Hibs moved five points clear of Hearts with their first victory at Tynecastle in five years.
Hibs head coach David Gray kept faith with the same starting XI that beat Aberdeen last weekend.
Hearts boss Neil Critchley made two changes to his side that beat Dundee with Beni Baningime and Craig Halkett replacing Adam Forrester and Malachi Boateng.
The game kicked off at the usual 100mph pace before Hibs took the lead in the 9th minute.
Kyle Rowles appeared to handle the ball inside the box during a challenge with Boyle. The referee awarded a corner but held play up to hear the result of a VAR check.
A large cheer from three sides of the ground greeted the decision but they were silenced when Nicky Cadden’s corner kick was diverted past Craig Gordan by Rowles, under pressure from Josh Campbell.
Referee Nick Walsh consulted his assistant before chalking off the effort for Rocky Bushiri blocking the goalkeeper, however the official would be sent to the monitor by VAR to review the footage and the goal was eventually given sparking wild celebrations from the travelling support.
On 18 minutes Gordan spilled an angled effort from Nicky Cadden and the danger was cleared.
Gordon then demonstrated why he is Scotland’s number one saving at the feet of Chris Cadden then acrobatically keeping out Campbell’s header .
He then denied Elie Youan’s powerful effort from an acute angle.
The VAR checks caused five minutes of added time and with the home fans ready to boo their team off the park, they equalised against the run of play in time added on when Blair Spittal’s cross found Lawrence Shankland.
His header was going well wide only for Bushiri to slice it into the net from close range.
Jordan Smith was called into action to deny Shankland at his near post.
Both teams cancelled each other out in the second-half.
On the hour Hearts carved out a couple of chances with Daniel Oyegoke and Shankland trying their luck from the edge of Hibs but both efforts failed to trouble Smith.
At the other end Hibs almost took the lead when Nicky Cadden sent a wonderful delivery into the back post and his brother, Chris, rose above James Penrice to power a header goalward that Gordon saved brilliantly at his near post.
But Hibs were not to be denied and with 12 minutes remaining they deservedly restored their lead when substitute Dwight Gayle met Nicky Cadden’s cross and steer the ball past Gordon into the far corner of the net.
Hearts pushed for a leveller but the Hibs defence stood tall with blocks from Bushiri and Jack Iredale.
After a nervous four minutes of added time the final whistle sounded to spark wild scenes of celebration at the Roseburn end as players and supporters enjoyed the moment.
Hearts: Gordon, Halkett, Oyegoke, Baningime, Shankland, Devlin, Rowles, Spittal, Wilson, Penrice, Drammeh. Subs: Clark, Grant, Forrest, Boateng, Dhanda, Boyce, Forrester, Vargas, Salazar
Hibs: Smith, O’Hora, Youan, Boyle, Newell, C.Cadden, Iredale, N.Cadden, Triantis, Campbell, Bushiri Subs: Bursik. Miller, Levitt, Amos, Kwon, Obita, Moriah-Welsh, Hoilett, Gayle
Attendance 18,726
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.
