Hearts close gap at the top

Graham Clark
Sunday January 29, 2006

Hearts re-established their championship credentials with this fine victory over local rivals Hibernian, closing the gap to Celtic at the top by two points after the Premierleague leaders drew at home against Dundee United.

This performance was, in fact, spectacular. It was certainly the best since Graham Rix took over from George Burley in November and it was little wonder the coach allowed himself a satisfied smile at the end.

But the result was a huge blow to Hibernian, for although they remain in third place, they are only one point ahead of Rangers, who play Inverness today. This fixture always had the potential to be controversial and in that respect it lived up to its billing.

Even before a ball, or a man, was kicked in earnest, supporters of both Edinburgh clubs were in uproar. The visiting team's fans were incensed when a Hearts mascot tried to drape his club's scarf round the shoulders of Hibs captain Gary Caldwell during the obligatory photo call and then the home team's followers were furious when their rivals turned their backs on a minute's applause in memory of former Tynecastle chairman Wallace Mercer, who died recently.

Then when the serious business began it was so fiercely contested that there were two bookings in the opening 12 minutes, for Hearts' Julien Brellier for a hold on Scott Brown that eventually forced the midfield man to retire from proceedings five minutes from half time and for Hibernian's David Murphy after a challenge on Saulius Mikoliunas. There was some football, too, and twice early on Hibs tested Craig Gordon through Garry O'Connor and Derek Riordan.

After that, though, it was all downhill for the Easter Road team, who lost the first goal after 27 minutes, along with their discipline and their way in the game. A sweeping Hearts move started the ball rolling as Calum Elliot, Panagiotis Fyssas and Rudi Skacel combined to allow Paul Hartley to score a fine goal.

Elliot should have added a second after a dreadful mistake by Michael Stewart, but after Oumar Konde took over from Brown in the 40th minute, Hibs fell to pieces and lost two further goals, and a player, before the interval.

Skacel made it 2-0 after 41 minutes, when Christophe Berra knocked back a Hartley free-kick. Three minutes later Hartley himself added number three, from the penalty spot, after Caldwell had brought down Skacel.

As if all that was not bad enough, Hibs central defender Gary Smith was sent off on the stroke of half time after lashing out at Mikoliunas in front of referee Michael McCurry.

There were alterations in personnel for both teams when they reappeared, as Steven Fletcher took over from Riordan for the visitors and Deividas Cesnauskis replaced Mikoliunas for Hearts.

The Tynecastle team then made it 4-0 just five minutes in when the hugely influential Skacel scampered down the left and delivered the perfect cross for Elliot to knock home. After his earlier miss, the young striker looked almost as relieved as he was happy.

Hearts were not so pleased, however, after 58 minutes, when Hibs bucked the trend by scoring a goal through O'Connor, whose fine run and shot deserved its ultimate reward. Indeed, Hearts appeared not to take that warning on board because Gordon was then forced to produce a fine save to deny Ivan Sproule before normal service was resumed and a wonderful cross by Skacel was missed by several of his teammates.

Elliot was one of those and that was his last contribution as he was replaced by Michal Pospisil after 70 minutes, while Jamie McAllister went on for Lee Johnson four minutes later and Hibs sent on Chris Killen for O'Connor after a further two minutes.

By then, though, the game was effectively all over and the visiting team's fans had started drifting towards the exits.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer