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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 01 Jan 2011 Hearts 1 Hibernian 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
| <-Srce | <-Type | Scotsman ------ Report | Type-> | Srce-> |
| Jim Jefferies 2nd | <-auth | None | auth-> | Calum Murray |
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| 4 | of 012 | Kevin Kyle 86 | L SPL | H |
Kyle seals hard-fought derby winPublished Date: 01 January 2011 By Colleen Strachan Scorers: Hearts: Kyle (86) A LATE strike from Kevin Kyle handed Hearts all three points in the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle on Saturday. Both sides had come close in the 85 minutes which had gone before but it was left to the big striker to head home the winner just as it looked like they would have to settle for a share of the spoils. The win saw Hearts close the gap one SPL leaders to just three points, although that could all change tomorrow when the Old Firm clash gets underway at Ibrox. Hearts once again had Jamie MacDonald between the sticks after the back injury that kept Marian Kello out of the win failed to clear up in time. Stephen Elliott also missed out but Rudi Skacel was fit enough to return to the side and Lee Wallace again took his place on the bench as he continues his comeback from injury. Hibs manager Colin Calderwood made five changes to his side from the midweek game against Dundee United, bringing Steven Thicot, Jonathan Grounds, Liam Miller, Darryl Duffy and Valdas Trakys into his starting line-up. The first New Year's Day derby in 13 years kicked off in the midst of a cacophany of noise and and Hibs had the first real chance when Trakys was brought down by Black just a yard or two outside the box, but Derek Riordan's curling free-kick was easily dealt with by MacDonald. Hearts fans were screaming for a red card for Ian Murray after a sickening clash between the Hibs captain and Ian Black. The Hearts midfielder was left flat out by the challenge in mid-air and received several minutes of treatment before returning to the fray. Despite the severity of the blow Black took, referee Calum Murray opted only for a yellow card for Murray as the Hibs defender appeared to have his eye on the ball, rather than the player. Hearts came close in 13 minutes when Rudi Skcael sent the ball in from the left for Kevin Kyle and the big Hearts striker will feel that he should have done better than to send his shot wide of Mark Brown's left-hand post. A snap-shot from Duffy almost caught MacDonald out in 20 minutes, the Hearts keeper only able to tip the ball behind at the last minute after fumbling at the first attempt. Skacel then whipped a ball into the box and both Murray and Paul Hanlon slipped, allowing Kyle some space, but this time the hitman sent his shot on the turn over Brown's crossbar. Almost on the stroke of half time, Hearts could have edged in front when Ruben Palazuelos' ball in from the left found Elliot, but his header was well held by Brown. Skacel then produced a brlliant effort just as Murray was about to blow his whistle, only to be foiled by an equally good save from Brown right at the postage stamp corner. Grounds was forced to put the ball behind for a corner in 54 under pressure from Eggert Jonsson and Hearts almost scored from the resultant corner. However Steven Thicot kept the scoresheet blank as he was in the right place at the right time to head off the line from Zaliukas after the Lithuanian defender got himself on the end of an Ian Black corner. Skacel then came close again when he whipped in a stunning free-kick that Brown did brilliantly well to touch onto the corner of the post and the bar with his left hand, whilst diving full stretch to his right. In 69 minutes Hibs had a decent chance of their own, Riordan's ball into the box missed by Nish and then Francis Dickoh at the back post couldn't get even the slighteast of touches on it to tuern it into the net. Hibs strung together a penetrating move in 66 minutes when Grounds played the ball down the line for Riordan and the Hibs striker found Nish with a diagonal ball that left Hearts exposed. With Zaliukas left on his own it was left to Nish to finish but he pulled his shot just a couple of inshes wide of MacDonald's right-hand post. The best chance of the match fell to Hearts in 84 minutes when Scakel and sub Arvydas Novikovas combined down the right, with the latter teeing up Gary Glen just a few yards out at the back post but the home support were again disappointed as he fired wide when it looked easier to score. However they got their goal just seconds later when Novikovas managed to step away from two Hibs defenders and the Lithuanian managed to pick out Kyle, who was racing in at the back post, and he angled a header into the back of the net beyond Brown. Hearts manager Jim Jefferies said he was delighted with the win. "I couldn't care if it was the worst game in the world - it's a sweet, sweet feeling when you win these games and the three points were the important thing," said Jefferies. "I've got to give Hibs credit, they deserve credit for keeping us out. "We kept going at them and we always had them on the back foot. "I said to the players at half-time 'just be patient'. "And when the goal went in I don't think there's anybody in the ground that could have complained Hearts didn't deserve to win the game." Hibs boss Colin Calderwood conceded his side were second best and praised the goal. He said: "You've got to go the full length (of the game). It is frustrating. It was our throw-in in the last third and they went quickly up the pitch and scored. "It was terrific quality, first with the dribble, then with the cross and the header at the back stick. Sometimes that quality decides a tight game. "But they were certainly in the ascendancy and we were living for one or two breaks." Hearts: MacDonald, Jonsson, Palazuelos, Black, Kyle, Templeton, Elliot, Skacel, Bouzid, Zaliukas, Mrowiec. Subs: Balogh, Wallace, Obua, Stevenson, Novikovas, Glen, Thomson. Hibernian: Brown, Thicot, De Graaf, Murray, Grounds, Hanlon, Dickoh, Miller, Riordan, Duffy, Trakys. Subs: Smith, Nish, Wotherspoon, Galbraith, Zemmama, Rankin, Hogg. Referee: Calum Murray Attendance: 17,156  Taken from the Scotsman |
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| <-Page | <-Team | Sat 01 Jan 2011 Hearts 1 Hibernian 0 | Team-> | Page-> |
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