Mikoliunas the unlikely hero in ferocious derby

IN A breathless, ferociously competitive Edinburgh derby laced with the usual helping of controversy as Dean Shiels was sent off for barging into Craig Gordon after converting a penalty, Hearts exploited Hibernian's numerical handicap by edging a five-goal thriller with a terrific goal from Saulius Mikoliunas.

Six yellow cards and one red, as well as the five goals, were the statistics which told the story of a feverish contest in which Hibs recovered bravely from a dismal start. After Hearts went in front thanks to goals from Paul Hartley and Edgaras Jankauskas, John Collins men fought back with strikes from Shiels and Chris Killen.

At 2-2, Hibs might have fancied their chances of going on to win the match. But Shiels was punished for a reckless collision with Gordon and Hearts made them pay with Mikoliunas' matchwinner. Often the villain of the piece in a maroon jersey this season, the Lithuanian winger was the hero against Hibs with a crisp, controlled shot into the roof of the net.

Hibs' second-half performance was perhaps rousing enough to merit a share of the festive spoils - Steven Whittaker's surging display in attack was magnificent - but they paid the price for another derby blunder from Zibi Malkowski and Shiels' rashness.

This was Hearts most significant win since they defeated Celtic in August and the Tynecastle club will be hoping for a second half of the season less torrid on and off the field than the first.

Although Hearts made seven changes from the side which defeated Dundee United, the main pre-match talking point concerned the omission of Kevin Thomson, Hibs' club captain. Absent from a bench desperately short of experience, the loss of Thomson meant Hibs were unable to alter their starting XI.

On the other hand, Scott Brown - like Thomson, Brown has been agitating for a pay increase or a transfer - was restored in midfield as the contest started at a blistering pace. Hibs came bustling out of the traps and created a clear cut opening for Abdessalam Benjelloun in the first minute. Ten yards from goal with only Gordon to beat, the striker blazed a shot wide of the target.

Almost immediately, Hearts responded with a set-piece thrust reminiscent of their best football under George Burley. Christophe Berra's free-kick was shrewdly flicked on by Edgaras Jankauskas and Roman Bednar slipped the offside trap before cutting the ball back from the bye-line. Timing his run to perfection into the six-yard box, Hartley had the simple task of side-footing the ball past Malkowski. It was his eighth goal in eight games against Hibs for the Tynecastle side.

In a match played at a frantic pace, Hibs gave no quarter in midfield where both Hartley and Michael Stewart were booked after an early clash. When Stewart felled Hartley with another mistimed challenge later in the half, the former Hearts man was fortunate to stay on the pitch.

Hearts squandered an opportunity to increase their lead when Bednar sprinted clear of the cover in the inside-left position only to fire a low shot straight at Malkowski. Shelton Martis was caught flat-footed on that occasion before making another slip after 25 minutes which gave Jankauskas an opportunity to apply pressure.

Hibs also caused Hearts a few problems during the first period thanks to Stewart's creative touch. His influence grew as the game progressed and his duel with Hartley involved brain as much as brawn. His pass gave Chris Killen a first sighting of goal but Hibs' top scorer was slack on this occasion and poked an effort wide.

The return of Jankauskas and Bednar up front for Hearts was a telling influence on the outcome as their strength and height caused problems for the visitors. Because of injuries to both men, the strikers had only started three previous matches together all season. But their energy and movement served a reminder that Hearts don't have a more effective combination at their disposal.

Aware, no doubt, that Malkowski doesn't have the safest pair of hands in derby history, Jankauskas was entitled to stalk the Hibs goalkeeper when Hartley's 48th-minute free-kick was curled towards the far post. Even the big Lithuanian, however, must have been astonished by the fumble which presented him with the simplest chance to score his first goal of the season from a couple of yards.

Hibs responded in a timely manner by forcing a corner thanks to surging run from Whittaker. Shiels' 54th-minute corner was struck deep into the heart of the box where Killen's towering header escaped the outstretched arms of Gordon.

Now enthused about salvaging some reward from what had looked a lost cause, Hibs set up the equaliser when Whittaker's diagonal pass found Shiels on the left of the box. Nerijus Barasa brushed the forward, who went down quickly, and conceded a soft 60th-minute penalty. Shiels made an expert job of the spot-kick with a well-placed shot and then suffered a bizarre rush of blood to the head.

Running to pick up the ball from the back of the net, Shiels careered into Gordon and sent the Hearts goalkeeper crashing to the ground. Was it deliberate? After consulting with the assistant referee, Mike McCurry decided the challenge was reckless enough to merit a red card and instant dismissal. Shiels' angry reaction suggested he felt hard done by and the goalkeeper had gone down too readily.

With Hibs reduced to ten men, the outcome of a gripping match turned again in the 69th minute when Andrius Velicka, on as a replacement for Jankauskas, swept across an inviting ball from the left flank which missed everyone until Mikoliunas arrived late in the box and thumped the ball into the roof of the net from 16 yards. To their credit, Hibs kept pushing eagerly for an equaliser and very nearly got on when Brown's knife-like run caused hesitant Hearts another problem. Killen cleverly set up the marauding Whittaker for an angled shot which eluded Gordon at the near post only to unluckily canon off the woodwork, across the line and off the other post.

Taken from the Scotsman