Buchan Ladies 2-0 Hearts Women

From Hearts News at Watson Park, Cruden Bay.

Hearts Women made the long trip to Aberdeenshire for the second match in succession but returned pointless after defeat to Buchan Ladies.

The girls had travelled north with confidence after their Scottish Cup victory the previous week but found their hosts a tough nut to crack.

The Maroons kicked off into a strong wind and went close when Piaskowski met a cross at the near post but her shot was straight at the keeper.

They had a strong claim for a penalty as the interval approached when Wilkins was sent tumbling in the box, although the referee thought otherwise and waved away the appeals.

The second half was only minutes old when the home side took the lead. A ball played down the left was gathered by the Buchan striker with her back to goal and although Paterson and Campbell were in close attendance, she turned and knocked the ball long to the back post where it drifted into the net.

Within 15 minutes the visitors found themselves two behind when poor defending allowed a simple finish from close range.

Hearts went searching for the goal that would bring them back into the match and twice Borthwick came close, firstly seeing her shot come back off the crossbar with the keeper beaten and then again seeing the keeper make a good save at her near post as she unleashed a shot from the left.

The home side were defending deeper now as they tried to hold on to their two-goal advantage and Hearts were given a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit when Jenny Rogers was fouled in the area. Borthwick stepped up to take the penalty and but as she started her run-up and was about to shoot, the referee blew his whistle to warn a home player about encroaching into the box. Unsettled by this stoppage, Borthwick knocked the spot-kick over the bar.

Although the Maroons continued to press they were unable to break down a well organised home defence.

Coach Tam Milne said: "This is a massive blow for us and it leaves us with a lot to do to if we are to avoid relegation. We have only seven games left, five of them at home, and we must start to pick up points very soon.

"We played well in the first half against a strong wind but our second-half performance was poor and I think both goals could have been avoided. I still believe that we can avoid the drop but it will be difficult."

Hearts: Milby, Gill, Paterson, Campbell, Buchanan, Honjigawa, Borthwick, Rogers, Jackson, Wilkins, Piaskowski. Subs. Porteous.

Having won their way through to the last eight of the Scottish Cup, Hearts got the draw everyone wanted to avoid, an away visit to last year's Premier League champions, Scottish and League cup winners, Glasgow City.