Hearts derby hero talks through stunning winner, position change and future at the club

Aimee Anderson revelled in the best goal she’s scored in her young career after it proved to be the winner in Wednesday’s Edinburgh derby.

On the stroke of half-time, with the hosts 1-0 to the good, the attacker unleashed an unstoppable effort from distance which found the back of the net after kissing the underside of the Hibs’ crossbar.

It was a stunning strike – and not bad for someone who’d managed only one goal previous the rest of the campaign.

“I just heard "shoot" from Ciara Grant, so I've just had a shot. Then I've looked up and it's in the back of the net. It's a great feeling,” she told the Evening News after the 2-1 victory.

“That's my second goal. I don't think I've ever scored a goal as good as that. But I'll need to watch it back as I genuinely just remember hitting it from far out and I've never hit it like that before.”

The 18-year-old normally plays off the wing when she gets her chance in a competitive first-team squad, but with injuries to Georgia Timms and Katie Rood, as well as Jenny Smith’s suspension, she was asked to lead the line on Wednesday.

In a performance described as “incredible” by manager Eva Olid, Anderson played the full 90 minutes and ran herself into the ground. She dropped deep to link, ran the channels, harried the Hibs backline and showed her burgeoning skills as a central striker by taking the ball to feet with her back to goal – against hulking Hibs centre-back Siobhan Hunter no less – before releasing the ball to Monica Forsyth which helped create Erin Rennie’s opener.

“I'm just about on the floor,” she said after full-time. “I'm normally a winger but they've asked me to go up top with the injuries. It's totally different. It's a different sort of movement. You need to drop in, which is a part of my game that I'm trying to work on. I enjoyed it, to be fair.

Hearts forward Aimee Anderson celebrates with her team-mates after netting a stunning winner against Hibs at the Oriam. Picture: Malcolm Mackenzie

“With the first goal I've just dropped in, Monica has made a good run and an even better cutback and Erin has finished it off – finished her dinner!”

The 2-1 win is the first time Hearts have defeated Hibs since 2020 and ends a run of three straight 1-1 draws between the sides this sterm. It also pushes them 13 points clear of their rivals in fourth spot.

"I feel it's been a long time coming,” said Anderson about bettering Hibs. “I feel every game has been close but we've edged it in terms of being on top.

“There's been a massive turnaround in these games compared to last season, 100 per cent. It's a credit to the girls and the work they put in. We're all just a big group of pals and just want to work hard for each other.

“This just tops the season off. We've done all of our objectives: we've taken points off the top three, secured fourth and now beaten Hibs. So, happy days!”

So, what does the immediate future hold for the latest in a long line of Hearts derby heroes?

“My contract is up in the summer,” she said. “I'd love to stay. Hopefully talks will start soon.”

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