A Bayley Hutchison hat-trick helped Hearts seal an emphatic 6-0 home victory over Montrose at Oriam on Sunday.
Jessica Husband opened the scoring for the home side, with Lauren Wade also bagging a brace in the match.
Eva Olid made one change from the previous away match against Motherwell, with Bayley Hutchison coming in to replace Sade Adamolekun.
The Jambos dominated the possession in the first half and looked a constant threat going forward.
Hearts had a good chance in the opening minute of the game. It was great play down the right wing from Lauren Wade who dribbled well into the box and played a cut-back into the path of Joely Andrews who hit a first time strike which went wide of the far post.
Shortly after, Jessica Husband sprinted down the left wing past a Montrose defender and cut inside into the box and unleashed a strike, but it was straight down the middle and comfortable for goalkeeper Kirsten Pratt in the end.
The one way traffic for the home side continued. Following some frantic defending in the box for Montrose, the ball was cleared as far as captain Emma Brownlie at the edge of the area, who tried her luck with a curled shot on her right foot, but it was palmed away to safety by the goalkeeper.
Hearts had a penalty shout on 10 minutes. Lizzie Waldie clipped the ball over the top trying to find the run of Joely Andrews who was able to reach it. The midfielder looked to have been taken out by the goalkeeper, but referee Chris Newman waved play on.
The Jambos would soon make their early pressure count. Eilidh Shore fired a great ball into the feet of Bayley Hutchison in the box who controlled it well before she laid it off to Jessica Husband, who calmly slotted one into the bottom right corner for 1-0.
Hearts make their pressure count and go ahead! The ball is played from deep into Bayley Hutchison in the box who lays it off for Jess Husband who calmly slots one into the bottom right corner!
It was nearly a second straight away. Joely Andrews clipped a ball to the back post and Bayley Hutchison got up to meet it, but her glanced header went wide of the target.
Joely Andrews came close with an effort of her own. She picked the ball up at the edge of the box and fired a shot on her right foot which rattled off the crossbar and was eventually cleared away by the Montrose backline.
The Jam Tarts doubled their advantage in the 32nd minute. Following some neat passing in the build up, Emma Brownlie passed to Joely Andrews in the box who played a great cut-back to find Lauren Wade who scored from close range on her left foot for 2-0.
Montrose had a pair of golden opportunities to get themselves back into the game in the first half.
The ball was crossed in from the right, and Emma Brownlie was unable to clear the ball, which allowed attacker London Pollard to pounce. Her right footed effort was dragged wide of the far post in the end.
Shortly after, the ball was launched forward by midfielder Demi Taylor which evaded the Hearts defence and went straight through to Louise Brown in the box. Her first time effort also went wide in similar fashion to the chance just before.
Hearts had another opportunity just before the break. The ball was whipped in from the right wing into the box by Lauren Wade and Joely Andrews headed it from just a few yards out, but she was denied by the woodwork yet again.
Jessica Husband looked lively on the left wing moments later, she went on a mazy run taking on three Montrose defenders before cutting in and hitting a strike on her right foot, but it went wide of the post.
Half-time: Hearts 2-0 Montrose
The Jambos looked to put the game to bed in the second half and continue to control the proceedings.
On 51 minutes, Hearts got their third of the match. Midfielder Joely Andrews played a great ball in behind to send Lauren Wade through on goal, and she slotted one on her left foot past goalkeeper Kirsten Pratt to make it a brace for herself.
It was nearly four just moments later. Striker Georgia Timms had her shot blocked in a crowded Montrose penalty area, which found its way to Eilidh Shore just inside the box who tried to catch Pratt out with a powerful low strike at the near post which forced a good save from the goalkeeper.
Substitute Jessica Richards had a good opportunity to score on the hour mark. She was played into acres of space on the left wing and drove into the box and got a shot off on her right foot which was palmed away for a Hearts corner.
With twenty minutes left to play, Bayley Hutchison got in on the act. Eilidh Shore played an incisive pass into the box and Hutchison took a great touch on her right foot to get away from the Montrose defender before scoring into the bottom left corner for 4-0.
Bayley Hutchison got her second on 82 minutes to hit Montrose for five. Monica Forsyth dinked the ball over the top of the Montrose defence and Hutchison scored with a looping header over the goalkeeper for 5-0.
The attacker would score her third not long after. Forsyth showed her passing range once again as she lofted one from midfield into the box to find Hutchison, who took a touch before hitting a powerful low strike into the bottom right corner for 6-0.
Following the victory, Hearts are now six games unbeaten in all competitions. The side will now move on to face Celtic next Friday away at New Douglas Park. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
Hearts: Johnstone, Brownlie ©, Robertson (Adamolekun 70’), Shore, Timms (Forsyth 58’), Wade (Jardine 58’), Waldie, Andrews, Hutchison, E.Husband, J.Husband (Richards 58’)
Subs: Parker-Smith, Morgan, Forsyth, Jardine, Greenwood, Adamolekun, Handley, Richards, Broadrick
Montrose: Pratt, Carter, McLaren, Ross, Guthrie, Taylor, Brown, Martin, Robb, Pollard, Cowper ©
Subs: McHattie, Murphy, Stewart, Daniel, Murchie, Bruce, Delworth, Henderson, Codegoni
