Hearts Women made it two wins from two in the Scottish Power Women’s Premier League on Sunday afternoon with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Dundee United.
Eva Olid made three changes to the side that beat Hamilton last weekend. Skipper Georgia Hunter slotted back into defence, Ciara Grant returned following her World Cup adventure and Danni Findlay came in from the start against her former club.
Addie Handley, Brodie Greenwood and Carly Girasoli dropped to the bench, meanwhile Sade Adamolekun was named among the substitutes after arriving in Edinburgh earlier in the week.
It was a sluggish start in truth from Hearts against a United side who were set up to frustrate the Jambos and they succeeded for the opening 35 minutes.
Hearts did have chances, perhaps the best one fell for Georgia Timms, who headed a Katie Lockwood cross just wide.
The Jam Tarts were starting to become a little frustrated, however the opening goal arrived from former United star Danni Findlay. Emma Brownlie cracked a free kick off the bar from 20-yards, but Findlay was first to react to the second ball and prod the ball into the corner.
That goal settled Hearts and they doubled their lead in first half stoppage time. Grant resumed her dead-ball duties, and her free kick was met by a powerful header from Kathleen McGovern to put a little more gloss on the half-time score.
The points were sealed five minutes into the second half. McGovern stood over a free kick 20-yards from goal and curled a low strike into the bottom corner past Megan Sidey.
The United stopper was keeping the score down in the second half and she produced a wonderful reflex save to deny Esther Morgan’s curling effort which look destined to nestle in the top corner.
Sidey was again called into action after 64 minutes to prevent McGovern from taking home the match ball. Another excellent free kick, this time the Hearts forward went for power, but Sidey was alert to beat the ball away.
Both sides made changes and the game turned a little flat as the game entered the final stages, and although United struck the crossbar late on, Hearts remained in complete control.
It wasn’t a completely fluent performance from the Jambos, but it was a comfortable enough win ahead of Wednesday’s match against Rangers at Oriam.
Hearts: Rodgers, Morgan, Brownlie (Handley, 60), Hunter ©, Grant (Michie, 46), Rennie, Timms (Adamolekun, 60), Lockwood, Waldie (Girasoli, 20), McGovern (Anderson, 70), Findlay
Subs: Parker-Smith, Penman, Anderson, Greenwood, Adamolekun, Handley, Girasoli, Cowan, Michie
Dundee United: M.Sidey, Delworth, Frew, Wilson, Jameison, Smith, Todd, L.Sidey, Christie, Cowper, Noble
Subs: Sangster, Bruce, Fraser, Robb, Murphy, Hurrell, Arthur, Taylor, Knight
