Sunday 18th December, 2022 at 8:00pm
Thistle’s final game of 2022 ended in disappointment with defeat against Hearts but as 2022 starts to turn to 2023 the current league position of sixth represents an excellent first half of the season for Brian Graham’s squad.
With the ‘big’ three well clear at the top of the league it is Hearts that are considered by many as being the ‘best of the rest’ and they certainly dominated the opening 45 minutes of this encounter.
When the two sides met in Edinburgh at the start of the season it was the home side’s Georgia Timms that proved to be the difference between the two sides with a hat-trick in a 3-1 win and she would prove to be a real thorn in Thistle’s side in this match too.
Megan Cunningham’s goal had already been under threat before Hearts, and Timms, opened the scoring after just 9 minutes of football. Timms was able to connect with Gwen Davies’ low free kick and she deftly flicked the ball into the Thistle net.
Cara Henderson dragged a shot across the Hearts penalty area but the overwhelming direction of the game at this point was towards the Thistle goal. Katie Rood saw a shot touched onto the outside of the post and from the corner that followed Kim Murphy had to clear from the Thistle goal line.
Thistle had their best spell of the first half after that. Jordan McLintock tested Parker-Smith with a well struck shot from the edge of the box and Henderson was able to knock the ball past the Hearts’ keeper but found the angle too tight and the ball ran out of play.
The general tone of the game though remained one of Hearts dominance. Cunningham had to be well placed to save a Forsyth shot after she cut in from the right but a second Hearts goal did arrive after 34 minutes. Timms was the creator this time with her cross from the right tucked home by Rood.
A third Hearts goal before the break would have all but sealed the win for the visitors and they were close to finding that third goal. Cunningham was required to save at the feet of Rood and denied Timms with Clare Docherty completing the clearance from near the goal line.
An early second half goal would have pulled Thistle right back into this game but it was Hearts that were close to scoring the game’s next goal when Michie’s left foot shot came off the Thistle crossbar.
Thistle were back in the game, however, after 62 minutes.
Demi Falconer’s free kick from deep inside her own half found the head of Cheryl McCulloch and she was able to loop a header beyond Parker-Smith and into the net.
There was no lack of effort in the search for an equaliser from Thistle but they found themselves up against a Hearts defence that were in no mood at all to allow a two goal lead to slip. Indeed as the game neared a conclusion a thirds Hearts goal on the break looked more likely than a Thistle equaliser and Cunningham did well to whip the ball away from the feet of Rood just as that third goal looked certain.
