It was a comfortable afternoon for Hearts Women as they beat Montrose 7–0 to take all three points in SWPL Week 4. Carly Johns, Erin Rennie, Kayla Jardine, Mariana Speckmaier, and Ava Crawford all got on the scoresheet as the Jambos secured a comprehensive victory at Links Park on Sunday.
Andy Thomson made two changes to the side that faced Rangers the previous week, with Erin Rennie and Toni Campbell coming into the starting eleven for Monica Forsyth and Mairead Fulton.
The Jambos took the lead with their first chance of the match after just four minutes. Carly Johns was first to react to a loose rebound, slotting home the opener. Montrose looked to respond at the other end when Demi Taylor got a shot away in the 11th minute, but Rachael Johnstone produced a strong save to keep the hosts out. Four minutes later, Erin Husband made a crucial goal-line clearance to ensure the advantage remained intact.
Hearts continued to apply pressure for the remainder of the half, with Wade and Jardine both seeing efforts saved by Perry in the Montrose goal. The pressure paid off just before the interval, when Erin Rennie unleashed a powerful 41st-minute strike from distance to double the lead.
Half-time: Montrose 0–2 Hearts
Hearts picked up right where they left off after the restart. Johns had the first chance of the second half, dragging an effort just wide of the post. It was 3–0 in the 55th minute when Kayla Jardine picked up the ball outside the box and curled a brilliant shot into the top-left corner.
An own goal from Montrose defender Louise Brown made it four before Mariana Speckmaier got in on the action. In the 63rd minute, the forward latched onto an error from the Montrose goalkeeper to tap into an empty net. Speckmaier then grabbed her second of the afternoon in the 75th minute, reacting quickest inside the box following a scrappy passage of play to turn the ball home.
Lucy Horberry came off the bench to make her Hearts debut as the visitors saw out the match with ease. Fulton had a long-range shot denied by Perry, before Ava Crawford rounded off the scoring in the 91st minute to seal a dominant 7–0 victory.
The Jambos return to league action in a fortnight, facing Spartans at The Van Loq Community Stadium at 13:00.
Hearts: Johnstone, J. Husband, E. Husband, Girasoli, Rennie (Fulton 66'), Dolan (Crawford 80'), Speckmaier (Smith 66'), Johns, Wade (C) (Horberry 80'), Jardine (Halliday 66'), Campbell.
Subs: Fulton, Forsyth, Fraser, Horberry, Smith, Halliday, Crawford, Robertson, Anderson.
Montrose: Perry (C), Miller, McLaren, Guthrie, Stewart, Ogilvie, Ross, Taylor, Brown, Cowper, Robb.
Subs: Milne, Elliot, Carter, Gover, Bowman, Innes, Healy.
