Hibernian 1 Hearts 0

From ROBERT GRIEVE at Tynecastle
Published: 03rd December 2012
1
THE numbers five and one were shown in bright lights.

It was six minutes into the second half and it looked like a cruel twist of fate.

Pat Fenlon stood shaking his head and cursing his luck as he looked up at the scoreboard as his best player was being carted off on a stretcher.

But Hibs didn’t need Leigh Griffiths to avenge their most infamous defeat and claim their first derby win since May 2009.

Not this time.

The Easter Road faithful don’t know what it’s like to win the Scottish Cup.

It just feels like they do.

But David Wotherspoon’s late winner here kept the Hibees in the hunt for a trophy they dream of lifting.

Last May’s final defeat is something they’ll NEVER get over, least of all because their biggest rivals — their city rivals — won’t let them.

The Jambos left Easter Road the same way they arrived — with six fingers raised in the air — as a reminder of that 5-1 historic Hampden win.

But the holders are out and they really only have themselves to blame.

This was no Cup classic by any stretch of the imagination. Far from it.

The first half especially made grim viewing. Take away the Cup-day atmosphere and derby excitement and the standard of play was guff.

You know, the kind of game where if it was being played in your back garden you’d shut the curtains. Hearts were the better side — but not by much.

Both sets of players were guilty of some awful stuff with possession far too often gifted away.

Maybe the unusual level of expectation on Hibs got to the men in green and white. Maybe all the talk of Hampden back in May made the Jambos stars relax too much.

Whatever it was, it was hard to watch. But Tynecastle gaffer John McGlynn would definitely have been the happier boss at the break.

His team survived the initial early pressure which comes with games like these, settled down before starting to boss things in the middle of the park.

Arvydas Novikovas was their most promising player going forward down the left.

Twice in the first 45 minutes he played in crosses which were begging to be finished.

With another ball into the mix he clipped the post.

From a corner Marius Zaliukas forced a top class save from home keeper Ben Williams who wasn’t helped by a deflection off one of his own players.

The longer the half wore on the more Hearts looked like this was going to be their day.

Again.

Hibs were restricted whenever they crossed the half-way line with their decision-making in the final third abysmal. The biggest positive their gaffer Fenlon would have emphasised at the break was that they were capable of playing so much better.

Griffiths was their biggest threat but he was never close enough to the Jambos goal to cause any damage.

He was constantly forced out wide where the Hearts defence were quite happy to let him dart around.

It was clearly frustrating the on-loan Wolves hitman.

He had a petulant finger-wagging screaming match with Hibees No2 Liam O’Brien a couple of minutes before the first half came to an end.

Griffiths’ day wasn’t going to plan.

Then, just six minutes after the game got going again, he jumped for a high ball, landed awkwardly and hit the deck in a heap. Reaching out for the physio, his match was over.

It was a cruel blow to the home side coming at a crucial time in the game.

You couldn’t help think Hibs desperately needed their best player out on the pitch, not lying on a stretcher being carted off in agony.

Hearts — now shooting towards the South Stand where their vocal support was housed — tried to step up a gear and force their way in front.

Andy Driver replaced Novikovas and he showed the same kind of enterprise that the little Lithuanian had demonstrated during his time on the pitch.

Then big John Sutton was thrown on and given a rare chance. Hibs, though, stood firm defensively and slowly but surely started to show signs that they could nick a goal to win it.

And with eight minutes left that’s exactly what they did.

Paul Cairney switched the play from left to right with a sweeping ball to Wotherspoon.

He ran at left-back Kevin McHattie, going past him with a fortunate break of the ball, before unleashing a shot from an angle from the edge of the box.

It might have gone in without any help — it might not have done. Anyhow, a wicked deflection off Zaliukas gave Jambos keeper Jamie MacDonald no chance.

With time against them the visitors had no way back with the Hibees support finally given the victory they’ve craved for so long.

With Proclaimers hits pumping out from the sound system they almost didn’t want to go home. They felt like they were already there.