Hearts Women drew 2-2 against Rangers at Broadwood Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The women in maroon were 2-0 up at the break thanks to a brace from striker Bayley Hutchison, but Rangers clawed two goals back through Laura Berry and Rio Hardy to share the spoils in Cumbernauld.
Eva Olid made four changes from the 6-0 home victory over Queen’s Park prior to the international break. Eilidh Shore, Erin Husband, Bayley Hutchison and Jackie Richards all returned to the starting eleven.
Hearts started the match full of energy and tested the Rangers defence early on.
During the opening minutes, Jess Richards was played in on the left wing and she whipped a cross to the back post looking to find Georgia Timms, but the Rangers defence managed to clear it from danger.
The Jambos made their early pressure count. Bayley Hutchison was slipped in behind the Rangers backline and showed great composure to cut onto her right foot and slotted one past Victoria Esson into the bottom right corner for 1-0.
Rangers looked to hit back straight away. The corner was whipped in from the right and Jackie Richards came to the rescue to head the ball off the line and keep Hearts in front.
Shortly after, the ball was crossed in from the left wing and Wilkinson hit a strike on the volley, but it went wide of the target.
On 18 minutes, Lisa Robertson fired a cross into the box which met the head of Georgia Timms who rose highest, but it went narrowly wide of the post.
Robertson sent in another great ball from the corner which found Timms yet again who got her head on it initially, it then found its way through to Lizzy Waldie who looked to flick it over the head of Esson, but it went over the bar.
Hearts doubled their advantage on 33 minutes. Rangers struggled to clear the ball away from danger following a corner, the ball was then poked through to the back post to Hutchison who was on hand to tap it in to get her second of the match.
The hosts looked to pull one back immediately after. The ball was lofted into the box from the free-kick and defender Tessel Middag latched onto it, but her right footed strike went wide of the target.
Half-time: Rangers 0-2 Heart of Midlothian
It was a scrappy affair after the break with both teams battling for the ball.
On 65 minutes, Rangers got their goal. Substitute striker Laura Berry was played in behind the Hearts backline and hit a powerful strike into the top left corner.
Sade Adamolekun fired a ball forward from deep in midfield which Bayley Hutchison latched onto and drove into the Rangers penalty area. She was unable to get a shot away and held it up for Monica Forsyth who chopped onto her right foot and hit one which forced a low save from Esson.
Rangers equalised in the 82nd minute. The ball was whipped in dangerously from the right wing by Laura Berry and Rio Hardy nodded it in for 2-2 to earn a point for the hosts.
Rangers: Esson, Eddie, Hill ©, Middag, Hay, Hardy, Arnot, Cornet, MacLean, McLoughlin, Wilkinson
Subs: Fife, Docherty, Rafferty, Howat, Ross, Berry, Lafaix, McLeary, Cruft
Hearts: Johnstone, Brownlie ©, Robertson, Shore, Timms (Adamolekun 67’), Waldie, Jardine (Andrews 60’), Hutchison (Williams 85’), E. Husband, J.Husband (Forsyth 60’), Richards (Handley 85’)
Subs: Parker-Smith, Forsyth, Wade, Ypema, Adamolekun, Handley, Andrews, Powell, Williams
