O'Neill, Harper strike as Hibs regain some pride.

Miller's men gain verdict after players go on `trial'

By IAN PAUL

2 Jan 1996

Hibernian 2 Hearts 1.

PERHAPS the self-doubt will resurface.

Seven-goal drubbings don't melt like the snow that disappeared from the capital yesterday, but the Hibs players could go home with some of the shame they felt at Ibrox on Saturday removed from their conscience.

Any team that can come back from a trouncing and the loss of an early goal against their greatest rivals must have something going for them.

What they had was courage, energy, Michael O'Neill, and Kevin Harper.

It was from Harper and O'Neill that the goals came, and from their colleagues the spirit that not only helped them avoid their fourth defeat in a row, but won Hibs their first New Year derby for seven years.

It may not be coincidence that both players have been missing in recent weeks, although Harper did come on in the second half against Rangers.

At one point in the first half you would not have given a spent cracker for their chanced but they buckled down, and in the end produced a victory that rescued a miserable festive weekend for a large number of Edinburghers.

The result keeps Hibs in third place, well ahead of their city rivals, but more important, it has given them a chance of eventually making that Ibrox debacle no more than a horrible memory.

Even although delighted with the victory, manager Alex Miller made it clear the memory of Saturday had not been erased.

"That doesn't make up for that beating," he said.

"A lot of players were on trial today and, big names or not, if they hadn't performed they were out.

I want winners." Then turning to the happier consequence of their second game in three days, he said: "I thought our response after losing an early goal was magnificent, and in the end we could have won by five.

Our defensive unit was solid, which was the most important thing.

When we lost that goal I turned in the dug-out and said, `Now we'll see if they are men.' " Hearts manager, Jim Jefferies, felt that if his striker, Hans Eskilsson, had scored from a great chance soon after the opening goal, Hibs would have had no way back.

"To their credit, they fought for every ball and deserved their win." Hibs might have been expected to buckle if they lost an early goal but they did lose one and managed to survive with admirable courage before coming up with a rescue effort from O'Neill.

Their defence, so battered and bewildered by Gascoigne, Durie, and co, had been given another chance, with the exception of a switch between Pat McGinlay and Andy Millen.

They looked uncomfortable early on, tripping over each other and making some poor attempts at clearances.

The Hearts goal came during that spell, in seven minutes, and was a superb effort.

Mackay sent Johnston off on the right, and when his measured cross beat the defence to the far edge of the penalty box, Neil Pointon met it on the drop and sent it low out of Jim Leighton's reach.

If the Hearts fans' taunting cries of "We want eight" seemed a touch optimistic, the consequence seemed to revitalise Hibs.

Steve Fulton became the first to be booked when he fouled Harper who became the second after he was a little too enthusiastic as he raced for a ball which keeper Gilles Rousset reached first.

Hibs might have been down and out if Eskilsson had been accurate with a great chance laid on by John Robertson, but they began to do a little more than survive, and in 28 minutes completed their revival with the equaliser, headed in by O'Neill after a fine cross by Kevin McAllister.

The home lot then took control for a spell, even if the ferocity of the exchanges hardly lessened.

Pascal Bruno was booked for a tackle on Keith Wright but the Hibs man had the last laugh of the first half when he was involved in the goal that put his team in front.

Darren Jackson passed to Wright, who headed back into the path of Harper, and his volley left Rousset with no chance.

However, his gesture to the Hearts fans did not do him or his club any favours.

Hearts put on Paul Smith for Gary Mackay, who had taken a knock, soon after the interval, but the new man must have been straining at the leash to get into the action.

His first involvement was a stern warning from the referee after an angry clash with Leighton.

It was the other keeper, Rousset, who had the crowd on their feet with a touch over his bar from a rasping drive by Millen.

Hearts made another substitution, bringing on John Colquhoun for Eskilsson, as Darren Jackson received treatment following another tackle from Bruno.

They were lucky again when a cross by McAllister left Jackson with a clear header which he aimed downwards, but was blocked by the keeper.

Hibs had one or two other good openings as they took advantage of Hearts' push forward, but they were slack in the department that matters.

With six minutes left, Hearts put on Alan Lawrence for Pointon in a late throw of the dice.

HIBERNIAN - Leighton, Millen, Tortolano, McGinlay, Tweed, Hunter, McAllister, Harper, Wright, D Jackson, O'Neill.

Substitutes - C Jackson, Evans, Renwick.

HEARTS - Rousset, McManus, Ritchie, Mackay, Pointon, Bruno, Johnston, Eskilsson, Robertson, Fulton, Millar.

Substitutes - Colquhoun, Smith, Lawrence.

Referee - W Crombie (Edinburgh).

Taken from the Herald