Fiery Jackson pays the penalty

JAMES TRAYNOR

23 Aug 1993

HIBERNIAN captain Darren Jackson can consider himself fortunate.

Yes, I am fully aware he was cautioned a second time at the end of the Edinburgh derby and that he will miss tomorrow night's League Cup third-round tie against Dundee.

However, the striker was lucky to be allowed to play out the full 90 minutes at Tynecastle.

He could have been ordered to walk after only a few minutes.

Jackson, fired by blind determination or a desire gone to extremes to show he and his side meant business, lunged into a tackle on the young Hearts full back Gary Locke.

He had to receive treatment, while Jackson was called aside.

However, the Hibs player's willingness to put himself about like some kind of vigilante could have dragged him into more serious trouble before the fracas in the tunnel area.

Depending on which set of players you believe, Tosh McKinlay provoked Jackson, or it was the other way around.

But no matter who caused what was, in fact, no more than a childish outbreak of playground pushing, the referee, Jim McCluskey, booked both.

Jackson, therefore, was sent off and will be dealt with by the authorities.

The former Dundee United player appears to have started the season in angry mode, which is deflecting him from the real issue.

He is supposed to be playing football and can do that quite well when he is calm and takes a more thoughtful approach.

Running all over the place pretending to be a hard man will lead him only into more trouble and will serve no useful purpose.

Jackson and Hibs ought to be striving to play better football, but in their match against Hearts they offered nothing apart from strong running that will achieve only fatigue.

Hearts, on the other hand, always looked as though they wanted to knock the ball around, but it was only when Hibs' legs started to slow that the Tynecastle side became more threatening.

It also helped their cause that another youngster, Alan Johnston, was introduced to the midfield at the start of the second half.

Neil Berry had injured a foot and George Wright had to drop back into the defensive line, leaving space for Johnston.

He scored the only goal of the match seven minutes after the start, and a wonderful effort it was, too.

Locke made a delivery into Hibs' box and the ball eventually found its way to Johnston, who controlled it well then danced away from a would-be marker before smacking the ball into the roof of Jim Leighton's net.

One goal was enough, because Hibs were incapable of mounting attacks with enough creativity to add to the troubles of Henry Smith, who remained groggy after having taken a heavy knock to the face in a first-half challenge with Keith Wright.

In fact, Smith and Berry both went to hospital for X-rays, but neither is wounded as seriously as first thought.

Smith's pain was eased considerably, of course, by the result that extended Hearts' run against their city rivals to 18 without a defeat.

On Saturday's evidence it is difficult to see an end to Hibs' misery.

Again they displayed what could be perceived as a fear of attacking football, and even Kevin McAllister seemed to be deployed in a defensive role, but perhaps that was because he felt he had to drop back in search of the ball.

By way of a stark contrast, Hearts are beginning to show a desire to play in the other team's half, and even central defender Craig Levein has taken to moving forward when possible.

Naturally enough, new manager Sandy Clark was beaming after this derby success, and is becoming increasingly optimistic.

He is entitled to be so.

A few exciting youngsters are emerging, and new signing Jim Weir did enough to suggest he will be an asset.

"We were the only side trying to play football," Clark said.

Taken from the Herald