Hibernian 2 Hearts 2

By Gavin McCafferty, PA Sport

Ten-man Hearts somehow fought back for a point in a dramatic Bank of Scotland Premier League derby at Easter Road despite falling two behind inside 16 minutes.

Hibernian appeared to have no hangover from manager Tony Mowbray's exit as goals from Merouane Zemmama and Chris Killen put them in control, but keeper Zbigniew Malkowski's error gifted Andrius Velicka a goal in the 28th minute.

A red card for Saulius Mikoliunas, who got two of the frenetic game's 10 yellow cards, gave Hearts a mountain to climb but Velicka grabbed his second when he beat Malkowski at his near post.

Mark Venus made three changes as he stepped in as caretaker manager following Mowbray's exit to West Brom.

Midfield duo Kevin Thomson and Scott Brown returned after suspension along with fit-again defender Rob Jones.

Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas made his normal raft of changes with four players dropping to the bench and Jamie Mole, Deividas Cesnauskis, Lee Wallace and Marius Zaliukas coming in.

After a frantic opening Hibs took the lead in the fifth minute.

Ivan Sproule broke down the right and Michael Stewart pounced on his low cross before pulling the ball back.

Zemmama collected Killen's lay-off and coolly turned two Hearts defenders before slotting the ball home.

Steven Pressley and Mikoliunas were booked for crude tackles, the Lithuanian's sparking an angry exchange between Venus and former Hibs midfielder Paul Hartley.

Hibs went two ahead in the 16th minute when Killen glanced Zemmama's near-post corner across Craig Gordon and into the net.

Hearts were struggling to string passes together but they were handed a lifeline in the 28th minute thanks to Malkowski's blunder.

The Pole came out to the edge of the box after Wallace's long ball but got nowhere near it and Velicka headed into the empty net.

Zemmama and Sproule were booked before Wallace fed Cesnauskis after a good run down the left and the Lithuanian's 20-yard shot was headed over by Hibs defender Shelton Martis.

Thomson was the fifth man booked for what looked like a fair sliding tackle on Hartley.

Hearts were back in it but Hartley could not control a high ball into the box and at the other end Killen blasted over from 10 yards under intense pressure.

Mole latched on to a long ball 10 seconds after the restart but shot well over from a narrow angle.

Killen flicked a Zemmama corner just over and the striker was inches away from another high ball moments later.

Hearts were trying to free Mole whenever possible and Hibs made life hard for themselves by overplaying at the back.

The visitors' chances diminished when Mikoliunas saw red just before the hour mark after a trip on Zemmama and referee Charlie Richmond soon had no choice but to take Brown's name after a wild hack at Cesnauskis.

Sproule came close with a run and shot and Stewart's volley was headed wide by Hartley as Hibs searched for a killer third.

But, extraordinarily, Hearts were level in the 72nd minute when Velicka grabbed his second.

Hibs had looked vulnerable to balls over the top and Hartley sent the Lithuanian clear down the left before he fired a low shot inside Malkowski's near post.

Substitute Mirsad Beslija soon hit the side netting from 20 yards after a slip by David Murphy.

Christophe Berra was next in the book for a lunge on Brown and Hibs could have had a penalty when Gordon slid in on Sproule but Richmond ruled the keeper had played the ball.

Brown blasted over after a great run through the middle and his replacement Steven Fletcher curled a 25-yard free-kick just over.

Hearts sat back but Hibs nearly gifted them another goal when Jones was short on a backpass.

And Gordon rescued a point in injury time with a superb one-handed save from a Jones header.

Teams:

Hibernian Malkowski, Whittaker, Martis, Jones, Murphy,Sproule (Shiels 85), Scott Brown (Fletcher 81), Thomson,Stewart (Glass 70), Killen, Zemmama.

Subs Not Used: McNeil, Benjelloun, Shields, Konte.

Booked: Sproule, Zemmama, Thomson, Scott Brown, Killen.

Goals: Zemmama 5, Killen 16.

Hearts Gordon, Tall, Pressley, Berra, Wallace, Mikoliunas,Hartley, Zaliukas (Aguiar 75), Cesnauskis, Velicka (Makela 81),Mole (Beslija 67).

Subs Not Used: Banks, Neilson, Fyssas, Bednar.

Sent Off: Mikoliunas (59).

Booked: Pressley, Mikoliunas, Velicka, Berra.

Goals: Velicka 28, 72.

Att: 16,623

Ref: C Richmond (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com