Hearts Women kept up their fine form with a 3-0 victory against Motherwell at K-Park on Sunday afternoon.
Eva Olid made seven changes to the side that defeated Edinburgh Caledonia in the Scottish Cup last weekend.
Emma Brownlie, Carly Girasoli, Addie Handley, Ciara Grant, Katie Lockwood, Georgia Timms and Sade Adamolekun all returned to the XI for the trip to Lanarkshire.
K-Park has been a bit of a bogey ground for Hearts in recent seasons and it was the home side who started the better of the two teams.
Sarah Gibb had the game’s first chance. She was given too much time and space on the edge of the box, she pulled the trigger and with Parker-Smith rooted to the spot, the crossbar denied Well.
Hearts continued to struggle to find their stride in the early exchanges, but much of that was down to Motherwell’s pressing. The Well showed great energy and refused to let the Jambos play out from the back.
Perhaps against the run of play, Hearts took the lead, ten minutes before the break. Katie Lockwood found space on the right-hand side and her cross was perfect for the onrushing Addie Handley, who’s looping header found the bottom corner.
After going in with the half-time lead, Hearts never really looked back after that, and they controlled the second 45.
Lockwood doubled the Jambos’ lead five minutes after the restart, with what was a real lesson in technique and accuracy. The ball bounced in the number ten’s direction of the edge of the Well box, and she got her head over the ball to volley it perfectly into the bottom corner.
Hearts were in full control at this point and Lockwood should’ve doubled her tally for the afternoon on the hour mark. Emma Brownlie slid a nice ball into her path but from inside the box, she failed to hit the target, as her effort flew high over the bar.
The third goal seemed an inevitability and after Jess Husband and Georgia Timms had come close to providing it, Danni Findlay came off the bench to secure the points, ten minutes from time.
Lockwood grabbed her second assist of the afternoon, putting the ball on a plate for Findlay, who had peeled off her marker to the back post, to tap home from close range.
There were further chances for Hearts in the closing stages, but they had to settle for the three goals, however, on what has previously been a tricky ground for the Jambos, the three points will be very well received.
Motherwell: Mutch, Addie, Watson, McGonigle, Inglis ©, Rice, Anderson, Gibb, Collins, Cross, Boyes
Subs: Cameron, Donald, Jardine, H. Cunningham, Canavan, Hay, McCartney, M. Cunningham, MacPhail
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Brownlie, Hunter ©, Grant, Timms, Lockwood, Anderson (Michie, 46), Waldie, Adamolekun (Findlay, 75), Handley (J. Husband, 65), Girasoli (Penman, 82)
Subs: B. Rennie, Penman, E.Rennie, Davies, Findlay, Michie, E. Husband, J. Husband
