Hibs retained the bragging right after the final Edinburgh derby of the season ended with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Hearts at the Oriam this afternoon.
Dean Gibson made one change to the starting XI that lost to Celtic in midweek with Shannon Leishman replacing Kirsty Morrison.
Hibs had an early chance when they were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position but Amy Gallacher’s effort went over the bar.
Eildh Adams then almost opened the scoring when she broke clear and went one on one with Charlotte Parker-Smith, but her effort went wide of the post.
At the other end Lia Tweedie fired wide from an angle then moments later Hibs took the lead when a long ball caught out the hearts defenders and Amy Muir squared the ball for Adams to calmly slotted the ball past Parker Smith.
Gallacher, who scored a hat-trick the last time the teams played, did well down the wing and crossed for Rachael Boyle but the Scotland international fired over from close range.
In the 34th minute the injured Georgia Hunter was replaced by Holly Aitchison.
Just before the break Hibs almost doubled their advantage with a powerful free-kick by Collette Cavanagh but Parker Smith produced a superb save to keep the score at 1-0.
In the 50th minute Katey Turner replaced the injured Claire Delworth then moments later Parker-Smith made another excellent save to deny Gallacher as Hibs looked to increase their lead.
On the hour mark the pair clashed again and Parker-Smith came out on top after Muir set up Gallacher at the edge of the area.
In one of Hearts’ few attacks, Tweedie headed over a Kirstie McIntosh free-kick then Siobhan Hunter replaced Adams in the 70th minute.
Three minutes later Hibs made it 2-0 when Cavanagh squared the ball for Muir who tapped it into the net form close range.
With nine minutes remaining Hearts brought on two 16-year-olds, Amelie Birse and Eildh Davies to replace Paige McAllister and Monica Forsyth.
Ria McCafferty replaced Leishman then Birse had a chance when Turner fired a low cross into the danger area but the youngster was unable to get on the end of it at the front post and the danger was cleared.
With three minutes remaining Rosie Livingstone came off the bench for her Hibs’ debut and replaced Carla Boyce.
Elsewhere Celtic beat Forfar Farmington 10-0, Glasgow City beat Spartans 6-2 and Rangers beat Motherwell 6-0.
The results leaves Hibs two points behind Spartans in the race for fourth place with one round of fixtured remaining. Next Sunday Hibs will face Forfar Farmington whilst Spartans face Hearts.
Hearts finish in bottom position but will not drop down a division as there is no relegation this year.
Hearts: Parker-Smith, Delworth, Forsyth, Cunningham, Hunter, Kaney, Tweedie, Smith, McIntosh, Williamson, McAllister. Subs: Turner, Aitchison, Birse, Sheperd, Davies, Anderson, Begg
Hibs: Mutch, Muir, Eddie, Adams, Boyce, Cavanagh, Gallagher, Notley, Murray, Boyle, Leishman Subs: Morrison, McCafferty, Livingston, Donald, Hunter.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
