Hearts fall apart again as giddy Hibs cavort with corner flags

Gayle inspires derby wind of change at Tynecastle

Dwight Gayle proved the worst kind of festive guest by turning up late and stealing the show. This Edinburgh derby, while entertaining, was sorely in need of an injection of quality and the veteran striker provided it with 12 minutes left.

Hearts and Hibs had previously traded gifts in the form of own goals from Kye Rowles and Rocky Bushiri. The Hibs defender was roundly mocked for his misfortune. The home fans loudly proclaimed his name to the rafters.

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Bushiri was to have the last laugh after Gayle’s introduction as a replacement for Elie Youan. The striker, who recently announced he was retiring at the end of the season, scored the kind of No 9’s goal he has excelled in throughout his career.

Hibs retake the derby lead with this sweet finish from Dwight Gayle.Hibs retake the derby lead with this sweet finish from Dwight Gayle.
Hibs retake the derby lead with this sweet finish from Dwight Gayle. | SNS Group

Gayle made a point of confirming he will hang up his boots at a press conference last week, explaining that his “body was breaking down”. Here it was a case of Hearts falling apart - again. Over familiar like so many tunes heard at this time of year, Hibs fans nevertheless delighted in chorusing the reworked lyrics to the Joy Division song.

Whenever Hearts appear to be getting it together, setbacks like this seem to happen. If it wasn’t for Craig Gordon, playing his last match at Tynecastle before turning 42 on New Year's Eve, it could have been far worse. The ‘keeper saved brilliantly from Youan in the first half and made several other good blocks.

It’s easy to imagine what might have been top of little Eva Shankland’s list of wishes from Santa. For Daddy Lawrence to catch a break. Well, he did to an extent – the striker’s header in the dying moments of the first half was inadvertently diverted into the net by Bushiri.

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Shankland held Eva, one of the mascots, in his arms before kick-off. He then gave her a sweet kiss before offloading her to a Hearts official and going to work. It was a memorable vignette on an afternoon of raw, bitter rivalry. The season of goodwill was declared officially over at around 12.55pm when Rowles sent a cross field pass straight out of play to loud jeers from the home fans. It was already looking like being a long afternoon for the agitated home supporters.

Shankland cut a figure of frustration throughout. He was seen upbraiding his teammates several times and even booted the ball high into the Gorgie Stand in the first half having allowed it to run out from a throw-in. James Wilson, his teenage strike partner, struggled to escape the attentions of Warren O’Hora, Jack Iredale and Bushiri.

The last named of this defensive trio was the first to bury himself among the celebrating away supporters at the end. Youan, meanwhile, quickly made a beeline to the corner flag before cavorting around in the goalmouth with his Hibs top draped over said pole, a routine he debuted at Pittodrie after the win against Aberdeen last Saturday. It wasn’t quite Graeme Souness planting a Galatasaray flag in the centre circle at Fenerbahce’s stadium but it was the same kind of energy. The Hibs fans, who had been instructed to wait behind until the rest of the stadium had cleared, lapped it all up. Those Hearts fans still filing out of the stadium were not quite so enamoured. They urged the stewards to remove the players from the pitch – or at least retrieve the corner flag from enemy hands.

Elie Youan cavorts with the corner flag after Hibs' win.Elie Youan cavorts with the corner flag after Hibs' win.
Elie Youan cavorts with the corner flag after Hibs' win. | SNS Group

Discontent was building in the three home stands from shortly after kick-off. Hibs asserted their authority almost immediately. They seemed to be psyched up to a greater degree than their opponents. Perhaps it was the matchday programme, the theme for which was the 2012 Scottish Cup final. Of course it was. Pages and pages of words and pictures devoted to Hearts 5 Hibs 1.

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Hibs went ahead after 10 minutes although it took a while before the celebrations could be enjoyed in full heartedly. Nicky Cadden’s corner was diverted into the net via Craig Halkett and Rowles while the pair were being put under pressure from Josh Campbell. Another Hibs player’s involvement proved contentious. Bushiri was in front of Gordon and in an offside position when the corner was played in but moved away before the ball went in. The Hibs fans got two explosions for the price of one – the first, when the ball first hit the net, and the second, when referee Nick Walsh confirmed he was overruling the initial offside call after watching it again.

The Hibs fans appreciated both this Boxing Day bargain and the one in the form of free agent Gayle, who demonstrated exquisite movement to drift towards the front edge of the six-yard box to reach Nicky Cadden’s cross and flick in the deserved winner.

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