Hearts Women’s 23/24 SWPL campaign came to an end on Sunday as two early goals saw them lose out to Glasgow City at Petershill.
Eva Olid made three changes from the side that lost to Celtic during the week. Charlotte Parker-Smith returned in goal, with Erin Husband and Sade Adamolekun also returning as Rachael Johnstone, Kate Mooney and Megan Bell dropped to the bench.
There was a further enforced change in the warm-up, as Addie Handley picked up a knock and was replaced Jenna Penman.
With both sides having their finishing positions secured prior to kick-off, it was a hard game to predict, with nothing really up for grabs, but it was a lively start in the Glasgow sunshine.
Hearts should really have opened the scoring inside the opening 60 seconds. Adamolekun slipped the ball through for Katie Lockwood, but her effort was kept out by the onrushing City stopper Lee Gibson.
Just a minute later, Hearts were punished for that miss, as the home side opened the scoring. Carlee Giammona latched on to a ball in behind the Jambos backline and managed to prod the ball past Parker-Smith.
Just three minutes later, the hosts doubled their advantage as Charlotte Wardlaw headed home from a set piece.
After that early setback, the Jambos tried to regroup and they did enjoy a little more possession as the half wore on, but on the tight Petershill pitch, the home side were pressing well.
Amy Muir thought she had added number three on the half hour mark after connecting well with Kinga Kozak’s cross, but Hearts skipper Emma Brownlie got herself into a good position to clear her effort off the line.
Half-time: Glasgow City 2-0 Hearts
Barring the early five minutes of madness, the women in maroon had been very much in the game as a contest and two early chances came and went in a matter of seconds in the opening exchanges of the second period.
Firstly, Lockwood fired just over from the edge of the box, before Sade Adamolekun pulled the ball back for the Hearts number ten, but her goal-bound strike was deflected behind by a City shirt.
On the hour mark, Lockwood came close again. This time it was excellent play from Jess Husband down the left wing, her deep cross was intended for Lockwood, but she couldn’t bundle it home at the back post.
The home side hadn’t offered a lot in the second half, but Parker-Smith produced a stunning save 12 minutes from time to tip over by Wardlaw’s long-range effort.
Hearts' final chance of the afternoon fell to substitute Megan Bell but her effort was stopped by Gibson, who ensured a clean sheet on the final day as City held on to take all three points.
Glasgow City: Gibson, Muir, Love ©, Fulton, Whelan, Gambone, Kozak, Moore, Wardlaw, Forrest, Giammona
Subs: Clachers, Warrington, Forsblom, Sullivan, Colvill, Foley, Oskarsson, Murchie, Gray
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Penman (Grant, 46), Brownlie ©, Forsyth, Lockwood (Bell, 76), Waldie (Fraser, 76), Adamolekun, Girasoli (Michie, 66), McGovern (Mooney, 66), E. Husband, J. Husband
Subs: Johnstone, Penman, Grant, Rennie, Mooney, Bell, Michie, Fraser
