Wounded Hearts beat stronger

That they were dicing with defeat was down to another senseless aberration from captain Marius Zaliukas. He was dismissed shortly after the half-hour mark for blatantly barging into the Hibernian striker Akpo Sodje inside the penalty area. Liam Miller converted the resultant penalty, equalising Ryan Stevenson's well taken 24th-minute opener.

The hosts had been overwhelmed by a rampant Hearts side before that turning point, several chances having been created and passed up. Hibernian went on to dominate possession for much of the rest of the game and moved ahead when Vaz Te capitalised on slack defending to stroke David Wotherspoon's cross beyond Jamie MacDonald. That really should have been that, so to speak. Yet Hearts never willingly bow in derbies and levelled within four minutes, prompting a mini pitch invasion at the away end.

One lone Jambo got over the advertising boards, meandered out towards Brown's penalty spot and stood in splendid isolation in front of the entire stadium. A few obscene gestures to the home support and he was carted off by the local constabulary. Nonetheless, his presence in the face of the disconsolate Hibernian fans summed up Hearts' defiance as they prised a result against the odds once again.

"We were fantastic when you consider Hibs were at their strongest," said Jim Jefferies, the Hearts manager. "They had a really strong bench but Hearts were without quite a few. Rudi Skacel was out of the team on Friday but then wasn't as bad yesterday morning. We decided to put him on the bench and put him on if we were behind. We threw him on for the last ten minutes to try and get a goal back. In the opening half-hour we should have been three up, we were by far the better side.

Hibs got a break with the penalty and that changed the game when they scored. They got a lift and they were sadly needing one having been outplayed up until then. That speaks volumes for our squad.

"Hibs had chances in the second half with the extra man, but we showed tremendous spirit to go one down so late and then come up with a goal from Stephen. If anyone deserved it, Stephen did. He had to change positions a few times. He should have scored in the first half but then I put him out wide after the sending off and he put in a fantastic shift. Ryan Stevenson did the same and won more than his fair share of high balls against bigger players.

"We were without Marian Kello because of his back, as well as a number of key players. It speaks volumes for the players to play as well as they did. Things went against them and they bounced back. We've sent the supporters away with our record intact and the run is kept going."

Had it been surrendered, you wouldn't have fancied being Zaliukas for all the Litas in Lithuania. His sending off was the result of another inexplicable rush of blood to the head. With Hearts 1-0 ahead and in total command, he turned his back on Derek Riordan's cross to barge Sodje out of the way. It was a clear penalty, and referee Iain Brines deemed Sodje was denied a clear scoring opportunity in the process. Out came the red card.

Some believe Zaliukas was a tad unfortunate in being dismissed, but recently a worrying propensity for silliness has returned to his play. Last month he grabbed Alexei Eremenko by the throat during Kilmarnock's victory at Tynecastle and somehow stayed on the field. Yesterday he paid the price.

"I'm not complaining about the foul, I thought it was a penalty," said Jefferies. "Craig Thomson said he thought Jamie MacDonald was going to get the ball before Sodje so I'm not sure about the sending off. If the referee deems it a goalscoring chance he has to go. It swung the game in Hibs' favour but we said at half-time not to panic. We each had to give a little bit more with one man less. The main thing was to take time and make sure we didn't lose."

Losing Zaliukas added to Hearts' difficulties after they had been denied a justifiable penalty of their own. Elliott's foot was caught as he reached a loose ball ahead of Paul Hanlon inside the penalty area after only nine minutes, however Brines rejected the appeals.

"Yes, I thought it was a penalty," continued Jefferies. "Only the video would prove if that was right or wrong but we didn't get it."

The second half saw Hibernian fashion a plethora of opportunities, many of them falling to Derek Riordan, however a clinical edge was missing when it was needed most. "The players know this record means a lot and they know that was Hibs' chance," said Jefferies. "They shouldn't have got it because they should have been dead and buried.

"They got a lifeline with the penalty and it gave them a lift.

Hearts are not going to give up this record easily. I just hope Hibs get into the top six so we can get them back at Tynecastle."

Yesterday began as a party for Hearts supporters who launched balloons and beach balls onto the Easter Road pitch.

They were silenced for long spells as Hibernian seized control, but by full-time the delirium had returned because their team once again proved they will not accept a derby defeat.

Taken from the Scotsman