Hearts thrashed Hibernian 4-0 at Easter Road to leapfrog their city rivals in the SWPL standings and take the Capital Cup back to Gorgie.
Much of the damage was done in the first half and after an uneventful first 15 minutes, strikes from Eilidh Shore, Georgia Timms and Monica Forsyth had the Jambos three goals up at the interval.
An early storm was weathered in the opening minutes of the second half, before Jackie Richards added a late fourth to round off one of the best results in the history of Hearts Women.
Manager Eva Olid made three changes from the side that defeated Motherwell five days ago. Carly Girasoli missed out through injury, meanwhile Charlotte Parker-Smith and Kayla Jardine dropped to the bench. Rachael Johnstone, Monica Forsyth and former Hibs midfielder Naomi Powell all came into the starting 11.
As has often been the case when the sides have met, it was a cagey opening, with neither side willing to show their hand too early. It was the women in maroon who were seeing more of the ball however and they took the lead in stunning fashion on 22 minutes.
Georgia Timms did well initially to hold the ball up and when she headed into the path of Joely Andrews, the midfielder fired the ball to Eilidh Shore who had made a run through the middle. The number eight took a great first touch with her chest, before lashing the ball with her right foot over Erin Clachers and into the back of the net from around 25-yards.
The home side were struggling to deal with Hearts’ movement in the first half and Shore almost doubled her tally for the evening five minutes later, this time making a late run into the box to connect with Forsyth’s cross, but she opened up her body too much, and her side-foot effort flew wide.
The women in maroon were oozing confidence at this point and the second goal arrived on the half hour mark. Lizzie Waldie made good ground down the left and when her cross in the direction of Timms wasn’t dealt with by the Hibs backline, the striker was on her toes to slide the ball underneath Clachers and into the back of the net.
It was 3-0, just two minutes later. Waldie again starting the move from the left-hand side of defence, she picked out Lauren Wade, who got to the byline and delivered a teasing cross which came all the way through to Forsyth. She took a touch to compose herself, before lashing the ball home to give the women in maroon a commanding lead at the break.
Half-time: Hibernian 0-3 Hearts
There was a triple change for the home side at half-time and for the early stages of the second period, it was always going to be about weathering an early storm for the Jambos.
There were two early let offs for Hearts shortly after the break. Both opportunities came from wide areas, as firstly Kathleen McGovern fired wide from six yards, after a dangerous cross from Tegan Bowie. Before five minutes later, Bowie this time crossed from the opposite side with Abbie Ferguson firing wide at the back post.
After the hour mark, Hearts introduced some fresh legs, which helped them regain more control in posession and establish a threat on the break, particularly down the left-hand side through Lauren Wade.
The winger almost provided Hearts with their fourth goal of the evening just after the hour mark, but after timing her run well, she blasted wide from an acute angle.
The fourth goal arrived seven minutes from the end, thanks to substitute Jackie Richards. A lovely flick round the corner from fellow sub Kerry Beattie started it off and Andrews had the vision to find Richards in acres of space down the left. Her first touch was perfect, allowing her to take the ball round Clachers and tap home into the empty net, sealing a memorable night for the women in maroon.
Hibs: Clachers, Christie (Ferguson, 46), Hunter, Papadopoulos (Adams, 46), Grant, McAlonie, McGovern (Morrison, 78), Notley ©, Bowie, Taylor (Lawson, 46), Reilly
Subs: Schumacher, Leishman, Ferguson, Adams, Tweedie, Doran-Barr, Morrison, Lawson
Hearts: Johnstone, Brownlie ©, Robertson, Forsyth (J. Husband, 62), Shore, Timms (Richards, 80), Wade (Beattie, 80), Waldie, Andrews, E. Husband, Powell (Adamolekun, 66)
Subs: Parker-Smith, Ilijoski, Beattie, Jardine, Adamolekun, Hutchison, J. Husband, Richards, Broadrick
