Hearts 0 Hibernian 0

From ROBERT MARTIN at Tynecastle
Published: 03rd January 2013
1
EDINBURGH usually puts on a great firework show at New Year.

This dismal derby was one big damp squib.

Both sides had talked a good game coming into this clash.

When it came to the crunch they failed to back those words up on the pitch in an ugly affair.

Hearts did hit the bar late on with a John Sutton header.

They could also have had a penalty when James McPake took out Scott Robinson inside the box.

But they should also have been reduced to ten men following Ryan Stevenson’s brutal lunge on Hibs skipper McPake.

In truth both sides looked happy enough to go into the winter break with a point.

Ryan McGowan was the high-profile absentee from John McGlynn’s starting line-up after flying to China to seal a move.

Andy Webster was forced to miss the game through illness, so McGowan’s younger brother Dylan filled in for him at centre-half. Robinson and Arvydas Novikovas were also in for the Jambos.

Hibs made just one change from the side that beat Celtic last weekend.

Ryan McGivern returned at left-back at the expense of Lewis Stevenson.

Hibs gaffer Pat Fenlon clearly felt McGivern’s height would be an asset against the Jambos.

Tynecastle was tasty before kick-off as both sets of fans tried to outdo each other but a minute’s applause in memory of Hearts’ doctor Dewar Melvin was sportingly observed by all fans.

Novikovas had caused Hibs problems when the sides had met in the Cup last month.

He looked to have a go at McGivern straight away as the Jambos started strongly.

Hibs striker Eoin Doyle was spoken to by ref Willie Collum following a trip on Stevenson.

It was Hearts who were snapping into tackles more often.

Robinson robbed Gary Deegan and Stevenson then won the ball from Paul Cairney.

Doyle received another talking to in the 15th minute after a poor challenge on Hearts keeper Jamie MacDonald.

The game was being played at a ferocious pace but had little in the way of quality and it took Hibs 24 minutes to register their first effort at goal.

Doyle’s cross was met on the volley 12 yards out by Cairney.

His effort had no power and it was easily held by MacDonald.

Hearts’ first chance of note came seven minutes later when Stevenson’s ball found Robinson.

McPake slid in to stop Robinson, but clearly caught the midfielder and it looked a penalty.

But before referee Collum could do anything Andy Driver fired just wide.

In the 41st minute Collum could easily have reached into his top pocket and pulled out a red card.

Stevenson and McPake both flew into a full-blooded tackle on the touchline.

The Hearts man went in studs up and the Hibs skipper came off worst.

Players in England have been sent off for a lot less in recent weeks but again Collum chose to keep his cards in his pocket and instead awarded a throw-in.

Hearts suffered a blow two minutes into the second half when Robinson went down.

He was replaced by kid Jason Holt just before Hearts’ best chance of the game.

Mehdi Taouil’s shot took a deflection on its way through and was spilled by keeper Williams.

McGowan could only slide the rebound into the keeper and Stevenson’s heavy touch then took the ball past the post.

Hibs responded by carving out a golden chance of their own seven minutes later.

Cairney’s through ball split the Hearts defence and played in Doyle but the hitman was unable to keep his effort down and blazed over the bar. Cairney looked less than pleased to be replaced by David Wotherspoon seconds later.

Paul Hanlon was then finally given the game’s first yellow card for a trip on Novikovas.

As the half wore on Hearts began to look the more dominant.

McGlynn threw on Callum Paterson for Novikovas in the 66th minute.

McGivern was booked for a foul on Driver four minutes later.

Then sub Wotherspoon was carded for diving as Hibs tried to launch a counter attack.

Stevenson replaced Tom Taiwo for Hibs in the 73rd minute.

Hibs ace Leigh Griffiths, who had hardly had a kick, finally sparked into life with ten minutes to go. Griffiths saw his free-kick deflected wide for a corner.

Then Wotherspoon headed just over from Griffiths’ perfect delivery. Hearts responded with a Paterson header that put Holt through on goal.

The youngster did did well to take the ball round keeper Williams, but his effort was superbly cleared off the line by McGivern.

Play then raged to the other end, where Doyle’s shot was only parried by MacDonald and a desperate clearence from McGowan prevented Griffiths from scoring.

Hearts could then have gone on to take the points in injury time.

Sub Jamie Walker’s corner found Sutton whose header came back off the crossbar and fell straight to Darren Barr.

Barr was unable to keep his effort down.

Hibs will be the happier of the two sides with a point — but it is now 12 games since they beat the Jambos in the SPL.