Hearts hammered Montrose 5-0 at Oriam on Sunday to move up to 4th in the SWPL standings.
Eva Olid made two changes from the side that defeated Aberdeen last weekend. Erin Rennie and Danni Findlay came into the side as Sade Adamolekun and Georgia Timms dropped out.
A 3-3 draw with the ‘Mo in October proved to be a bit of a turning point for Hearts, who have been very impressive since that disappointing afternoon at Links Park.
Keen to avenge their early season meeting, the Jambos were fast out the traps and produced some nice passages of play in the early stages without testing Perry in the visitors’ goal.
The game was needing a moment of quality to open the scoring and Megan Bell provided that on the 20-minute mark.
It was a smart turn from Findlay to win the free kick and Bell stepped forward to curl the ball over the wall and into the top corner.
Hearts was dominant for much of the remainder of the half, but couldn’t find a second goal, before Charlotte Parker-Smith was called into action to deny Daniel’s shot after the Jambos had given up possession on the edge of their own box.
The final chance of the half did fall for the Jambos in stoppage time. Kate Mooney provided some good running down the right channel and when the ball fell into the path of Findlay, she lashed the ball over the bar.
Half-time: Hearts 1-0 Montrose
Into the second half and the visitors were enjoying their best spell of the game. Jade McLaren forcing Parker-Smith into another stop from distance, three minutes after the break.
With the game still finely poised, the visitors were growing in confidence, however, they were reduced to ten when Neve Guthrie was shown a straight red card for kicking out at Parker-Smith.
Hearts took control after that and a matter of seconds later, they doubled their lead. Bell this time turned provider, slipping the ball in behind for Emma Brownlie, who cut the ball back for Findlay to find the bottom corner and give the Jambos some breathing space.
The points were sealed with ten minutes to go, Olivia Chomczuk was quickly involved after coming on as a substitute, she laid the ball off to fellow sub, Sade Adamolekun, who struck the ball low into the bottom corner.
The Jambos knew a fourth goal would see them jump up to fourth in the SWPL and Adamolekun provided it after 87 minutes. Ciara Grant’s free kick came back off the crossbar and the ball dropped to Adamolekun to drill the ball home from close range.
The icing was put on the cake with the final action of the game as Grant’s corner was headed home by Brownlie at the front post to cap off another three points for the women in maroon.
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Penman (Handley, 48), Brownlie, Hunter ©, Grant, Rennie (Adamolekun, 48), Waldie, Mooney (Michie, 70), Bell, Girasoli, Findlay (Chomczuk, 79)
Subs: Johnstone, Adamolekun, Handley, Michie, E.Husband, J.Husband, Chomczuk
Montrose: Perry, Cowper, Carter, Delworth, Taylor, Harkin ©, McLaren, Guthrie, Daniel, Gammie, Brown
Subs: Brough, Codegoni, Mowatt, Ridgeway, Bruce, Ross, Culley, Murphy
