Benji punishes puzzling Hearts line-u

HIBERNIAN 2
HEARTS 1

DETERMINATION invariably plays a disproportionately prominent role in the winning of derby matches. Under Tony Mowbray, Hibernian have rightly earned a reputation for playing flowing, attractive football.

In this game, though, desire and application were the decisive qualities which earned the Easter Road side victory over their oldest rivals, who failed to overcome the handicap of a team selection more steeped in mystery than a Stephen King novel.

If commitment spurred on Hibs to victory, the baffling absence of so many influential players from Hearts starting line-up also played a huge part in settling the outcome of the game. Although Mowbray, on first seeing the Hearts team selection on Saturday afternoon, resisted the temptation to shout 'Eureka', the manager did acknowledge: "Psychologically, it gives you a lift. It gives the players a lift.

"Everyone has their own agenda. We're playing Derek Riordan and Gary Caldwell while they're leaving out Andy Webster. It's not for me to comment on their selection. But football is in the Bosman era when players can let their contracts expire. When they're ours, we feel we've got to utilise their talents. Every club has its own policy on this - ours is to keep playing our best players."

Favouring a 4-3-3 system whenever they had possession - Ivan Sproule and Riordan would break from the flanks to support Steven Fletcher - Hibs exerted a stranglehold in central midfield throughout the first half which should have been rewarded by the comfort of a soothing lead. Not only did the home side outnumber the visitors in this area, where they had an extra man, but they also won most of the 50-50 challenges and heaped pressure on their opponents from the start.

Hibs' opening goal was typical of their terrier-like approach to the match. Paul Hartley, who was forced to assume extra defensive duties because of the presence of not one but two lightweight Lithuanians, Deividas Cesnauskis and Saulius Mikoliunas, on either side of him, had just dispossessed Steven Whittaker on the left touchline when the exuberant Jay Shields steamed in to win the ball back.

The intensity of the challenge certainly caught out the normally reliable Hartley, but the aggression was fundamental in opening up space for Sproule to sprint clear of Lee Wallace. If the Irishman's touch isn't always a match for his blistering pace, on this occasion the winger's speed of thought and subsequent cut-back was good enough to find Riordan homing in on the other side of the box.

When Riordan took a touch, Fletcher cut across Craig Gordon, who felt his view was impaired by a player who had wandered into what may have been an offside position. Whether, even with 20/20 vision, the Scotland goalkeeper would have been able to prevent Riordan's bulleted shot from reaching the corner of the net is a moot point. As Riordan himself pointed out: "I caught it sweet - he was never going to get it anyway."

Hibs should have made far more of the edge they enjoyed throughout the first-half.

Far from adding a second goal, however, Hibs slit their own throats in the fourth minute of injury time when a long ball over the top from Robbie Neilson caused consternation in their sloppy defence. The first error was committed by Gary Caldwell who failed to deal with the long punt. Once Roman Bednar stumbled, however, and the danger looked as if it was over, there was another almighty clanger when goalkeeper Zbigniew Malkowski collided with Chris Hogg and failed to grasp the loose ball. Bednar still had time to get off his knees and shoot into the unguarded net.

The impact of this self-inflicted wound on the mentality of a Hibs side which had conceded eight goals to Hearts in their previous two meetings was potentially enormous. "It was a very frustrated dressing-room at half-time," recalled Mowbray. "Losing that goal was a huge psychological blow to the team."

Hearts also sensed the trepidation in Hibs. They played at a far higher tempo in the second-half, which admittedly wasn't difficult, and might even have gone on to win had Ibrahim Tall not squandered the easiest chance of the match in the 65th minute when he headed wide from eight yards after the Hibs defence was caught flat-footed by Bruno Aguiar's cross.

Apart from that loss of concentration and subsequent let-off, Hibs managed to duck and weave with sufficient guile to prevent Hearts landing a knock-out blow.

The introduction of Scott Brown, Paul Dalglish and Abdessallam Benjelloun were all telling, though it was the Moroccan striker who claimed all three points thanks to a firm, low shot after Dalglish had supplied the lay-off. "I'm excited about [Benjelloun] for next season," Mowbray enthused.

Benji's splendid finish was subsequently tarnished by a ridiculously provocative run which spanned the length of the pitch to gesticulate towards the Hearts support. It also prompted a mini pitch invasion by Hibs fans. Mowbray revealed that once the player's English improves he'll be reminded in no uncertain terms his job is to score goals not taunt the opposition.

If the absence of Webster, the most reliable centre-back in the SPL this season, was most keenly felt by Hearts at the loss of the second goal, the 'resting' of Edgaras Jankauskas in attack and Julien Brellier and Rudi Skacel in midfield from the starting line-up also cost Hearts dearly. Without either Brellier to win the ball or Jankauskas to hold it up, Hearts were a shadow of their strongest selves and Hibs made them pay.

Taken from the Scotsman