Hibs 0

A FIRST-HALF header from Andrius Velicka handed Hearts all three points in the third Edinburgh derby of the season.

The Tynecastle side dominated the opening 45 minutes and deservedly went in at the break with the advantage.

The visitors turned the tables after half-time but could not turn their pressure into an equaliser.

Hearts had Steve Banks back between the sticks after last week's draw with Motherwell, while Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen gave new signing Ian Murray his second-time-around debut in place of young Paul Hanlon who did so well against Inverness last weekend..

The Finn's other signing this week, John Rankin, won a place on the bench beside Steven Fletcher, who lost his fitness battle to make the starting line-up.

The Jambos enjoyed the bulk of the early possession but an early corner from Andrew Driver was just too close to Yves Ma-Kalambay and the big Belgian collected the inswinger comfortably.
Mixu Paatelainen expresses his frustration. Picture: Greg Macvean

The home side carved out a chance from open play though with less than 10 minutes gone when Ruben Palazuelos picked out Michael Stewart as he raced to the edge of the box but his shot took a wicked deflection and flashed just wide of Ma-Kalambay's right-hand post.

Palazuelos was one of Hearts' best performers in the opening 45 minutes and he was at the centre of another move just a couple of minutes later when he turned away from Rob Jones to get a shot in. Ma-Kalambay had launched himself in the other direction but did brilliantly to change path and push the ball away for a corner with one hand.

Driver did well to skip away from the attentions of Hibs right-back Kevin McCann and charge up the field but he wasted the chance by going it alone and his long-range effort was wide and weak.

The home side though did take the lead with 18 minutes on the clock after Eggert Jonsson's snap-shot came off Jones for another corner. Driver again swung it in, deep to the back post, and when it was knocked back across the face of goal Andrius Velicka was there to head it into the net from close range.
Ma-kalamby saves a shot - but he wasn't so lucky earlier in the match. Picture: Greg Macvean

The Jambos were shouting for a penalty just 60 seconds later when Velicka took a tumble in the box under pressure from Chris Hogg, but the Lithuanian was booked by Kenny Clark for diving.

Easter Road boss Paatelainen had obviously seen enough from the opening 45 minutes and changed things around at the break, bringing Fletcher on to replace the ineffective Benjelloun.

Dean Shiels came closest to carving out a leveller for the visitors when his effort was deflected straight to Merouane Zemmama but the Moroccan couldn't keep his shot on target and it flashed past Banks' left-hand post.

Hearts were forced to make a change themselves when Michael Stewart was sick on the pitch and had to be withdrawn with 63 minutes gone and replaced by Lee Wallace.

With 15 minutes remaining
Felipe Morais sent Fletcher through on goal and the substitute twisted one way then the next to create space for the shot but the ball cannoned off Berra and away from danger.

Rankin looked as though he had made an instant impression as the game entered the latter stages when his free-kick found Hogg rushing in at the back post, but the defender couldn't keep the ball the right side of the post and it went just inches wide.

Hearts: Banks, Goncalves, Berra, Karipidis, Neilson, Jonsson, Driver, Palazuelos (Nade 80), Stewart (Wallace 63), Cesnauskis (Miko 69), Velicka. Unused subs: Bjornsson, Thomson, Beniusis, Ksanavicius.

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, Murray, Jones, Hogg, McCann, Beuzelin, Kerr, Shiels, Zemmama (Rankin 68), Morais (Gray 80), Benjelloun (Fletcher 46). Unused subs: McNeil, Chisholm, McCormack, Hanlon.

Attendance: 17,131

Taken from the Scotsman