, Monica Forsyth showed excellent tenacity in midfield to drive forward, before playing in Katie Lockwood, but on the angle, she could only fire high over the bar.
Hibs had offered little, but their best chance of the half arrived in stoppage time, when Kirsty Morrison crossed for Lia Tweedie, who could only head straight at Charlotte Parker-Smith.
Up the other end, the Jambos went close again before the break. Husband drove forward from defence and picked out Emma Brownlie on the right wing. She floated a perfect cross in for Timms, who connected well with her effort, but dragged it agonisingly wide with the final chance of the half.
Half-time: Hearts 1-0 Hibernian
Into the second half and the match continued in a similar pattern. Timms let fly from distance, but her vicious strike was beaten away Erhabor.
As the game past the hour mark, everyone inside was still awaiting a period of Hibs pressure with the player advantage, but it just wasn’t materialising, and the Jambos doubled their lead in incredible fashion on 65 minutes through substitute Megan Bell.
Firstly, credit has to go to Forsyth, who showed excellent tenacity on the left touchline to win the ball back, before sliding the ball into the feet of Bell, who drew a foul from Naomi Powell.
Bell dusted herself down and whipped a terrific free kick from 30-yards which flew over Erhabor and into the roof of net to spark wild scenes at Oriam.
Hearts dropped a little deeper as the game entered the final 15 minutes and barring a Tegan Bowie strike that flew wide, the maroon backline was rarely troubled.
Joelle Murray had a half chance for the visitors from a set piece, but she flicked a header harmlessly wide at the back post, as the Jambos saw the remainder of the game out to record a huge derby victory on home soil.
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Brownlie, Hunter ©, Grant, Forsyth (Handley, 83), Timms (Mooney, 82), Lockwood, Waldie, Girasoli, McGovern, J. Husband (Bell, 60)
Subs: Johnstone, Penman, Rennie, Adamolekun, Handley, Mooney, Bell, Findlay, Michie
Hibs: Erhabor, Hunter, McGregor, Tweedie, Notley, Murray, Doran-Barr, Bowie, Powell, Morrison, Lawson
Subs: Fraine, Leishman, Christie, Baucom, Livingstone
