Match report: HMWFC 1-2 CWFC

Eva Olid made one change to the side that defeated Aberdeen last weekend, as Jennifer Smith replaced Rebecca McAllister.

The conditions understandably, were making it difficult for the players and after a few half chances at either end, it was the visitors who broke the deadlock after 28 minutes.

A ball through the middle of the Hearts defence found Amy Gallacher and she unselfishly squared the ball for Jacynta, who looked as if she may have been offside, to tap home into the empty net.

The visitors probably couldn’t believe their luck when 90 seconds later, they were two goals to the good. Sheng Menglu was allowed too much space in midfield and her low effort came back off the inside of the post and into the back of the net.

Only Glasgow City had scored against Celtic in the league this season, so it was always going to take a monumental second half effort for Hearts to get themselves back into the match, but they did that five minutes after the interval thanks to a strike from Jenny Smith.

Georgia Timms had been mainly feeding off scraps in the first half, however her excellent switch of play found Smith and her early strike seemed to catch Pamela Tajonar off-guard as the ball flew past her and into the top corner as Hearts halved the deficit.

Apart from a stunning save from Parker-Smith on the hour mark to deny Jacynta, it was a half that Hearts really dominated despite the conditions.

The rain was really coming down as we entered the closing stages and Hearts thought they had equalised when Timms volleyed home from a Rebecca McAllister free kick, only to be denied by the long arm of the linesman.

Hearts continued to probe and again went close following another wonderful delivery from McAllister. Emma Brownlie rose highest, and her back post header was cleared off the line.

That was as close as Hearts came to an equaliser, as Celtic became the first side this season to leave Oriam with three points.

Hearts: Parker-Smith, Penman, Brownlie, Hunter ©, Grant (Rennie, 65), Forsyth (McAllister, 35), Timms, Smith, Sampson, Rood (G. Davies, 74), Michie

Subs: Currie, Anderson, Rennie, McAllister, Handley, G. Davies, Connor, Cowan, E. Davies

Celtic: Tajonar, O’Riordan, Robertson, Ross, Gallacher, Galabadaarachchi, Mengyu, Chance, Clark, Hayes, Menglu

Subs: Otto, Craig, Kerner, Fergusson, Bowie, Burchill, Goldie, Ferns, McAneny