Hearts Women suffered their first defeat in five matches as Glasgow City ran out comfortable 2-0 winners at Oriam on Sunday.
Eva Olid made two changes to the side that defeated Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup last weekend. Cailin Michie replaced Erin Rennie in midfield and Megan Bell started in place of Kate Mooney, having been ineligible last weekend.
With Celtic and Rangers meeting later in the afternoon, the visitors had a good opportunity to put the pressure on with victory at Oriam, something they failed to do when the sides last met in November.
Keen not to suffer a repeat of that result, City were fast out the traps and they were ahead inside nine minutes. Fiona Brown had been allowed far too much space in the early exchanges and after a dangerous cross from the left almost found the far corner, Brown this time went alone, curling the ball into the far corner to open the scoring.
City continued to dominate proceedings and Charlotte Parker-Smith produced an incredible save to deny Brown her second of the afternoon on 19 minutes. Brown again cut in off the left and her deflected effort, forced a quick change of direction from the Hearts stopper, who got a strong hand out to her right to keep the ball out.
Hearts were beginning to see a little more of the ball as we entered the second half of the first 45, but they didn't really trouble Lee Gibson in the City goal, before the visitors doubled their lead on 35 minutes.
Kenzie Weir drove forward and produced a raking long pass in behind the Hearts backline to find Emily Whelan, she was denied at the first attempt by Parker-Smith, but was on hand to fire home on the rebound to double the visitors lead at the interval.
Olid made a double change at the break as Hearts looked to find a route back into the game. Monica Forsyth made her long-awaited return from injury, alongside Kate Mooney, in place of Miche and Sade Adamolekun.
Forsyth certainly gave Hearts a little more drive in midfield and although they saw a bit more of the ball and gained more territory, it was a similar story with regards to testing Lee Gibson in the City goal.
Hearts huffed and puffed and their closest opportunity came when Georgia Timms rose highest to meet a Ciara Grant set piece, but she couldn’t keep her header down.
That was as good as it got for the Jambos, they kept the back door shut at the other end, but the damage was done early doors as the visitors saw the game out to pick up all three points.
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Brownlie (Penman, 68), Hunter ©, Grant, Timms, Waldie, Adamolekun (Mooney, 46), Handley (Rennie, 78), Bell, Girasoli, Michie (Forsyth, 46)
Subs: Johnstone, Penman, Forsyth, Rennie, Mooney, Findlay, Low
Glasgow City: Gibson, Muir, Lauder ©, Fulton, Whelan, Davidson, Moore, Weir, Oskarsson, Giammona, Brown
Subs: Clachers, Warrington, Love, Forsblom, Gambone, Kozak, Sullivan, Wardlaw, Forrest
