By Stephen Bark
Glasgow City made it nine clean sheets in a row as they defeated Heart of Midlothian to maintain their eight-point lead in the SWPL.
Goals from Emily Whelan and Amy Muir helped City record back-to-back wins in Edinburgh as they ran out 2-0 winners at Oriam.
City made one change from the side which defeated Hibernian the previous week with Kinga Kozak returning to the starting XI in place of Bea Prades.
The away side started well and a throw-in found Mairead Fulton free in the midfield. Her cross was taken down well by Lauren Davidson who managed to work an angle but her shot was saved by Charlotte Parker-Smith in the Hearts goal.
Good play from Davidson and Kozak then saw the latter’s header put over before Fulton had a shot from range that was well saved.
A cracking through ball from Fulton put Muir clean through on goal but, as she tried to lob the goalie, she dinked the ball over the bar.
City’s pressure told as half time approached. A foul on Priscila Chinchilla presented Fulton with the opportunity to deliver the ball into the Hearts box. The defence couldn’t deal with it and Linda Motlhalo’s shot was blocked but spun kindly into the path of Whelan who fired home from eight yards.
There was almost an instant reply from the home side as Emma Brownlie’s cross found Erin Rennie in the box but her shot was well saved by Lee Gibson.
It was nearly two just before the break as Fulton’s corner found Whelan free but she put her header wide.
After the break, it didn’t take City long to extend their advantage. On the hour mark, a ball in from the right found Whelan and she set up Muir whose shot looped up and over Parker-Smith and nestled neatly in the bottom corner.
Again, Hearts almost hit back immediately. A corner from the right found Georgia Timms but her header clipped the top of the crossbar on its way over.
Excellent work from Chinchilla on the left gave her the opportunity to cut in and curl a shot towards the top corner but only a fingertip save from Parker-Smith would deny her. From the resulting corner, the ball broke to Muir but her effort from the edge of the area was blocked.
One last chance for the home side saw Brownlie get on the end of a cross in stoppage time but Gibson saved well to ensure the clean sheet.
Match information
Team lines
Glasgow City: Gibson, Muir, Walsh, Fulton (Prades 62), Motlhalo, Whelan (Porter 81), Clark, Davidson, Kozak (Lauder 62), Chinchilla (Forrest 89), Oscarsson (Foley 89). Subs not used: Clachers, Warrington, A. Grant, Martin.
Heart of Midlothian: Parker-Smith, Brownlie, Hunter (Penman 32), C. Grant, Forsyth, Timms, Smith (Handley 46), Rennie (Michie 68), Sampson, Davies (Anderson 77), Cowan (Rood 46). Subs not used: Currie, McAllister, Connor.
Scorers
Glasgow City: Whelan 43’, Muir 60’
Referee: Daniel Graves
Stadium: John Brydson Arena, Oriam