Hibernian 2 - 2 Hearts

By Clive Lindsay

Stephen Elliott's late equaliser saved a point for 10-man Hearts after an exciting derby against Hibernian.

Both sides threatened in a thrilling start before Ryan Stevenson's low drive gave Hearts a 24th-minute lead.

Marius Zaliukas was sent off for a push on Akpo Sodje and Liam Miller scored the resulting 35th-minute penalty.

Recent signing Ricardo Vaz Te prodded Hibs into a winning position with 10 minutes left, but Elliott volleyed in the equaliser three minutes later.

And it could rule out a fourth Edinburgh derby this season, with Hibs now seven points adrift of Motherwell in the battle to finish in the top six of the Scottish Premier League before it splits for the final five games.

Stevenson had been handed a start along with Andrew Driver, Ismael Bouzid and Jamie MacDonald as third-top Hearts were without goalkeeper Marian Kello and Rudi Skacel through injury and Andrian Mrowiec through suspension, while David Obua was dropped to the bench.

Milller and Jimmy Scott started in Hibs' first outing in almost a month and the latter set up Derek Riordan with an early chance.

The former Ross County midfielder's chip over Hearts defence fell kindly for the Scotland forward, only for Riordan to rush his shot and side-foot his effort well wide.
Stephen Elliott celebrates for Hearts
Elliott struck for Hearts with seven minutes remaining

Hearts responded immediately with a low ball from Driver into the path of Elliott, but the striker fired straight at Mark Brown and the goalkeeper beat it away before it was thumped cleared.

Hibs left-back Callum Booth sent a powerful low drive at goal from edge of the box, but it was straight at goalkeeper MacDonald.

When Scott thrust his studs into the heel of midfield counterpart Ian Black, the game could have boiled over, but fortunately the excitement continued to be generated by the attacking play of both sides.

A Stevenson corner found the unmarked Elliott four yards out after being dummied by Ruben Palazuelos at the front post, but it reached the striker at chest height and he could only deflect it into the goalkeeper's arms.

Bouzid was next to squander a good chance for Hearts moments later from a curling Craig Thomson free-kick, the defender flicking his header wide of the far post.

Driver had been looking dangerous in only his second start of a season blighted by injury and provided the cross that set up the opening goal.

After it fell to Stevenson after being half-cleared by a Hibs head, the midfielder controlled it with his right before half-volleying home with his left from 16 yards.

Hearts were looking comfortable in their lead until Hibs equalised out of the blue thanks to a reckless Zaluikas challenge.

Zaliukas blatantly pushed Sodje as the Lithuanian realised that he was not going to reach a cross into the box and referee Iain Brines sent off the defender after awarding a penalty kick that Miller fired home clinically into the corner.

Hearts manager Jim Jefferies hauled off winger David Templeton as he bolstered his defence with Jason Thomson, but his side were now trapped in their own half.

Goalkeeper Brown raced off his line to kick clear when Riordan was played through on goal then Francis Dickoh should have done better than head down and over from 10 yards after rising to meet a fine curling Booth cross.

Hibs boss Colin Calderwood looked to continue the pressure on the Hearts defence by introducing former Bolton striker Ricardo Vaz Te in place of midfielder Scott at half-time.

Yet Hearts were the side who were the ones peppering the opposition penalty box in the early stages of the second half until Black's mis-control presented Hibs with a golden opportunity.

Miller's pass found Victor Palsson in space on the edge of the box, but the former Liverpool midfielder fired over the crossbar after the ball took an awkward bobble and struck his shin.

That ecouraged the home side and Riordan went close when he fired in a drive that MacDonald parried before the Hibs forward powered an effort on the rebound from a difficult angle just over the crossbar.

The Leith outfit looked to have snatched victory when Vaz Te flicked David Wotherspoon's cross into his own path before driving home from 14 yards.

However, Andy Webster headed a Craig Thomson free-kick into the six-yard box and Elliott provided the finish.

Two fine saves from MacDonald prevented Riordan and Matt Thornhill from restoring Hibs' lead as they forced Hearts into some desperate defending in the dying moments.

Taken from the BBC