Velicka double confirms Hearts' spirit as rudderless Hibs slip up

Ewan Murray at Easter Road
Monday October 16, 2006
The Guardian

It is debatable whether the sudden departure of their manager, Tony Mowbray, last week caused the Hibernian supporters more upset than surrendering a two-goal lead to their Edinburgh rivals Hearts yesterday.

With Mowbray now at West Bromwich Albion, the Hibs board will spend the week attempting to secure a successor before a trip to Dunfermline next Monday evening. The playing staff at Easter Road, however, will doubtless use much of their time discussing how they contrived to throw away two points from a pulsating first Edinburgh derby of the season.

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Goals from Merouane Zemmama and Scott Brown had Hibs two goals ahead within 16 minutes, before a double from the on-loan Lithuanian striker Andrius Velicka secured an unlikely point for the visitors. Both Hearts goals owed much to the inadequacies of Hibs' goalkeeper, Zibi Malkowski, but Valdas Ivanauskas's side are due credit for their spirited revival; especially given that they played for the final 32 minutes with 10 men after the dismissal of Saulius Mikoliunas.

"That epitomised our time at the club," said Mark Venus, the Hibs caretaker manager who will join Mowbray at The Hawthorns this week. "We conceded two soft goals. That is a trait that has been with us for the last two years. It's probably the reason we haven't lifted silverware."

Yet thoughts of the side making a short-term progression from eighth place in the league must have been in Venus's mind after the home side's early supremacy. Zemmama rounded off a neat move involving Michael Stewart and Chris Killen for the opening goal, before Brown got the final touch to Killen's header to confirm the home side's dominance.

Hearts appeared in disarray before Velicka's speculative header looped over the wayward Malkowski shortly before the half hour mark. Mikoliunas's subsequent and deserved sending off for two yellow cards made little difference, given that the winger had been a virtual passenger for his entire time on the pitch, and Velicka drilled a low half-volley home from Paul Hartley's sublime 50-yard pass.

Only a spectacular Craig Gordon save in the dying seconds denied Venus a successful farewell to Easter Road, but such a result would have been harsh on Hearts who more than played their part in an engrossing, if never pretty, derby; the sight of nine yellow cards was proof of that. The Tynecastle side's rotation policy may rival that of Liverpool - Ivanauskas made four changes to the side who beat Dundee United 4-0 a fortnight ago - but Hearts continue to demonstrate spirit when they need it most.

All that remained was for Venus to lend his support to first-team coach Mark Proctor's claims for the manager's job. It remains unclear whether the former Darlington coach is interested in the position, but Venus said: "His CV is probably equal to what Tony's was when he came here."

Man of the match Paul Hartley (Hearts)

Taken from the Guardian/Observer