Hearts stun Spartans as dramatic comeback ends Ainslie Park curse

(LtoR) Yeeun Park, Jenna Penman, Lizzie Waldie and Sade Adamolekun of Hearts celebrate after dramatic comeback. Credit: (© ScottishPower Womens Premier League | Malcolm Mackenzie)

A 95th minute goal from Olufolasade Adamolekun ensured Hearts came from 3-1 down to win 4-3 and claim bragging rights over Spartans.

In a highly entertaining game, Hearts found themselves two goals down twice in the fixture thanks to a Becky Galbraith brace. However, the visitors produced a magical comeback in the last 15 minutes to come away with an emphatic victory.

“It is the most dramatic moment in football I have had,” assistant manager Sean Burt told the Edinburgh Evening News. “The result was deserved over the piece of the game. In the opening 20 minutes, there was a lot of territory in Spartans’ defensive third without creating too much. After two lapses of concentration, we found ourselves 2-0 down. But what a moment to win a game of football as long as you know that’s going to happen you want it to be that way. It was brilliant, absolutely brilliant.”

Hearts had the better of the opening exchanges with Georgia Timms and Sade both going close. However, Spartans grew into the game and took the lead midway through the half. An excellent ball from Alana Marshall connected wonderfully to the on-running Galbraith who just managed to squeeze it beyond Charlotte Parker-Smith at the back post. Spartans soon doubled their lead with Galbraith netting her second. Another fantastic ball from the left flank from Lauren Berman found the head of the striker who powered it home. Hearts pulled a goal back in the 41st minute as Ye-Eun Park got her first for the club inside the box after Timms’ cross.

Right at the start of the second half, Galbraith had a great chance to net her hattrick as the ball bounced over the defence but she couldn’t keep her effort down as it sailed over the bar. Spartans regained their two goal lead moments later through multiple mistakes at the back. Parker-Smith was unable to hold onto the ball after Marshall’s corner before a Hearts defender headed it into her own net as she attempted to clear. Spartans had a massive penalty shout just after the hour mark as Berman went down but the referee waved away any claims.

Timms’ pulled Hearts back into the game yet again in the 78th minute as her cross looped over Rachael Johnstone and into the far corner. The striker was inches away from an equaliser two minutes later as she forced Johnstone into a stunning save. Hearts got back on level terms in the 85th minute in spectacular fashion as Adamolekun smashed a stunning effort into the roof of the net from around 30-yards. With both the scores level, both teams pushed for a winner and it soon came in dramatic style. A long ball from was flicked into the area by Carly Girasoli and found Katie Lockwood who squared it to Adamolekun  to tap home for a dramatic 95th-minute winner for Hearts.

“If we play like that every single week we will be in the top six,” Spartans manager Debbi McCulloch added. “There is absolutely no problem with the performance. It is just soul-destroying. I was really happy, we looked a threat, our set-pieces looked hugely dangerous. I said to the players, when you score three goals in this league it is normally enough to give you three points but unfortunately that isn’t the case today.”