Ladies Match Report

Hearts 3 Kilmarnock 10

Scorers -
Clare Docherty (3)
Nicole Telford (2)
Sara Paterson (2)
Kirsty Munro
Sarah Bissland
Alana Black

Kilmarnock extended their winning run in their visit to Tranent to face Hearts in glorious sunshine. Kilmarnock started the game well and were in front early in the game when Alana Black scored direct from a corner kick with a wonderfully delivered in swinging cross. Kilmarnock scored a second soon after but this was ruled out by the referee who seemed to be the only person in the ground who thought there was a suspicion of offside. Eagle eyed officiating from the referee considering she was 40 yards behind play and the cross ball wasn't even played forward. Well done ref. 

Hearts capitalised on this by taking advantage of some indecision in the away rearguard and rounded the keeper to equalise. The scores weren't level for long though. Clare Docherty got between defender and keeper from a through ball and slipped the ball past the keeper toward goal. Kirsty Munro followed this in and finished the move off to put the visitors ahead. 

Kilmarnock scored again before half time when Sara Paterson delivered from a corner for Sara Bissland to head home from close range.

Half time
Hearts 1 Kilmarnock 3

Killie knew more was expected of them in the second half but failed to deliver immediately as Hearts scored again. A ball played towards the Killie box was flicked on then met with a thunderous volley that flew into the top right corner. An unstoppable shot and at that point likely to be the goal of the game but there was more to come. 

Kilmarnock responded quickly though and Clare Docherty continued her fine goal scoring form with a neat finish and just after this linked up well with Sara Paterson who also finished well from close range after ghosting past a few defenders.  

Hearts reduced the deficit again to 5-3 when slack defending gave them an opportunity from close range. 

Kilmarnock were in control of the game though despite their attempts to shoot themselves in the foot and it was Clare Docherty once again who scored to make the score 6-3 to the away team. 

Nicole Telford, introduced as a second half substitute, then made her mark on the game and it was quite an introduction. For me, it was goal of the game. Receiving the ball 25yds from goal, her first touch took her towards the defender but then deftly slipped the ball past her and ran round the other side to collect and steadied herself before firing the ball home. 

Sara Paterson made the score 8-3 and this time she was the one to fire a vicious in swinging corner straight into the net for her second of the game. 

Nicole Telford, now full of confidence, made the score 9-3 with a wonderful 20yd strike across the keeper and into the corner. 

The scoring, perhaps fittingly, was ended by Clare Docherty for her third hat-trick in three games. She picked up a pass 40yds from goal and skipped past her marker and was clean through on goal. As the keeper advanced from goal Docherty calmly went round her and rolled the ball into the net to complete the scoring and give Kilmarnock a convincing 10-3 victory.

Not Kilmarnocks best performance of the season by any manner of means but a welcome victory all the same and plenty of positives to take from the game with also a few points to be brushed up on before their next league game away to Cumbernauld Colts at Broadwood Stadium.