HMWFC Match Report | Hamilton 0-1 Hearts Women

Katie Rood ensured Hearts Women picked up another three points to stretch their lead in 4th place to six points after a 1-0 victory over Hamilton at New Douglas Park.

Eva Olid made just the one change to the side that defeated Motherwell last weekend as Katie Rood replaced Erin Rennie.

Hearts were enjoying much of the possession in the early stages, but it was Accies who created the first opening. After winning a flick on in the centre circle, the ball was worked wide left to MT Gardiner and with Parker-Smith beaten, Georgia Hunter positioned herself perfectly to clear the ball off the line.

As the girls continued to dominate the ball on the spacious pitch, they took a deserved lead 11 minutes before the interval. Rood showed why she was brought back into the starting line-up as she sprung the Accies offside trap and after rounding the onrushing Nicolson, she slammed the ball home to give Hearts the lead.

Into the second half, and the girls almost doubled their advantage two minutes after the break. Rebecca McAllister’s deep corner from the right was met by Georgia Timms, but the striker couldn’t hit the target on the stretch.

Just a minute later and Hearts came even closer. McAllister clearly had a taste for the spectacular after notching the winner against Motherwell, she tried her luck from 25-yards and her effort cannoned back off the crossbar before Accies scrambled the ball to safety.

In what was turning out to be quite the start to the second half, Hunter cleared the ball off the line for the second time after an Accies forward had taken the ball round Parker-Smith.

Up the other end, Hearts were now searching for the second goal that would secure the points and substitute Erin Rennie almost provided it after some excellent build-up play from Rood.

The goalscorer plucked the ball from the heavens before sliding an exquisite outside of the foot through ball to Rennie, but she was denied by the onrushing Nicolson with 20 minutes left to play.

Much like last weekend, Hearts had to survive a late onslaught as the home side threw everything at them in search of an equaliser. The closest they came was in the 87th minute with two quickfire opportunities.

Firstly, Josi Giard rattled the crossbar from the most audacious of angles before Parker-Smith was called into action to thwart another Accies opening.

Nevertheless, the girls held on and much like last week, they did it the hard way!

Next up, Celtic away in a fortnight.

Hearts Women take on city rivals Hibernian Women in the Women's Capital Cup this month, tickets for the fixture are FREE OF CHARGE!
The fixture takes place at Easter Road on Sunday, November 27th. You can collect your free tickets from the Ticket Office at Tynecastle Park - come along and support the team!

Hamilton: Nicholson, Quinn ©, Coakley, McIntosh, Giard, McGonigle, Potter, Molley, Sinclair, Hay, Gardiner

Subs: Rhind, Ross, Martin, Muir, Evans, Christie, Pagliarulo, Mitchell

Hearts: Parker-Smith, Brownie, Hunter ©, Sampson, G. Davies (Cowan, 90), Smith, Michie, Grant, McAllister (Rennie, 65), Timms, Rood (Anderson, 77)

Subs: Rodgers, Aitchison, Handley, E. Davies, Rennie, Rolandsen, Anderson, Penman, Cowan