Hearts and Hibs play out derby stalemate as SPL closes for winter break

Scottish Premier League
Hearts 0
Hibernian 0

Ewan Murray at Tynecastle
The Guardian, Thursday 3 January 2013 21.51 GMT

Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian have played out some epic derby matches. This was not one of them, a generally turgid affair in which bluntness undermined any glimpses of quality. Hearts will be the more aggrieved at having to settle for a point at home. In stoppage time their striker John Sutton headed against the crossbar.

Mental scars at Hibs on account of their 5-1 mauling by Hearts in last season's Scottish Cup final will take a considerable time to heal while the Hearts support continue to bask in the glory of that afternoon eight months ago.

Nonetheless, Hibs' on-field fortunes have improved markedly in this campaign, including the elimination of Hearts from the Scottish Cup. Financial turmoil, and threats to Hearts' very existence, have provided an ominous backdrop at Tynecastle during the same period. Yet when the old venue creaks at the seams like this, proof is supplied of just why Hearts are worth saving.

Given Rangers' demise, the Edinburgh derby can now claim to be Scotland's biggest of its kind on the league schedule. The opening to this one was raucous, tight and generally contested in an untidy midfield.

Hearts passed up the finest chance of that first half, Andrew Driver shooting wide. In the same incident, the hosts had a reasonable penalty claim as the Hibs captain, James McPake, challenged Scott Robinson.

Lenient refereeing from Willie Collum – to be kind to him – was a recurring theme. The visitors' Eoin Doyle was fortunate to escape without a booking after clattering Jamie MacDonald in the Hearts goalmouth. Ryan Stevenson, too, was lucky not to be at least cautioned for his lunge on McPake.

The second half produced increased opportunity almost immediately. Stevenson somehow slid a shot wide from all of two yards after the Hibs goalkeeper, Ben Williams, had spilled a Mehdi Taouil shot. At the opposite end, Doyle blazed over after being sent through by a fine pass from Paul Cairney.

From there, the match again regressed into a dour battle. The sides did trade chances with nine minutes to go; David Wotherspoon headed a Leigh Griffiths corner narrowly over the Hearts bar before the home substitute Jason Holt skipped past Williams but saw his shot blocked by Ryan McGivern.

Hibs again threatened through Doyle, whose shot squirmed past MacDonald's outstretched arm before being thumped clear.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer