Hearts cruise to victory at Easter Road

Hibernian 1 Heart of Midlothian 3

Ladbrokes Premiership – Tuesday 3^rd March
2020 – Easter Road

Hearts
moved off the foot of the Ladbrokes Premiership table tonight after a dominant
Edinburgh derby win at the home of their city rivals. Three second half goals
from Sean Clare, Ollie Bozanic and Conor Washington gave Daniel Stendel’s men a
thoroughly deserved victory – their second at Easter Road this season.

Hibs
pulled back a late goal through Melker Hallberg, but it was far too little too
late for Jack Ross’s team who may face retrospective punishment for Marc McNulty’s
stamp on Sean Clare in the first half- an incident missed by referee Kevin
Clancy and his assistant.

The
home side made one change from the team that defeated Inverness Caledonian
Thistle in the Scottish Cup – Omeonga replacing Whittaker. There were two
changes to the Hearts line up from Saturday. One was enforced – Dikamona replacing
the injured Souttar while manager Daniel Stendel opted to leave captain Steven
Naismith on the substitutes’ bench. His place in the starting eleven was taken
by Liam Boyce. Craig Halkett was made captain for the evening.

Easter
Road was close to full as the televised Edinburgh derby got underway. The two teams
will meet again next month in the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final but
there were more pressing matters in Leith on a cold early March evening. Hibs
were keen to keep their momentum that has seen them challenge for a European
place while Hearts, buoyant after knocking Rangers out of the cup on Saturday,
were desperate for league points to lift them off the bottom of the table.

On
a difficult playing surface the visitors started the game impressively and
Craig Halkett forced Hibs keeper Maricano into a fine save in the early stages.
Liam Boyce them missed a golden opportunity to give Hearts the lead when he
headed wide from eight yards out with no Hibs challenge forthcoming. But the
real talking point of the first half was when Marc McNulty clearly stamped on
Sean Clare while the Hearts man was flat on the pitch near the touchline. Nothing
doing said referee Clancy and one can only assume he didn’t see the incident
while his assistant may have had his mind on other things.

Although
chances were few and far between it had been a decent first half – but goalless.
Hearts came out the traps in the second and took the lead in the 53^rd
minute.  Bozanic’s corner was
inexplicably handled by Scott Allan and referee Clancy had no hesitation in
awarding a penalty. Sean Clare stroked the ball home and set off to celebrate
with the Maroon Army.

Hibs
looked stunned and there was worse to come for the home side when Hearts
doubled their lead ten minutes later with a stunning goal. Lewis Moore sprinted
forward before crossing from the left. Liam Boyce dummied the ball to allow
Bozanic to curl a magnificent shot from 20 yards beyond the despairing hands of
Hibs keeper Marciano.

Despite
there being 25 minutes still to play this was the cue for some of the home
support to take their leave. They missed Paul McGinn spurn a glorious chance to
get his team back into the game when he was unchallenged inside the Hearts penalty
box but headed over the bar with 13 minutes to go. Hibs sensed it wasn’t to be
their night, a feeling confirmed three minutes later when Conor Washington broke
down the left and fired low past Marciano for Hearts third goal.

The
home side did pull one back when Hallberg blasted home from close range, but
the game was over by this point. There was even time for substitute Steven
Naismith to waste a gilt-edged chance for Hearts fourth, but he blazed his shot
high into the stand.

An evening
to forget for Hibernian but a result which might, just might, be the turning
point in Hearts fight against relegation.

Hibs: Marciano,
Hanlon, McGinn, Doidge, Boyle, McNulty (Gullan, 64′), Docherty, Stevenson,
Jackson, Allan (Horgan, 58′), Omeonga.

Hearts: Zlamal, Smith,
Bozanic, Clare, Washington, Damour, Halkett, Moore (Walker, 73′), Dikamona,
Boyce (Naismith, 67′), Hickey.

Referee: Kevin Clancy

Attendance: 20,197

Top man: Clevid Dikamona. The big man covered every blade of the Easter Road pitch – the bits that had grass at any rate…

Photos: Ian Jacobs