Classic Match: Hibs 0 Hearts 4, January 1, 1997

The previous September, the Jambos had turned up at Easter Road, produced a superb 45 minutes of football and registered a very satisfying 3-1 victory.

They did exactly the same in the New Year's Day game at Easter Road, the only difference being that their best spell of the game came after the interval and the scoreline was even more convincing.

So convincing, in fact, it earned a place in the record books – 4-0 being the Tynecastle side's biggest win over Hibs in the Premier Division up until then.

It was the first time in six years that Hearts had won both their league games in the same season in the east side of the city.

And, including the Coca-Cola Cup semi-final success over Dundee earlier in the campaign, Easter Road certainly proved a happy hunting ground for Jim Jefferies' side that season.

In truth, they could have won by an even bigger margin but any more than the four would have been harsh on a Hibs side, who contributed a fair bit to one of the most entertaining derbies for some time.

Indeed, the Jambos would have had their work cut out to prevent new Hibs boss Jim Duffy getting off to a flying start but for some dogged defending and, in particular, superb goalkeeping from Gilles Rousset, early on.

Twice in the opening half hour, the Frenchman denied Darren Jackson, first tipping a curling left-foot shot over the bar then blocking a right-foot effort after he had got in behind the Hearts' defence.

Typically, Rousset played down his heroics afterwards, saying: "I was only doing my job."

But there's no denying the fact he made a major contribution as Hearts completed a profitable festive period by recording their third win in seven days.

So, too, did the defenders in front of him, Jefferies reverting to playing five at the back for the first time for some weeks, a formation he felt gave more protection to the two youngsters in the full-back positions, David Murie and Gary Naysmith.

Like Murie, Jim Hamilton was getting his first taste of an Edinburgh derby, and he, too, enjoyed a debut to remember after grabbing a glorious double.

The first, which put Hearts 2-0 up, was a close-range finish, while the second was an explosive first-time shot which left Jim Leighton flapping at thin air.

Those came after "Hammer of the Hibs" John Robertson had sent the Jambos on their way to victory.

As he himself admitted, Robbo was having a bad day at the office until he got on the end of a cross from Murie and hooked a right-foot shot past Leighton's outstretched hand.

In went derby goal No.25 and, when the home side were reduced to ten men shortly afterwards – having already been booked for a trip on the same player, Andy Millen was reckless in chopping down Hamilton right under the nose of the referee – the tide had turned in Hearts' favour.

To their credit, Hibs made a whirlwind start to the second half an
d who knows what might have happened if Ian Cameron had scored instead of rattling the crossbar with a shot.

As it was, Hamilton struck two minutes later and the game was killed off as a contest shortly afterwards when Colin Cameron lofted the ball into an open goal after Leighton had been caught in possession just outside the box.

In fairness to the Scotland goalkeeper, he spared his side from heavier punishment with saves from Cameron, Hamilton, Murie and David Weir as it developed into one-way traffic.

But the scenes of jubilation at the end among those in maroon showed they were still more than happy with the start to 1997.

Hibs: Leighton, Miller, Love, Millen, Grant (Donald 72), Hunter, Cameron, Wright (Wilkins 72), Harper, Jackson, McGinlay.

Hearts: Rousset, Murie, Naysmith, Weir, McPherson, Ritchie, Mackay, Fulton, Robertson (McCann 45), Cameron, Hamilton.

Taken from the Scotsman