Honours even after pulsating derby

Hibernian 1 (Berra 18, o.g.)
Hearts 1 (Nade 46)

HONOURS were even at the end of a thrilling Edinburgh derby which, after taking a little time to warm up, raged from one end of the Easter Road pitch to the other.

An own goal from Hearts skipper Christophe Berra put Hibs ahead after 18 minutes but the slightest of deflections from striker Christian Nade provided Hearts equaliser just 60 seconds after the interval.

Both sides had chances to get that all-important second goal with goalkeepers Yves Ma-Kalambay and his opposite number Anthony Basso pulling out fantastic saves to ensure the game ended in a 1-1 draw.

With Guillaume Beuzelin restored to their midfield after a month-long absence, Hibs were quickly into their rythmn, knocking the ball around in style while unable to cause Hearts back line too many problems.

They may not have enjoyed too much of the early possesion but it was Hearts who carved out the game’s first two chances, Andy Driver heading a Robbie Neilson cross just over before the young Englishman turned provider, racing away from David Murphy to fire in a near-post cross which Andrius Velicka drove inches wide of the target.

Hibs had loud claims for a penalty turned down in the 13th minute as Lewis Stevenson chased Murphy’s through ball deep into Hearts 18-yard box. As he did so he was barged to the ground by Tynecastle skipper Christophe Berra but as the Hibs fans and players howled for a spot-kick referee Charlie Richmond waved play on.

But those same fans were cheering five minutes later as Hibs took the lead. Velicka threw himself at Filipe Morais’ corner but failed to make contact, and to Hearts horror the ball cannoned off the thigh of team-mate Berra and into the net.

A terrific pass from Steven Fletcher allowed Mickael Antoine-Curier to head towards Hearts goal but just as the big Frenchman prepared to pull the trigger, Berra slid in with a terrific last-ditch tackle to deny him.

Other than those two early openings Hearts hadn’t caused Hibs too many problems but goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay was relieved to see a shot from Michael Stewart which deflected off Murphy soar over his bar for a corner which came to nothing.

And on the stroke of half-time Anthony Basso came to Hearts rescue, bringing off a brilliant save after Beuzelin had sent Fletcher free. Incredibly, at the other end Ma-Kalambay produced similar heroics, preventing Velicka equalising as he stretched out his right boot to prevent the striker’s low shot finding the net.

The game had come alive in the dying minutes of the first-half and continued in that manner after the interval as Hearts equalised within 60 seconds.

Stewart’s corner from the right eluded everyone but was returned from the oppositve flank by Driver for Andrius Ksanavicius to head goalwards, the ball taking a deflection of his team-mate Nade, only three yards out, to leave Ma-Kalambay flat-footed as the ball passed his left hand.
That goal inspired Hearts, Driver trying his luck with a long-range shot which was held by Ma-Kalambay before the Hibs goalkeeper was forced to use his legs to block a shot from a tight angle by Velicka.

Play was raging from end-to-end in what was an enthralling derby, the fingertips of Basso taking Morais’ low cross out of the path of Fletcher before Driver blasted the ball high over the bar from 18 yards when he should have done better.

Jose Goncalves took an Antoine-Curier cross away from Fletcher before Velicka booted Morais header from a Beuzelin corner off his own line. Fletcher thought he’d put Hibs back in front in the 66th minute as he headed home but referee Richmond adjugded he had pushed Hearts midfielder Eggert Johnsson in the process.

A delicate shot from Velicka had Ma-Kalambay grasping thin air but the ball drifted just wide of his left-hand post as Hearts stepped up the pressure, seeking to narrow that seven-point gap enjoyed by their Capital neighbours.

Chris Hogg almost committed the football equivalent of suicide when he wandered into midfield only to lose possession, Ksanavicius scurrying away down the left only to deliver a cross which was outwith the reach of Velicka.

As the minutes ticked away both sides battled for that decisive goal and it almost came Hearts was four minutes from time when Driver drilled in a low cross which substitute Mauricio Pinilla just couldn’t guide goalwards.

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, McCann, Hogg, Jones,Murphy, Morais (Zemmama 80), Kerr, Beuzelin, Stevenson, Antoine-Curier (Donaldson 71), Fletcher (O’Brien 81). Subs not used: McNeil, Chisholm, Gathuessi, McCormack.

Hearts: Basso, Neilson, Tall, Berra, Goncalves, Driver, Stewart, Jonsson, Ksanavicius (Elliot 85), Velicka (Pospisil 80), Nade (Pinilla 66). Subs not used: Banks, Wallace, Palazuelos, Mikoliunas.

Referee: Charlie Richmond.

Taken from the Scotsman