Hibernian 1-1 Hearts
23 April 2023Eva Olid made three changes to the side that faced Celtic during the week. Vyan Sampson, Cailin Michie and Georgia Timms returned to the starting XI, in place of Shona Cowan, Aimee Anderson and the injured Katie Rood.
Hearts had the first clear chance when a lovely through ball from Monica Forsyth sent a lovely through ball in for Timms, but her low effort was well saved by Benni Haaland.
In an opening period of few chances, it was the home side who got their noses in front midway through the first half. Eilidh Adams slid the ball through for Ellis Notley and after her effort was saved by Parker-Smith, Adams was on hand to bundle the ball home on the rebound.
Hearts had struggled to impose their game on the home side and Parker-Smith kept them in it when producing a brilliant fingertip save to deny Katie Lockwood’s strike from the edge of the box on the half-hour mark.
The Jambos almost levelled the scores seven minutes before the break when Ciara Grant’s low free kick was beaten away by Haaland, to ensure the home side had the half-time lead.
Into the second half, Hearts huffed and puffed in search of an equaliser but the final ball was letting them down more often than not. The Jambos had their best chance of the match on 65 minutes when Timms prodded the ball past Haaland, only for Joelle Murray to get back and clear the ball off the line.
As Hearts began to open up, Hibs were always going to get chances on the break and Parker-Smith came up with a big save to deny Lockwood after an excellent through ball from Notley, who had a header hit the crossbar from the resulting corner.
Hearts did find the leveller they deserved eleven minutes from the end. A short corner routine saw Cailin Michie tripped by Adams and when the referee pointed to the spot, nobody was more composed than Ciara Grant, who stepped up and sent Haaland the wrong way to restore parity.
The Jambos almost won it four minutes from the end when substitute Shona Cowan crossed for Timms, and her header was magnificently clawed away by Haaland in what turned out to be the final chance of the match.
Hibernian: Haaland, Parry, Hunter, Eddie, Adams, Lockwood, Notley, Murray ©, Kuyken, Nunn, Lawson
Subs: Kosinska, Leishman, Hinds, Nor, Tweedie
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Penman (Cowan, 46), Brownlie, Grant ©, Forsyth, Timms, Rennie (Anderson 55), Handley, Sampson, G. Davies, Michie
Subs: Currie, Anderson, McAllister, E. Davies, Connor, Cowan