Hearts assistant manager Sean Burt insists you “make your own luck” as bizarre goal is enough for Hearts victory

Jenny Smith’s unorthodox goal helped Hearts overcome Partick Thistle at Petershill Park as they came away with a 1-0 victory.

The fixture was the first post-split game for both sides in a tight contest where both teams hit the woodwork. However, Smith would get the winner early in the second half as the midfielder got the final touch after Ciara Grant’s corner caused confusion in the box.

“I still don’t know who scored and at the time I wasn’t sure if it was a goal”, Hearts assistant manager Sean Burt told the Edinburgh Evening News. “I just saw the ref blow his whistle and point the other way so I wasn’t sure if it was a foul or a goal. Set plays are something we work on a lot. It wasn’t the prettiest but it doesn’t matter if you put them in from 35-yards or one yard as long as it crosses the white line and you get a goal for it.

“I’m a big believer in that you make your own luck. The girls work so hard on a weekly basis and in the second half we stepped it up a real notch. You make your own luck and for me the second half performance probably saw us worthy of winning that game.”

Ciara Grant's corner helped her side get their fourth win over Partick Thistle this season. Credit: Malcolm Mackenzie

Georgia Timms did brilliantly early on to dispossess one of the Partick defenders and square the ball to Jenny Smith who’s shot was tipped onto the bar. Smith would give it another go mid-way through the half firing the ball over the bar outside the box.

The Jam Tarts took the lead in bizarre fashion two minutes into the second half. Emma Brownlie headed the ball over the keeper from Grant’s corner and Smith was in the right place to tap home. The visitors almost doubled their lead 10 minutes later as Monica Forsyth struck a fantastic effort onto the bar from distance. Partick almost got the equaliser late in the game as Linzi Taylor hit the post from a free-kick.

“I’d glad to get the three points”, Burt added. “It was a tough fixture and it was really difficult today but overall we have got the three points and that was the object before the game. There are stuff we can do better, but the three points is fantastic.”