Hibernian 0 Hearts 1

By Ken Gaunt, PA Sport

Hearts assistant manager Billy Brown could find himself in hot water with the Scottish Football Association.

Brown was incensed in the 79th minute that Hibernian No 2 Jackie McNamara was holding on to the ball when Hearts were awarded a throw-in.

He rushed over and jostled for the ball, with the police intervening on the touchline.

Referee Hugh Dallas stepped in and brought out his notebook, taking a note of Brown's name.

Brown, however, was allowed to stay on the touchline for the rest of the match as Hearts secured the three points at the expense of their Edinburgh rivals.

Hibs went into the match as league leaders but this setback could mean yet another false dawn for the Easter Road side.

John Hughes led them out after recovering from a groin injury but all their confidence evaporated as early as the seventh minute.

That was when Neil McCann made the breakthrough for Hearts, who always had the edge today in a rousing clash between these two old rivals.

Colin Cameron was able to make space as the Hibs defence stood off and picked out McCann on the right.

The former under-21 international's shot from the edge of the area was precise, nestling in the bottom right-hand corner.

Hibs stepped up the pace and Neil Pointon hurriedly cleared a shot from Hibs striker Barry Lavety off the line.

Then Chic Charnley fired over the top as Hibs tried desperately to get back into the game.

But Hearts always looked dangerous on the break and Frenchman Stephane Adam flicked a header wide of the post after Stevie Fulton had floated in a free-kick.

Hearts, who had lost two of their three opening league games, stepped up the pace in the second half and dominated the last 45 minutes.

Cameron should have added a second goal in the 53rd minute after Adam had played the ball in from the right only to hurry his close-range shot and knock it wide.

Hibs were restricted to a few half chances, although Stevie Crawford was out of luck nodding a header just wide of the post after Pat McGinlay had floated in a cross.

Adam, who looks likely to become a key figure for Hearts in the coming weeks, got in another cross but McCann's effort was weak and keeper Olafur Gottskalksson was able to take it safely.

But McCann could at least take some satisfaction away from the game and this win may kick-start Hearts' season.

Certainly they looked a lot more assured than their neighbours and with a bit of luck could have won by a more handsome margin.

Hibs were a huge disappointment and none more so than Charnley, who was such an outstanding player for them in the opening three matches.

His misery was complete in the 76th minute when he was taken off by manager Jim Duffy and replaced by Kevin Harper.

Teams
Hibernian: Gottskalksson, Miller, Boco, Dods, Hughes, Charnley (Harper 76), Dow, Lavety (Power 70), Crawford, Rougier, McGinlay.

Subs Not Used: McCaffrey.

Hearts: Rousset, Frail (Salvatori 73), Pointon (Flogel 88), Weir, McManus, Ritchie, McCann, Fulton, Robertson (Hamilton 89), Cameron, Adam.

Booked: Pointon, Ritchie.

Goals: McCann 7.

Att: 15,550

Ref: H Dallas (Motherwell).


Taken from sportinglife.com