Gallacher strikes hat-trick as Hibernian avenge opening-round defeat by Hearts

Hibernian avenged their 1-0 defeat to Hearts in the opening round of SWPL1 matches when they won 6-0 at Ainslie Park. Player-of-the-match Amy Gallacher scored a hattrick against the bottom club.

“We've had three tough games in the last week, so it was good to perform well and get a lot of goals,” the former Scotland under-19 player said.

It took Gallacher's side just three minutes to take the lead. Hearts goalkeeper Charlotte Parker Smith failed to hold Joelle Murray's header from a Rachael Boyle corner, allowing Ellis Notely to score from close range.

Hibs’ best move of the game led to Gallacher, inset, doubling the lead after 28 minutes. Amy Muir was involved in the build-up twice before Colette Cavanagh slipped the ball to the goalscorer who placed the ball in the far corner.

Gallacher also got the third nine minutes later. and it would have been worse for Hearts had Cavanagh's later attempt not hit the inside of the post. Carla Boyce made it 4-0 after just 40 seconds and Gallacher got her hat-trick on 49 minutes. Winger Kirsty Morrison provided the assists for both.

Boyle scored the sixth from the penalty spot after Gallacher was brought down in the box by Mariel Kaney.

Leaders Glasgow City beat Spartans 3-1 at Broadwood. They led by three goals at halftime through Arna Asgrimsdottir, Jo Love and Ode Fulutudilu, but what promised to be a comfortable win didn't materialise.

Kat Smart got one back for

Spartans in the second half, and although there was a further setback for Scott Booth's side when reserve goalkeeper Erin Clachers was sent off, there were no further goals.

A goalkeeping crisis meant Motherwell had to call up teenager Nicole Cunningham from local club Gartcairn for a daunting SWPL debut against free-scoring Rangers. The visitors, with Lizzie Arnot providing two of the assists, led 3-0 at half-time. Jamaican internationalist Chantelle Swaby scored her first goal in Scotland, with Chelsea Cornet and Zoe Ness also finding the net.

Arnot was again the provider for the first of Kirsten Reilly's two goals in the second