Teenage Hicks gives Hearts derby win at Easter Road
Hibernian 1 Heart of Midlothian 2
Ladbrokes Premiership Sunday 22nd September
2019 – Easter Road
17-year-old
Aaron Hickey scored a stunning goal to secure Hearts first league victory of
the season and see them leapfrog Hibernian in the Ladbrokes Premiership table.
The Maroons fell behind to another stunning goal from Hibs Stevie Mallan early
in the second half but goals from Uche Ikpeazu and young Hickey brought much-needed
joy to the Gorgie Boys in what has been a troubled season.
Both
Edinburgh clubs entered the first capital derby of the season in poor form –
Hibs have won only one league game this season while Hearts had not registered
a league win in six months. Despite this, there was close to a full house at
Easter Road to see the old rivals slug it out.
And
slug it out they did in what was, quite frankly, an awful first half. Hibs had
the first decent chance in the seventh minute when slack play from Sean Clare
allowed Mallan to pass to Daryl Horgan. The Irishman returned the ball to Mallan,
but his effort was deflected by Glenn Whelan.
It
took Hearts half an hour to record their first attempt on goal when Hickey’s
cross was headed over by Sean Clare.
If
truth be told the first half wore the look of two drunken old men fighting it
out to hail a taxi.
The
second half could only get better. And it did immediately from a Hibs point of
view when poor defending from Hearts allowed Stevie Mallan the room of Easter
Road and a fair proportion of Leith to fire in a wonderful strike from 30 yards
into the top corner leaving Hearts keeper Pereira helpless. Mallan has earned a
reputation for scoring long-range efforts so quite why the visitors didn’t close
him down is anyone’s guess.
The
home support were on great voice now and they had chances to double their lead,
particularly Melker Hallberg who found himself inside the Hearts penalty box
and, with time and space to spare, sclaffed his shot well wide of goal when it
seemed easier to score. It was to prove a costly miss for the Hibees.
Craig
Levein made tactical substitutions with Callumn Morrison replacing the
ineffectual Sean Clare and young Andy Irving replacing Damour.
With
twenty minutes to go Hearts scrambled an equaliser. From a short corner on the left,
Jake Mulraney slipped the ball to Meshino who dinked the ball into the Hibs
penalty box. Christophe Berra headed it to Ikpeazu who used his strength to
great effect before sliding the ball beyond Hibs keeper Chris Maxwell and into
the net in front of the joyous Hearts support.
The
goal changed the dynamics of the game and it was all Hearts now. Hickey and
Meshino were linking well and the Japanese man curled a shot which was just
inches over the bar. Irishman Glen Whelan was next to try his luck, but his
effort was well wide.
Hibs
seemed caught between trying to hang on for a point or going for a win.
With
just seven minutes left, Hearts took a sensational lead. Again, Meshino set up
Aaron Hickey and the teenager wearing the number 51 shirt fired in a brilliant
shot which took a deflection off Vela before soaring into the roof of the net.
The youngster set off to celebrate with the dancing Jambos in the away end.
Hibs
knew they had to respond, and Jason Naismith headed wide before substitute Glenn
Middleton forced Hearts goalkeeper Pereira into a fine save. Pereira then saved
from Scott Allan before Doidge thought he had grabbed a late equaliser for the
home side only for referee John Beaton to correctly adjudge the Hibs striker
had used his hand to scoop the ball from the Hearts goalkeeper and into the
net.
The
game ended soon after and Hearts celebrated their first league win of the
season while Hibs were left to contemplate another derby loss – and the future
of manager Paul Heckingbottom.
Craig
Levein was naturally delighted after the game
“There’s
ways to win games, and then there’s ways to win games by accumulating another
1000 grey hairs like today,” Levein told the official Hearts website. “To
go behind in a derby away from home and win is a special thing. I’m so proud of
the players and I’m thrilled to bits for them and the supporters.”
“We
handled it today and didn’t make mistakes which have been hampering our
previous league games. We restricted Hibs to very few chances, but when they
scored I thought it might not be our day, but the boys plugged away.”
“I thought Ryo Meshino
was fantastic, he gives us something completely different and he’s very brave.
He’ll take the ball anywhere and his first thought is to create or score, and
Glenn Whelan put on a midfield masterclass today. And Hickey got his goal
wearing the number 51 on his back so it wasn’t bad at all!”
Hibs: Maxwell, Hanlon, Vela, Horgan (Doidge, 85′), Mallan, Stevenson, Hallberg (Middleton, 76′), Naismith, Kamberi, Allan, Porteous.
Hearts: Pereira, Smith, Berra,
Clare (Morrison, 61′), Mulraney, Whelan, Ikpeazu, Damour (Irving, 65′),
Halkett, Hickey, Meshino.
Referee: John Beaton
Att: 19,828
Top man: Well, he’s very nearly a man (he is too young to drink the bottle of champagne given to him after the match!) – Aaron Hickey
Photos: Ian Jacobs