Hearts Women were defeated 2-1 by Celtic at ZLX Stadium, Hamilton in the Scottish Women’s Premier League on Wednesday evening.
Despite taking the lead in the first half through Lizzie Waldie’s deflected strike which came off Bruna Lourenço, Amy Gallacher equalised for Celtic after the break before Maria McAneny netted the winner in the 93rd minute.
Celtic had the first chance of the evening inside five minutes.
Full-back Cayla Barclais bombed down the left flank into plenty of space and played it to Emily Lawton just inside the box. She whipped a threatening ball across the face of goal, which striker Saoirse Noonan couldn’t reach at the back post.
The Jambos then looked to utilise the wide areas to cause Celtic problems.
20 minutes in, Joely Andrews spread it out wide to Monica Forsyth who sprinted down the right who then held it up well to pass it to Georgia Timms. She layed it off for skipper Emma Brownlie at the edge of the box, and her curled effort went wide of the target.
Eilidh Shore played a fantastic through ball in behind the Celtic defence, which striker Bayley Hutchison latched onto and drove into the box. She hit a powerful strike on her right foot which was saved well by Kelsey Daugherty in goal for the hosts.
In the 32nd minute, the ball was whipped in from the left from the Celtic free kick which found Bruna Lourenço and her strike rattled off the crossbar and it was eventually cleared from danger.
Hearts opened the scoring in the 40th minute. Georgia Timms did brilliantly on the right wing to hold the ball up and made a sharp turn which allowed her to whip the ball to the back post. Lizzie Waldie arrived to strike from close range, which was bundled over the line by Celtic defender Bruna Lourenço for 1-0.
Half-time: Celtic 0-1 Hearts
Celtic looked determined to hit back after the break as they upped the tempo, and soon found their goal.
In the 52nd minute, the ball was whipped in from the right wing. Hearts failed to clear their lines and it fell to Amy Gallacher in the box who hit a powerful strike into the top left corner for 1-1.
The Jam Tarts looked to regain their lead. Lizzie Waldie went on a great run into the box and managed to play it across to Hutchison who looked to curl one on her right foot into the far corner, but it went wide of the target.
With twenty minutes to go, Lisa Robertson whipped in a dangerous cross from the right wing which found Bayley Hutchison who couldn’t find the room for the shot and passed it to Georgia Timms. Her low strike was straight at Daugherty who claimed it.
Hearts could have won it in the 90th minute. Brownlie whipped in a cross from the right into the box and Hutchison leaped to head it, but her effort went agonisingly wide of the left hand post.
In the 93rd minute, Jennifer Smith drove from midfield and played Maria McAneny in behind the Hearts defence, who scored into the bottom right corner to win it for Celtic.
The women in maroon will look to bounce back in the final Edinburgh Derby of the season against Hibernian on Sunday at Oriam.
Celtic: Daugherty, Barclais, Gallacher, Agnew, Clark ©, Noonan, Clifford, Lawton, Lourenço, Nakao, Mcaneny
Subs: Rodgers, Ross, Smith, Harrison, Carstens, Cavanagh, Cross, Loferski, Dawson
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Brownlie ©, Robertson (Jardine 81’), Forsyth, Shore (Adamolekun 86’), Timms (Slattery 81’), Wade (J.Husband), Waldie, Ypema, Andrews (Powell 60’), Hutchison
Subs:Johnstone, Jardine, Adamolekun, Handley, J. Husband, Powell, Slattery
