Derek McInnes makes Hearts and Celtic claim after 'significant' derby win as Hibs address red cards

Hearts trailed early to a Martin Boyle opener against a fired-up Hibs, but recovered in the second half after the hosts lost goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger and right-back Felix Passlack to red cards. An own goal from Warren O’Hora levelled matters on 65 minutes and then substitute Blair Spittal lashed home the winner four minutes from the end.

With Rangers losing 3-2 at Ibrox to Motherwell, Danny Rohl’s men slip to third and are four points behind Hearts ahead of the two teams’ clash at Tynecastle a week on Monday. Celtic are three points behind Hearts and have an inferior goal difference by five.

“It's a big weekend for us and Celtic because Rangers lost,” admitted McInnes. “It helps us this weekend, but it's another round of fixtures next weekend and it could easily be us on the wrong side if we don't knuckle down and get on with the job. But it's a big win for us in the sense that it's against your local rivals, it's the first game of the split which I think, although it's three points, I do think that if you win your first game it can give you impetus and the confidence to go and deal with what's ahead of you.

“Obviously next Monday is a brilliant game for us at home at Rangers. We're unbeaten at home, we're strong at home - the question that's been asked to us recently is can we win away games and that was such a significant away win for us.”

McInnes ‘didn’t know’ the Rangers score

McInnes claimed not to know what was going on across the M8, with Motherwell scoring late to seal the win. “I didn't know the final score, I just found out there when Oisin McEntee told me when we were on the pitch,” said McInnes. “I knew Motherwell were winning 2–1 but I didn't know any more than that. My only thing I care about is Hearts and Hearts' performance today and thankfully, as I say, it was good enough to win a game. It's an unusual set of circumstances that but it's hard to deny us we deserved that.”

McInnes praised his team for the way they dealt with playing against a nine-man Hibs team that fought until the bitter end. He reserved special mention for substitute winger Sabah Kerjota, who came off the bench and assisted both goals from wide left, and fellow replacement and matchwinner Spittal.

“I'm pleased with the players, that they stayed calm,” continued McInnes. “It's very unusual, you don't practice against nine men, so it's an unusual set of circumstances to win a game of football.

“I said to the players at half-time that for us, we've won games with ten men, especially when you've got something to hang on to. Hibs are an environment with their own fans. They're going to give them every bit of help to do that. So we knew it wasn't going to be easy.

“Spittal scores goals like that every day in training. He's such a good finisher and he probably should score more goals in his career because he's got such good quality with his left foot and right foot. A lot of our players had snatched at things and hurried things and rushed their shots and all it needed was a bit of calmness, side foot, knee over the ball, goal.

“It's a perfect game for Sabah in the sense that when they go down to ten men, then you're going to have more of the ball. We have to pick and choose moments [to play him] but he's such a popular boy within the dressing room, a popular boy with the support and he's a popular boy with me and I hope that he's got a bigger part to play going forward. I think next season we'll really see the best in him but pleased for him that he's had a big moment there.”

‘We can’t even allow ourselves to think like that’

McInnes was asked if it would now be disappointing if Hearts do not go on and win the league from this position. “We can’t be disappointed with what the players have given us this season,” said McInnes. “We can’t even allow ourselves to think that. I've said in the last week or so that we don't want pats on the back for good old Hearts taking it all the way. It might well go all the way but we need to be prepared to go all the way and try and win it. We've got games to win, we can’t get too caught up and allow ourselves to think we'll be disappointed. I'm not allowing any negative chat to come into it.”

It was a bruising afternoon for Hibs and their head coach David Gray, who lamented the 14th-minute turning point when Sallinger handled outside of his penalty box and denied Landry Kabore a clear goalscoring opportunity. His teammates battled ferociously but when Passlack was dismissed for second yellow card at the start of the second half, Hibs’ position became critical.

“I think they are both red cards,” admitted Gray. “I think they're just mistakes. It's not through anything other than a mistake. Goalkeeper makes a decision, rather than clearing it, to take a touch. Then, obviously, gets his bearings wrong, because he's outside the box. And then, the second one, Felix, it's a mistake in the middle of the pitch. He tries to atone for the mistake, overstretches, second yellow card, pretty clear for me. And that's what cost us the game.

"The nine men that remained on the pitch from whatever it was, 45 minutes, 46 minutes, gave absolutely everything. And didn't deserve that, if I'm being honest, because of how much they put into it. They defended their box incredibly. Players that haven't played a lot of minutes, a goalkeeper [Jordan Smith] coming on and making big saves, which you need. And then, when you look at the goals we lose, which makes it even tougher to take, it's a deflection and an own goal.”