Hibs 1-2 Hearts: Last gasp Obua goal seals victory

Published Date: 01 May 2010
By Colleen Strachan
Scorers: Hibernian: Stokes (53 pen). Hearts: Suso (71), Obua (88)
A LAST-GASP goal from David Obua handed Hearts all three points at Easter Road and left John Hughes still looking for his first victory over the Tynecastle side.

Hibs had taken a first-half lead after being awarded a penalty, despite there seeming to be little or no contact from Marius Zaliukas on John Rankin, Anthony Stokes stroking home from the spot to give his side the advantage.

However the visitors hit back after the break through Suso Santana and they stunned their hosts in the dying minutes when Obua netted the winner from just a couple of yards out.

Hibs had skipper Chris Hogg back in the starting line-up after struggling with a back injury and Liam Miller was also on from the start, having missed the last two matches due to a calf injury and suspension.

Hearts made four changes to the side that lost 2-0 to Motherwell last weekend, Michael Stewart dropping out of the squad altogether and Suso, Ismael Bouzid and Craig Thomson taking their place on the bench.

Laryea Kingston, Eggert Jonsson, Ian Black, Ryan Stevenson filled the gaps in Jim Jefferies' starting 11.

Hearts had an early opportunity when David Templeton cut in from the right to get a shot in from the edge of the box, but Graeme Smith was down well to push it away.

Hibs could also have bagged an early opener when Ian Murray and Colin Nish combined to set up Derek Riordan, only for Jamie MacDonald to get a hand to the shot, sending it trickling just wide of the goalkeeper's left-hand post.

Obua a should have put the visitors in front in 15 minutes when Laryea Kingston floated a free kick into the six-yard box but was just inches away from connecting.

David Wotherspoon then carved out a chance for Hibs, racing down the right and whipping the ball across for Paul Hanlon, only for the young defender to send his downward header wide.

Hearts came closest to a goal in 23 minutes when Ian Black's ball in from the left was headed straight back out to the feet of Kingston by Ian Murray, who was trying to clear his lines. The Ghana international caught it sweetly from 25 yards out, only for it to crack off the base of Smith's right-hand stick.

MacDonald did well to keep out a shot from Rankin just seven minutes before the break, after the little midfielder was teed up by Nish on the edge of the box.

After the break Hearts almost cost themselves a goal when a poor pass back from Marius Zaliukas left MacDonald in trouble, the Hearts goalkeeper fluffing an attempt to clear it and instead the ball coming off his ankle and, fortunately for the keeper, going just past for a corner.

Hibs were awarded a penalty in 52 minutes when Zaliukas was judged to have brought John Rankin down just inside the box. Lee Wallace did everythin possible to put Anthony Stokes off as he stepped up to the spot and then David Obua joined in with the diversionary tactics, but nothing worked as the Irishman calmly slotted home to the keeper's right from 12 yards.

Hibs threatened again when a cracking ball on the angle form Nish found Riordan out wide but his ball in was cut out by Zaliukas, whose header handed the Easter Road side a corner that came to nothing.

Hearts levelled in 71 minutes after a long kick from MacDonald found Obua and the gangly Ugandan knocked it on for Calum Elliot.

The Hearts sub, on to replace Gary Glen, was challenged by Smith, who had raced off his line and the ball rebounded to Suso, who rattled it straight into an empty net..

The Jambos hit a dramatic late winner when a ball in from Templeton from the left took a slight touch from Elliot before being rattled high into the back of the net by Obua from just a couple of yards out.

Hibernian: Smith, Wotherspoon (Gow 75), Hogg, Hanlon, Murray, Thicot, Miller, Nish, Stokes, Riordan, Rankin. Unused subs: Ma-Kalambay, McCann, Cregg, Stevenson, Benjelloun, Galbraith.

Hearts: MacDonald, Wallace, Jonsson, Palazuelos, Black, Kingston, Obua, Stevenson (Suso 67), Templeton, Zaliukas, Glen (Elliot 58). Unused subs: Lyness, Thomson, Bouzid, Smith, Thomson.

Referee: Dougie McDonald.

Taken from the Scotsman