Edinburgh in grip of derby double

Alex Salmond revealed recently that watching Heart of Midlothian lift the Scottish Cup on two occasions was as satisfying as anything he has known in politics, but Scotland’s First Minister may wish to have a gentle word with his second in command, Nicola Sturgeon, after she handed the Tynecastle club a tough mission in their bid to win the trophy this season, away to bitter rivals Hibernian.

The Deputy First Minister and George Burley, the Scotland manager, pitched the Edinburgh clubs together when they made the draw for the fourth round of the Homecoming Scottish Cup.

Cup fever is poised to grip the city, just as it did in 2006 when they met in the semi-finals at Hampden Park in front of almost 50,000 and Hearts won 4-0.

At least the Edinburgh fans will not have to endure an exodus to Glasgow along the M8 and by train, as they did that day. Easter Road will be a certain sell-out for the encounter, on either January 10 or 11, even if it is screened live on television.

Rangers, the holders, have been given an equally hard assignment away to St Johnstone, who came close to knocking Walter Smith’s team out in the semi-finals last season, while Celtic are at home to Dundee.

However, it is the Edinburgh derby that will capture the public’s imagination as the Scottish Cup embraces its new sponsorship from the Scottish Executive that makes it, in Salmond’s eyes, the “jewel in the crown” of the 2009 Homecoming celebrations.

Ironically, Burley was manager of Hearts in that successful 2005-06 but was sacked midway through the season. Valdas Ivanauskas took charge and led the team that Burley built to glory. He believes that his former club, whose five successive victories in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League is the best sequence of results since Burley was at Tynecastle, can overcome Hibernian. “Both sets of supporters and players will be looking forward to the game,” he said. “Hearts are on a tremendous run and Hibs have also had a couple of decent results. I think it will be a cracking match.”

The game will be something of a headache for Lothian and Borders police, who already have an Edinburgh derby on their itinerary when Hearts and Hibernian meet on league business at Tynecastle on January 3. “It will be a massive seven days,” Christophe Berra, the Hearts captain, said. “These matches are always one-offs but the pressure will be on Hibernian as the home team in the cup.”

Hearts are unbeaten on their past three trips to Easter Road and Saturday’s defeat of Rangers has heightened the ambitions of Csaba Laszlo, the manager. “It is a difficult tie, as derby matches always are, but we will look forward to it,” he said. “It is a big week for the teams — and hopefully a good one for our fans.”

Burley believes that Laszlo is on the verge of restoring the feelgood factor to Hearts that he brought to the club before his acrimonious split with them and Vladimir Romanov, the owner. “Winning five on the trot speaks volumes,” Burley said. “At times they maybe haven’t been playing their best football but they are very hard to beat. When you have that in your locker, you will win a lot more than you lose.”

Perhaps the most intriguing tie for the romantics is the tie that will take Motherwell, the 1991 winners, either to Inverurie Loco Works and Vale of Leithen. The non-league sides had their third-round tie postponed on Saturday but the winners will host Mark McGhee’s side, who competed in the Uefa Cup this season.

East Stirlingshire, the third division side, earned their reward for beating Livingston, of the first division, with a home tie against Dundee United, the 2005 finalists. Forres Mechanics, of the Highland League, or East of Scotland outfit Dalbeattie Star will travel to face league opposition in the shape of Forfar Athletic or Stranraer.

Aberdeen will have second division opposition, when Raith Rovers and Alloa Athletic settle their third-round tie, St Mirren are away either to Edinburgh City, another East of Scotland club, or Brechin City, of the second division. Hamilton Academical also travel, facing the winners of Ross County v Dumbarton.

Lochee United, the Dundee club who are the only junior side in the draw, will host Kilmarnock if they beat Ayr United in their rearranged tie, although an Ayrshire derby looks more likely.

Taken from timesonline.co.uk