Hearts storm to convincing derby day triumph!

It's the maroon side of Edinburgh celebrating this afternoon as Hearts saw off Hibs at Tynecastle with a 2-1 victory.

The Jambos were dominant throughout the match and thoroughly deserved the win.

Jim Jefferies made four changes to their starting line-up and the Hearts fans were happy to see the return of Ruben Palazuelos and Andy Driver, both coming back from injury.

Tynecastle seemed like it was going to erupt before the match with both sets of fans trying to out do each other in their support for their side.

The pace of the match in the first five minutes was fast with neither side being allowed to settle. Hearts won a free kick in the fifth minute when Andy Driver was brought down by Kevin McBride twenty yards out. The Jambos took a quick free kick which Sol Bamba cleared for a corner.

Hibs were trying to create attacks and a lot of the play was coming down the Hearts left from Steven Thicot and David Wotherspoon but they couldn't capitalise on their efforts.

In the 16th minute Hearts had another chance when Gary Glen won a ball with a brave tackle, it fell for Larry Kingston who shot from outside the box-his effort went just wide of goal.

A minute later and the men in maroon had to re-shuffle their side with Dawid Kucharki leaving the field with an injury being replaced by Suso Santana. Palazuelos dropped to left back and Lee Wallace moved to centre half.

Hit fit the front after 23 minutes. Suso Santana skipped past a couple players on the right hand side, his cross into the box came off the post, before falling at the feet of Andrew Driver who smashed it home. It was his first start since February and three quarters of Tynecastle were delighted to see him back.

The Jambos were then forced into another substitution when Ian Black had to leave the field with a head injury. The Hearts medical team had already tried to get him off the park but he was determined to keep playing, unfortunately Ian couldn't continue and was replaced by Ryan Stevenson.

Three minutes later and the Hearts fans were back on their feet. Eggert Jonsson headed the ball towards goal, Gary Glen placed himself just in front of Hibs keeper Graham Stack and headed away from the keeper into the net. The Hearts management team couldn't hide their joy as danced on the touchline.

After the two goals the pace of the game calmed down somewhat, Hibs were attempting to put together some passes but couldn't build up any rhythm.

Hearts started the second half positively; David Obua came close with his shot going just over the bar. A minute later he played a ball across the box to Suso, a tap in looked all that was needed from the Spaniard, but pressure from the Hibs defence meant the midfielder hit the ball over the bar. It was a remarkable miss for sure.

In the 53rd minute the ball broke for Gary Glen in the centre circle, the young Hearts player had only the Hibs keeper to beat as he ran towards goal, but under pressure from Lewis Stevenson, having misjudged his tuoch the ball ran away from him. Agonisingly.

The chances kept coming - it really should have been a cricket score. Three minutes later a Larry Kingston found the head of Gary Glen, who flicked the ball towards goal but Stack was alert to push the ball wide.

Hibs were starting to gain momentum in their play as Hearts tired, a consequence of a patched up side and no little effort. David Wotherspoon played a ball in from the right to Derek Riordan though his shot was blocked by Jason Thomson. Although they were trying to play football it was proving frustrating for the Hibees as nothing was working for them. Benjelloun played a good one two with Riordan in the box, but the Moroccan could only lash over.

All the chances of the game were so far falling to Hearts. Andrew Driver was next to come close - he skipped past the Hibs defence and clipped the ball over Stack, only to see Lewis Stevenson clear the ball on the line.

In the 75th minute Hibs had there best chance of the match. Again it was good build up play from Riordan and Benjelloun to get the ball down Hearts right hand side. Benjelloun's cross into the box was swinging into goal and Balogh stretched to tip it away.

Just as it looked Hearts had it covered, Hibs got a goal back in the 79th minute. Derek Riordan fired home at the back post after some slack defending. Hibs were right back into the match.

The closing stages of the match were tense; the goal gave Hibs a bit confidence but Hearts were also trying to keep their lead and increase it. Jason Thomson found himself in unusual territory as he dribbled past Hibs players in the midfield, he found Suso who played the ball to Stevenson at the edge of the box, he kept his shot low but Graham Stack got across goal to push it wide.

Hibs never created any real sort of chance to equalise. It wouldn't have been right, anyway, for this day, performance, and victory belonged to Hearts.

Hearts: Balogh; J Thomson, Kucharski(Suso, 17), Jonsson, Wallace; Kingston (C Thomson, 82), Black (Stevenson, 24), Palazuelos, Driver; Obua, Glen. Subs not used: MacDonald, Nade, Templeton, S Robinson.

Hibs: Stack; Thicot, Murray, Bamba, Stevenson; McBride Rankin (Benjelloun, 53); Wotherspoon, Miller, Riordan; Stokes. Subs not used: Smith, Cregg, Galbraith, Hanlon, Byrne, McCormack.

Referee: Willie Collum

Top man: David Obua

Hearts World