Hearts 1-3 Hibernian: Visitors do the Edinburgh Derby double in front of record Tynecastle crowd
Emily Mutch saved a penalty as Hibernian held off a Hearts fight-back to win the first ever SWPL1 Edinburgh derby to be played at Tynecastle.
A crowd of 3,508 eclipsed Hearts’ previous biggest home attendance, but the hosts were 2-0 down through a Rachael Boyle free-kick and a Siobhan Hunter header.
Mutch kept the two-goal lead intact when she saved Jenny Smith’s spot kick, but Erin Rennie scored on her Hearts debut to breathe life back into the game.
However, Eilidh Adams made the points safe with a minute to go.
Fourth-placed Hibs move back to within seven points of Celtic, while Hearts stay in seventh.
Hearts were comfortably beaten 3-0 by Hibs at Easter Road in September, yet just seven points separated the two sides in the SWPL at kick-off.
And the home side shaded the opening 15 minutes and may even have snatched the lead when Maria McAneny’s corner made its way to Smith, who drilled wide of the post.
But, two set pieces handed control of the game to Hibs.
The first was soft. Hearts were conceding too many free-kicks in and around their box to give the visitors the opportunity, but Boyle’s free-kick was allowed too drift through the defence far too easily as it found its way into the far corner.
Then Boyle turned provider; picking out Hunter who beat the defender to the ball and bulleted a header inside the near post.
The next big moment in the match had to go the way of Hearts, and it looked like it would when they were awarded a spot kick.
McAneny’s free-kick was brilliantly pushed onto the crossbar by Hibs goalkeeper Mutch. Smith thumped a shot back on target which hit the arm of Leah Eddie, and the referee pointed to the spot.
Score, and Hearts were right back in the game. But Mutch guessed the right way to stop Smith’s effort, and Georgia Hunter couldn’t get enough purchase on the rebound to knock it home.
Mutch was being kept busy as Hearts dominated the early exchanges after half-time.
Hunter’s header was saved while a series of corners kept the pressure on. And they kept knocking the door until finally it opened.
Lia Tweedie collected the ball in the middle, turned and picked out the unmarked Rennie on the right hand side. The debutant took a touch then coolly slotted the ball across goal and into the far corner.
That set up a grandstand finish. Three consecutive corners turned the heat up on the visitors, but Eva Olid’s side couldn’t work Mutch.
At the other end, Colette Cavanagh forced a save from Hearts goalkeeper Lisa Rodgers, before supersub Adams again struck in an Edinburgh derby when she managed to slip the ball under Rodgers to make it three.
Player of the match - Emily Mutch
Both Hibernian’s Rachael Boyle and Hearts’ Jenny Smith shined on the big occasion at Tynecastle.
Mutch though saved brilliantly to deny McAnemy, was equal to Smith’s spot kick, then twice denied Hunter to ensure Hibs stayed in command of the derby.
What did we learn?
There’s no doubt Hearts are an improving force under Eva Olid, and the positives they will take from the game where that for much of the contest they were the better side.
What will frustrate them is that all three goals they conceded were soft, while had they scored the spot kick it could have changed their fortunes.
Since Hibs beat Hearts at Easter Road, they haven’t quite kicked on as much as head coach Dean Gibson would have liked. They won just two of their next six league matches - losing to Partick Thistle, Rangers and Glasgow City while dropping more points to Spartans.
But Hibs again showed that when they are on their game they have quality throughout their side who they can call upon when points are needed.
What’s next?
Not much, the SWPL 1 now goes into a winter break until 16 January. Hearts will return with a visit to league leaders Rangers, while Hibernian are at home to League Cup winners Celtic.
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