Hibs managed to end Hearts’ 100% home league record this afternoon but had to settle for a share of the points in a hard fought Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle.
Jason Cummings had opened the scoring for Hibs midway through the first half but Jamie Walker produced a stunning strike to equalise just before the break.
Both team had chances in the second half but the game finished all square.
Hibs’ Head Coach Alan Stubbs kept faith with the same starting XI that hammered Rangers 4-0 last Saturday, with new on-loan signing Martin Boyle on the bench alongside Dylan McGeouch who returned to the squad following a period on the sidelines due to injury.
A bad mistake by Hearts’ defender Alim Ozturk, who scored a 35 yard screamer in the last Edinburgh Derby allowed Cummings a clean shot on goal but Neil Alexander did well to save his effort.
Hibs dominated possession in the early stages without causing too many problems as the over fussy referee seemed to penalise every challenge.
Hibs eventually took a deserved lead midway through the first half when Scott Allan’s inch perfect cross was met by Cummings who calmly slotted the ball home despite the attention of Ozturk.
The youngster was then booked for his celebration in front of the Gorgie Road end.
The teenager who had been on Hearts’ books as a youngster almost added a second with a header from a Lewis Sevenson cross but his effort flew inches past the post with Alexander helpless.
Hearts equalised shortly before the break when Walker cut in from the left before sending a powerful drive past Mark Oxley into the corner of the net.
Callum Booth replaced David Gray at half time and Hearts started the second half strongly.
Callum Paterson and Sam Ncholson both went close from headers but it was Hibs who ended the game looking the team more likely to score,
With five minutes remaining Booth’s low cross was met by Boyle but a superb last ditch tackle from Ozturk prevented the striker from writing his name in the history books and the ball was cleared.
The result leaves Hibs 19 points behind Hearts in the title race.
Heart of Midlothian: Alexander, Paterson, Wilson, Ozturk, Gomis, Walker (King 73′), Nicholson, Pallardo, Buaben (Robinson 89′), Keatings (Oliver 92′), Eckersley. Substitutes not used: Gallagher, Holt, McKay, McGhee.
Hibernian: Oxley, Gray (Booth 46′), Hanlon, Fontaine, Stevenson, Robertson, Craig, Handling (McGeouch 67′), Allan, Malonga, Cummings (Boyle 84′). Substitutes not used: Perntreou, Heffernan, Kennedy.
Referee: Steven McLean.
Attendance: 17,279
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
