A sharp finish by veteran striker John Robertson after 18 minutes and a sealing second by his replacement Jose Quitongo for the closing stages proved enough for victory.

The Angolan's 88th minute strike followed a late sustained period of pressure by the home side who deserved their second derby success of the campaign.

Colin Cameron's 86th minute effort clipped a post, while Paul Ritchie was denied by a superb Olafur Gottskalksson save as Hearts exposed gaps left by the visitors' late push forward.

Both dugouts were animated throughout a clash during which neither side ever completely mastered the difficult wet conditions.

Hibernian's agony was summed up by Chic Charnley's furious reaction to his 80th minute substitution.

He stormed past manager Jim Duffy and went straight into the dressing room.

Such was his dismay at being replaced by Tony Rougier instead of being given the chance to recover the game.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies kept faith with Robertson and Austrian Thomas Flogel in attack despite having both Stephane Adam and Jim Hamilton as options.

Hibernian restored Charnley to their starting line-up after boss Duffy demoted him to substitute for last week's home defeat to Dundee United. Pat McGinlay embodied the early tension, earning a booking for a foul on Hearts' Steve Fulton inside the first minute.

In a frenzied opening, the best chance fell to Cameron, whose low shot needed a fine stop from visiting keeper Gottskalksson after seven minutes. The damp pitch caused Hearts' Scotland international David Weir to slip after 15 minutes, allowing Kevin Harper to run clear on the right, but he dragged his effort wide.

Hearts went ahead after 18 minutes when Robertson seized on a loose ball in the area to fire past Gottskalksson after Gary Locke's initial effort at goal was blocked.

Hibernian's first chance to level again fell to Harper but his header from former Chelsea man Andy Dow's cross lacked both power and direction.

Hibernian needed a change of fortune and nearly gained that after 36 minutes when Willie Miller's deep cross caught the wind and floated towards goal forcing Gilles Rousset to save.

Three minutes later, Locke's shot for the home side took a heavy deflection prompting a superb tip over the bar by the busy Gottskalksson.

Winger Neil McCann also came close for Hearts after 41 minutes when his low drive was diverted to safety by defender John Hughes.

A powerful Fulton freekick soared just over moments later as Hearts continued to hold the upper hand up to the interval.

Stefano Salvatori picked out Flogel in space after 50 minutes, but after taking the ball on well, the finish failed to match the build-up and Gottskalksson watched the shot drift wide.

A fierce angled drive from Dow almost levelled for Hibernian after 55 minutes when the ball crashed against the crossbar with Rousset seemingly gaining a crucial touch.

The visitors were looking a more cohesive unit and with the introduction of Barry Lavety for the ineffectual Harper on the hour mark, the one-goal lead began to look slender.

Flogel almost doubled the advantage, however, after 63 minutes when his low shot on the turn was scrambled away from a packed Hibernian goalmouth. Hearts introduced popular wideman Quitongo after 69 minutes for the goalscorer Robertson in a bid to regain the initiative.

The substitute made an immediate impression with a glancing header that forced another alert stop and it was his goal two minutes from time which finally guaranteed the three points.

Teams:

Hearts: Rousset, Locke, Pointon, Weir, Salvatori, Ritchie, McCann, Fulton, Robertson (Quitongo 69), Cameron, Flogel (Hamilton 80).

Subs Not Used: McManus.

Booked: Pointon.

Goals: Quitongo 88, Robertson 17.

Hibernian: Gottskalksson, Miller, Boco, Dods, Hughes, Charnley (Rougier 79), Dow, Jackson (Larusson 83), Crawford, Harper (Lavety 60), McGinlay.

Booked: Boco, McGinlay.

Att: 16,739

Ref: M McCurry (Glasgow).


Taken from sportinglife.com