Ten-man Hibs suffered another derby defeat at a packed Easter Road tonight.
A dreadful first-half performance saw the home side go in at the break two goals down.
But a tremendous start to the second-half lifted the fans until Jack Iredale’s needless sending off ensured the points would be heading to Tynecastle.
Hibs head coach David Gray kept faith with the players who started against Dundee on Sunday while Hearts made three changes following their 2-1 win over St Johnstone on the same day.
Calvin Miller, Blair Spittal and Oisin McEntee replaced Christian Borchgrevink, Tomas Magnusson and Sabah Kerjota.
The Hearts fans greeted Claudio Braga with a rousing rendition of his song prior to kick off, marking his lack of a move in the transfer market.
After an even start, Hearts took the lead in the 13th minute when Josh McPake easily beat Felix Passlack on the left wing and sent a low cross into the box which James Wilson fired into the net past the helpless Raphael Sallinger.
The visitors continued to dominate and the Hibs fans mood wasn’t helped when Jordan Obita picked up a knock and was replaced by Iredale.
Braga almost doubled Hearts lead but his header was well saved by Sallinger.
A spell of pressure from Hibs should have resulted in an equaliser but Beau Reus closed the angle to save from Nathan Lowe.
Moments later, Jacob Devaney clipped the crossbar with a 20-yard strike.
Then just before the break Hearts made it 2-0.
Hibs gave away a needless foul 35-yards from goal. Blair Spittal sent in a deep cross and Laurent Mendy glanced in a header. The goal was given after a VAR check for offside.
Iredale was correctly shown a yellow card for clattering into Jordi Altena.
The Hibs players were booed off the park at half time whilst the Hearts fans celebrated.
Gray made two changes at the restart, Callum Wright and Devaney were replaced by Miguel Chaiwa and Adam Mayor.
And the changes paid immediate dividends.
Josh Mulligan won possession in midfield and found Mayor, who rifled in a stunning finish from the angle into the top-left corner.
Easter Road erupted and Hibs pressed for a second goal.
Martin Boyle almost capitalised on a poor pass back by McEntee, but the Hearts keeper managed to grab the ball.
Nathan Lowe then set up Mayor but this time his effort was just too high.
Just when it looked as though the momentum was with Hibs, disaster struck and it was of their own making.
A horrendous back pass from Iredale put his keeper in all sorts of trouble.
Sallinger returned the ball to Iredale who took a terrible touch before catching Calvin Miller with a high boot, leaving the referee with no choice but to issue a red card.
Moments later man of the match McPake skipped past three Hibs players to score via a big deflection.
With 10-minutes remaining Lowe latched onto a mishit shot from Passlack, controlled the ball and fired it into the net.
The linesman’s flag stayed down but the referee disallowed the goal for reasons only known to himself.
Mulligan sent in a powerful strike from distance, but Reus tipped over acrobatically.
In added time both Jamie McGrath and Ante Suto were denied by last-ditch Hearts blocks.
Hibs have now lost their past three league games against Hearts. The last time that happened was March 2012.
Hibs have also lost their last five league games.
After the final whistle Gray told BBC Scotland: “First half 2-0 down, not good enough in terms of the second balls we lost and the goals we lost were really poor.
“But even within that there was a 10-minute period when we should equalise. We hit the bar and then lose a second goal, but going in 2-0 down I really can’t complain.
“We made a couple of changes at half-time, which helped. We really got into Hearts, won second balls and deservedly got a goal to get back to 2-1 and then at that point we’re really pushing and the momentum was with us.
“Then it’s a multitude of errors at the red card and then at that point all the hard work to get back into the game is undone.”
Hearts boss Wouter Vrancken added: “We played a brilliant first half. We had to adapt a little bit.
“[We said at half-time] that the only they could come back in the game is if we give the moments away. I’m proud the lads kept their heads in the game.
“It was nice to see and it was also a nice atmosphere. [The fans] were really loud, it felt like a home game. But you have to be above the emotions so you have the overview and show the quality.”
Hibs: Sallinger, Passlack, Hanley, Kerr, Obita, Devaney, Mulligan, McGrath, Wright, Boyle, Lowe.
Substitutes: Smith, Mayor, Newell, Chaiwa, Iredale, Klidje, Suto, Megwa, Abdulai.
Hearts: Reus, McEntee, McCart, Findlay, Altena, Spittal, Mendy, McPake, Braga, Miller, Wilson.
Substitutes: Fulton, Williams, Kabore, Milne, Guendouz, Magnusson, Kerjota, Mato, Ba-Sy
