Heart of Midlothian Women have wiped the floor with opposition teams so far this season. Well, almost.

An opening-day 11-1 thrashing of Queen's Park in the SWPL 1 was followed by a 5-0 success over The Spartans. On Sunday, they followed up an 8-0 win at Dundee United with a 6-1 victory over Motherwell.

Yet, it is the result in the middle of that run that may have provided the biggest learning from the season so far. Hearts Women went into the interval against Glasgow City level after Lisa Robertson converted a stoppage time penalty following the sending off of Kimberley Smit.

It meant Eva Olid's side played the whole second half with a numerical advantage. Not only did they not take advantage but they ended up conceding an 88th-minute goal to lose 2-1. In terms of results heading into a much-anticipated Edinburgh derby with Hibs at Easter Road on Friday night, it is the only blemish on their record.

"The mental side is the most important because what happened in the last minutes in that game, mentally we were maybe one player more but we were stressed with the situation and we need to learn to be more calm in those last minutes of the game, it doesn’t matter who is the opponent," Olid explained. 

"We had to be ourselves, always. If we are one player more or one player less we need to work on that. I took responsibility for that game. I said to the players I am the manager and I need to find solutions for those last minutes with the extra player.

"It is working together as a team, staff, players to manage that situation better in the future."

Why the focus on the one loss in what has otherwise been a goal-laden start to the new season? Because of the aims and ambitions of this Hearts side. They want to progress, they want to get closer to the country's big three. They want to challenge.

In essence this is Hearts Women 2.0 under Olid.

The Spaniard has been in charge of the club for three seasons. With her coaching and the club's investment, the team have gone from eighth to back-to-back fourth-place finishes, including a first Scottish Cup final appearance in May.

In Olid's eyes it was a transitional period. Now the focus is on moving forward. Olid noted, with the addition of 11 summer signings, she has a squad that she wants to work with in the long-term.

She spoke of being "realistic" and not putting a particular time scale on objectives, but it is clear that Hearts are looking up the table and towards Europe.

"I think the team is in a good shape," Olid said. "With 11 new players you need time because it is a big change, half of the team is new and you always think that you need to give players time to connect and adapt to each other but I think they adapt so quickly.

"Still we are working on things, we have things to improve and learn. I think it was a good start. We were frustrated that we didn’t get points against Glasgow City and that hurt us a lot because we are demanding of ourselves and are ambitious. It was a big learning that I think will help us for the following matches."

Read more

Hearts made a number of eye-catching signings in the summer to join a squad that still has Georgia Hunter, Emma Brownlie, Charlotte Parker-Smith and Georgia Timms.

Hibs Women's head coach Grant Scott noted that the team are more powerful and added pace on the counter and out wide.

There was young talent who have impressed in Scotland, like Bayley Hutchison and Eilidh Shore who arrived from Aberdeen and Kayla Jardine. They have been complemented by the experience of Lisa Robertson who has spent time in England and with Celtic, plus Northern Irish internationals Lauren Wade, Kerry Beattie and Joely Andrews. In addition, Naomi Powell's presence adds an intriguing dynamic to Friday's match having joined from Hibs.

Shore spoke of the ease of adapting and fitting into the squad, aided by a pre-season training camp in Tenerife.

For her it is a step up from Aberdeen and she name-checked Robertson as the player who has stood out and someone she can learn from playing alongside in the middle of the park.

"It’s been different for me but it is the step up I have been looking for," she said. "Settling in has been made a lot easier with the players and staff welcoming in all the new girls.

"We are starting to build relationships now and you can start to see that happening. It’s been made a lot easier with the players and staff around me.

"The want to be the best you can. It is an ambitious club. We want to strive to be the best we can and I think that message has been clear from the start. Everyone has the same goal, heading in the same direction, I think that is really important because if you are not all aiming for the one goal it can be difficult."

Eva Olid has made 11 new signings this summerEva Olid has made 11 new signings this summer (Image: Paul Byars - SNS Group)

On integrating the 11 new arrivals, Olid said: "That could have been more difficult than it could have been.

"The previous three years was a transition to be a professional team. Not everyone was ready for the steps we were taking.

"We have a lot of young players but with massive potential. We want to develop them, we want to play the football we want to play. We think it is the way to get what we want to get. We dream in the future we go to Europe but it’s not a sure future, it’s a long-term future."

As things stand, the SWPL1 offers just two European spots, even with the addition of a second Euro tournament for women's football next season.

Looking at the short-term, it's Hibs and the Edinburgh derby on Friday evening with tickets available for free. Hibs have had a slightly better start to the campaign, winning four and drawing with Celtic in their other game.

A sign of Hearts' progression would be success in Leith. Something they haven't achieved under Olid.

"It’s a derby, this is my fourth season now, I live a lot of derbies," he said. "They always have been important. We start our first season, we were an amateur team and Hibs were a strong team in the league.

"Every time this derby has been more competitive. I think this Friday we are both in a good shape, I think both teams have better squads than last season. That means it is going to be an interesting match, everything can happen. It’s always special for the history but I try to mentally be like always. If I show that to the team they will be calm and they can be themselves.

"It will be a big step in the league to get a win this Friday. Rangers and Celtic don’t play so it could be a big step in the table. We are always fighting for those three points every week. It will be a big step because we never won here at Easter Road. We got one point but never three points and that would mean mentally we are stronger than other seasons."

It would also represent somewhat of an early statement victory after the Glasgow City defeat. Olid suggested both Edinburgh clubs have progressed while the Glasgow trio have not.

The expectation is continuing to rise and winning big games is one of those steps the team needs to take for their progression, to get closer to the big three, to help achieve their objectives.

"I think Hibs improve and maybe the other teams in the top three and not better than last season and that makes the top five interesting," she said.

"I think this season us and Hibs will beat the top three more than one time, I have that feeling. Not all the games if I am realistic, but it will happen that both teams beat them at some point this season.

"That is something that will make the league more attractive."

Friday night under the lights in the east of Edinburgh could be the perfect advert for that. 

The Edinburgh derby kicks off at 7.35pm on Friday, October 6. Tickets can be purchased for free via the Hearts website.