Hearts duo shine but Eva Olid's side come up short v Rangers

It remains a successful campaign for Eva Olid and her side with the team finishing fourth in SWPL1 for the second season running, earning more points and reaching the final.

Joel Sked looks back at the game from Mount Florida.

READ MORE: Inside story of Hearts Women's progress under Eva Olid and Scottish Cup 'dream'

Hearts come up short

It was always going to be a tough ask for Hearts against one of the country's 'big three'. Eva Olid's side had competed well against Rangers this season, defeating them earlier in the SWPL1 campaign. The team started the game looking to be solid and resolute before building into an attacking force. They were undone by an excellent long-range effort. The Gorgie side struggled to cause too many issues until late in the second half. Just when Hearts were becoming a greater threat, they conceded the second goal, which all but ended the game as a contest. It is, however, another moment in the team and club's development across the past three years.

Grant shines

One player in white and maroon stood out above all others in the first half. Ciara Grant patrolled the midfield, sitting at the base of the trio. She displayed plenty of confidence and composure in possession, fine reading of the game, and tenacity out of possession. Hearts had to do a lot of chasing the ball and the 30-year-old appeared to cover more grass than any others to put out fires as they appeared in the defensive third. It meant that when Hearts had the ball they needed to use it well. Grant did that, dropping deep to get possession and then using it well. There may not have been incisive passes further up the park but she was crucial in keeping the ball and ensuring it wasn't relentless attacks and Eva Olid's side kept the ball for periods of the game.

Best No.1 in the country?

Charlotte Parker-Smith showed why she is one of the best, if not the best goalkeeper in the country with an excellent performance at Hampden Park. Let's get the goal out of the way first. While it didn't fall into the howitzer category it was brilliantly placed by Rachel McLauchlan into the top corner just out of the reach of the diving Hearts star. From then on Parker-Smith did her very best to ensure it remained a close context. There were good stops you would expect someone of her calibre to make but there was some excellent decision-making and bravery to read balls played through to come out and thwart a Rangers attack. Credit should also go to the likes of Monica Forsyth and Emma Brownlie who both came up with big blocks. Parker-Smith saved her best for around the 70-minute mark when a cross was diverted high above and over her but she displayed brilliant reflexes to spring up and claw the ball away. It took until the 85th minute and a well-placed shot from Lizzie Arnot for Rangers to seal their victory.

Hamstrung by injury

Coming up against one of the country's best teams is tough at the best of times. It becomes all that more difficult when you are missing key players. That was the case for Hearts. Not only were they without captain Georgia Hunter but No.9 Georgia Timms as well. It means the team missed a vital presence at the back and perhaps an even more important piece in attack. The first half had Kathleen McGovern and Sade Adamolekun as a front pairing but Hearts found it difficult to trouble the Rangers defence, especially in behind. Sade would drop deeper and McGovern challenged the centre-backs but is more of a back-to-goal forward than one who runs in behind, winning her fair share of aerial duels. The system switched after the break to a 4-2-3-1 from a back three. With Charlotte Parker-Smith in typically fine form, it meant Hearts were always in it. There were promising moments but the team just lacked that final pass, final delivery or bit of quality to not only test but beat Victoria Esson with the Rangers goalkeeper only called into action once from a cross-shot.

Vital experience

Injuries to some meant opportunities for others. Ahead of the cup final, Olid told Hearts Standard that the team would be happy for the experience. Not come full-time but after the disappointment of losing a cup final had dissipated. Hearts had a very young squad. There were a number of players in their early 20s. Even more impressively there were starts for the Husband twins, Jess and Erin, who have only recently turned 16. There were three further players under the age of 18 on the bench. There is still more to come from Hearts and it points to a positive future.