Amid the pyrotechnics, missile throwing, frenetic football and general chaos of an Edinburgh derby that produced plenty of smoke and confusion, Hearts continue to put clear distance between themselves and their city rivals. The gulf between the two clubs, in terms of both standing and general mood, could hardly be more stark.
While Lee Johnson was taking a verbal machine gun to his squad, declaring himself at breaking point with the “mediocrity” of players consistently failing to live up to Hibernian’s status within the Scottish game, Robbie Neilson could reflect on a 3-0 victory that extended his unbeaten run in this fixture to eight games.
As wary as Neilson may be of getting carried away, with a Scottish Cup tie at Easter Road later this month in mind, he has Hibs’ number. The fact that this win also moved Hearts five points clear of their nearest challengers for third place was just as important.
On a day when two major selection gambles by Johnson backfired spectacularly — the teenage derby debutant Will Fish and the erratic forward Harry McKirdy were both hooked at half-time after playing a part in an early Hearts opener — Lawrence Shankland took his goals tally for the season to 18 courtesy of a first-half double.
Although Hibs rallied in the second period, Stephen Humphrys — making his first appearance since October because of an ankle injury — scored a wildly-celebrated breakaway third deep into stoppage time.
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Those goal celebrations were marred by the Hearts goalkeeper Zander Clark requiring treatment for a head injury, having been hit by an object thrown from the crowd. For Neilson, though, victory — and a clean sheet for a thrown-together back three filling in for injured starters — was to be savoured. Eventually.
Beginning with a pyrotechnic thrown onto the pitch from the away end as the teams broke from their pre-match photo call, this game was always expected to produce a few early bangs and whistles. It did not disappoint.
Johnson, without the suspended Ryan Porteous, had thrown Fish in for a first start, asking the Manchester United youth product, a centre back by trade, to fill in at right back. The Hibs manager also gave McKirdy a rare place in the first XI. Both players were culpable in the opener.
Initially, McKirdy dropped deep only to play a loose pass, then Fish had his clearance blocked. His next move was to make the heinous error — in this of all fixtures — of attempting to let the ball run out of play for a goal kick. Seriously. At Tynecastle. Inside the opening ten minutes.
The teenager was promptly mugged by Cammy Devlin and, when Josh Ginnelly’s shot was spilled by David Marshall, Shankland was where he usually is: perfectly placed to bury the rebound with venom.
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Now it was a maroon(ish) smoke bomb that came hurtling on to the playing surface, as the home fans roared their approval. In their wildest new year dreams, this was the sort of start they imagined. And their team were certainly energised by going ahead.
This was still the derby that everyone knows and loves. A game where bodying an opponent into the second row isn’t even a foul, never mind a booking.
For all the blood and thunder action, however, there was also plenty of actual footballing action. Chances and moments of genuine concern for both defences. Crosses that needed cleared.
And, while the visitors threatened on the break, especially down their left flank, it was Hearts who played the better football, with Robert Snodgrass excellent in central midfield. They thought they had secured a second just after the half-hour mark when, with everyone else in maroon claiming for a handball by Rocky Bushiri blocking Devlin’s shot, Toby Sibbick simply put the ball in the net.
There then followed a full five minutes in which the VAR team first confirmed that Sibbick was offside, before the referee Kevin Clancy — invited to view the penalty incident — pointed to the spot. If it took a while, the correct decision was reached. And Shankland duly converted the penalty, sticking his shot just beyond Marshall.
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In need of a gift, a break or a wild slice of luck, Hibs got just what they required when Sibbick was caught on the wrong side of Élie Youan a minute before half-time, leaving the Hibs winger/forward/inbetweener with a one-on-one against the goalkeeper. But Youan took too many touches, allowing the Hearts defender to make a recovery tackle.
If it was hardly a shock when neither McKirdy nor Fish made it beyond the interval — Johnson throwing Aiden McGeady and Kyle Magennis into the fray in their stead — the manager picking the right starting XI at half-time wouldn’t have earned him much credit with visiting supporters. A tweak to formation from a 4-4-2 to a 4-2-3-1 made them more solid, certainly, while McGeady’s trickery on the wing provided them with more go-forward. Especially with Chris Cadden now operating as an overlapping right back.
But the central defensive pairing of Bushiri and Paul Hanlon continued to look as if they were constantly on the brink of being breached. Last-ditch tackles were a frequent occurrence as Shankland stretched the play.
What really changed for Hibs, giving them at least a slugger’s chance of hurting their hosts, was their energy levels. Kevin Nisbet saw a shot on the turn, following a Youan cut-back, blocked by Alex Cochrane. Clark had to make a reaction save to prevent Joe Newell scoring via a defensive clearance — again after great inventive play by Youan.
But the result was put beyond all doubt when Humphrys raced clear to finish in style past a retreating Marshall. Widening the gap between the teams. Sparking a full-on party in the Hearts ranks. And serious soul-searching on the other side of the city.
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Heart of Midlothian (3-5-2): Z Clark 7 — T Sibbick 7, K Rowles 7, A Cochrane 7 — M Smith 6 (N Atkinson 55min, 5), C Devlin 6, R Snodgrass 7, B McKay 6 (S Humphrys 76), A Halliday 6 (A Forrest 55, 5) — J Ginnelly 6 (J Grant 71), L Shankland 8. Booked Smith, Atkinson.
Hibernian (4-4-2): D Marshall 6 — W Fish 4 (A McGeady 45, 6), R Bushiri 5, P Hanlon 5, L Stevenson 6 — C Cadden 6, J Campbell 5, J Newell 5, E Youan 6 — K Nisbet 5, H McKirdy 4 (K Magennis 45, 6). Booked Cadden, Bushiri, Campbell.
Referee K Clancy. Attendance 18,980
