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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 01 Jan 2011 Hearts 1 Hibernian 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | BBC ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Jim Jefferies 2nd | <-auth | None | auth-> | Calum Murray |
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| 2 | of 012 | Kevin Kyle 86 | L SPL | H |
Hearts 1-0 HibernianBy Clive LindsayKevin Kyle's dramatic late winner gave Hearts a deserved victory over Hibernian - the Tynecastle club's fourth Edinburgh derby win in a row. Hearts had most of the possession in a first half full of effort and commitment but few opportunities. Hibs' Francis Dickoh squandered a couple of chances after half time and Mark Brown had two fine saves to deny Hearts' Calum Elliot and Rudi Skacel. But the goalkeeper could not stop Kyle's 86th-minute header. Winning four derbies in a row for the first time since 1997 moved Hearts to within a point of second-placed Rangers and three behind leaders Celtic. Hibs, who remained six points off the bottom before Hamilton played Motherwell later in the afternoon, had started the game without Sol Bamba, with the Ivory Coast central defender being close to securing a transfer to Leicester City. He was one of five changes made by Colin Calderwood despite the spirited midweek fightback in a 2-2 draw with Dundee United. Michael Hart, Lewis Stevenson, David Wotherspoon and Danny Galbraith were the others to make way for Steven Thicot, Jonathan Grounds, Darryl Duffy, Valdas Trakys and Liam Miller, who has himself been linked with a move to Hearts. In-form winger Rudi Skacel, who returned from a calf strain to take the place of Ryan Stevenson in midfield, was the only change made by Jim Jefferies following his side's 2-0 win over St Mirren. Calderwood had gone for an attacking line-up, with Duffy and Trakys up front and talisman Derek Riordan moving back to the left of midfield, but it was Hearts who stamped their authority on the match early on. Hibs, accused of being bullied to defeat in Calderwood's first match - and first derby - in charge back in November, responded robustly and were perhaps lucky not to be reduced to 10 men when defender Ian Murray flatted Ian Black. With the Hearts midfielder requiring some smelling salts, referee Calum Murray merely produced a yellow card and television replays suggested that it was the correct decision for what was more a late rather than premeditated use of the elbow. That failed to knock Black, who recovered in time for substitute Stevenson's warm up to prove pointless, and Hearts out of their stride and it was no surprise when the home side created the first chance. Kyle could not get a firm enough of a touch on David Templeton's low cross and the ball was too far in front of the in-rushing Calum Elliot as it squirmed across the six-yard box. Hibs settled and a low, 18-yard Duffy drive squirmed out the grasp of goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald and wide for a corner. As the game became a scrappy affair, Kyle skied an effort on the turn following another Templeton cross and several more Hearts crosses whizzed untouched across the face of the Hibs goal. Yet it was Hibs who missed perhaps the best chance of the half when a corner fell to Dickoh and the central defender snatched at his effort from 10 yards. Hearts were thwarted by a terrific, one-handed Mark Brown save in the opening seconds of the second half when Thicot failed to control Kyle's header into the six-yard box and Elliot shot from close range on the turn. Thicot managed a firmer connection on his clearance from in front of goal after Skacel fired a header towards goal from 12 yards. Hearts now had Hibs pinned back in defence and a fine curling free-kick from Skacel was turned acrobatically onto the crossbar by goalkeeper Mark Brown as it headed for the top far corner of the net. Despite Hearts' territorial advantage, Hibs missed a great chance after 69 minutes, when a Riordan free-kick was headed on by substitute Colin Nish and the unmarked Dickoh blasted into the side netting from 10 yards. Hearts were pushing too many men forward and were caught on the break after a superb crossfield ball from Riordan found Nish, who controlled the ball well with his chest but drove the ball powerfully but wide of the far post from 15 yards. Calls for a penalty were rejected when a Black drive hit the hand of Grounds, but the assistant appeared to decide that it had not been deliberate. Hearts ought to have taken the lead with five minutes remaining when Arvydas Novikovas sent a low cross to the far post and fellow substitute Gary Glen fired wide from five yards. Hibs did not heed the warning and a piece of Novikovas trickery and another cross from the Lithuanian found Kyle at the back post. And the Scotland striker headed home from a difficult angle with Brown unable to get enough strength in his wrist to push the effort clear. Hibs had a late shout for a penalty denied when a Riordan cross struck the hand of Ismael Bouzid but could not prevent their seventh defeat in 11 games under Calderwood.  Taken from the BBC |
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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 01 Jan 2011 Hearts 1 Hibernian 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
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