Hearts 3-0 Hibs: Biggest Edinburgh derby win since 2012 Scottish Cup final leaves Jambos bouncing

Dominating the city’s football rivalry for more than three years, Hearts again enjoyed an Edinburgh derby victory dance at Tynecastle Park. After going through 2020, 2021 and 2022 without losing to Hibs, they began 2023 in the same fashion.

A poacher’s finish and a penalty-kick gave Lawrence Shankand two first-half goals before substitute Stephen Humphrys’ late strike finished this affair. It leaves Hearts unbeaten in eight games against their nearest neighbours dating back to December 2019. Their first-half display overwhelmed Hibs and deservedly put them 2-0 ahead by the interval. The visitors reacted and raised their game afterwards but Humphrys entered the fray late on to devastating effect.

Tynecastle bounced at full-time to the tune of Jambos in elation after what is the biggest Edinburgh derby win in more than a decade since the 2012 Scottish Cup final. Although Hearts might be disappointed with the second half, their resilience and defending had to be admired as they moved five points clear in third place in the Premiership.

Atmosphere is never a problem in Edinburgh derbies and the traditional New Year fixture always carries an extra spark of electricity, even when played on January 2. The 3pm kick-off allowed supporters plenty time for a lunchtime sup in the Capital’s various ale houses before filtering through the Tynecastle turnstiles.

Whatever 2023 has in store for their respective clubs, a positive start against the neighbours is always worth celebrating. Hearts were again without the influential Craig Halkett, with manager Robbie Neilson admitting pre-match that results of the defender’s scan do not look good. Hibs were missing the suspended Ryan Porteous for one of the most important fixtures so far in manager Lee Johnson’s tenure. They had won only two of their previous ten games.

Early indications were they would also find this one difficult. Hearts struck inside eight minutes when Shankland prodded home his 17th goal of a continually-remarkable campaign. The goal owed much to midfielder Cammy Devlin’s tenacity as he dispossessed Will Fish with two challenges near the Hibs byline. The second pushed the ball into Josh Ginelly, who made space for a shot which goalkeeper David Marshall parried. Shankland reacted quickest to generate a defeaning din around Tynecastle.

As is often the case in derbies nowadays, smoke bombs thrown onto the pitch in celebration caused a momentary halt in play. Contentious refereeing decisions are also common and there were several of those. Hibs midfielder Chris Cadden was cautioned early on and then fortunte not to receive a second yellow card for lunging into Andy Halliday on 25 minutes.

There was more controversy just after the half-hour when VAR intervened to check both offside and a possible penalty after Hearts defender Toby Sibbick put the ball in the opposition net. After more than five minutes’ delay and mounting frustration on the pitch, in the stands and in the technical area, referee Kevin Clancy consulted a monitor to review the incident. He then awarded the hosts a penalty for Devlin's shot hitting Bushiri’s arm just before Sibbick converted. Shankland stepped up and coolly scored from the spot.

Hearts' Lawrence Shankland celebrates after making it 2-0 against Hibs.

This game was now Hearts’ to lose. Zander Clark saved Fish's header before the interval, and Sibbick’s magnificent recovery tackle thwarted Elie Youan as he sprinted through one-on-one with the goalkeeper following Devlin’s wayward pass. However, the 2-0 interval scoreline was just what the locals demanded. Hibs already looked a beaten team. In fact, it might have been 3-0 had Marshall not saved Josh Ginnelly’s stoppage-time volley.

Johnson introduced Kyle Magennis and Aiden McGeady for the restart, doubtless hoping he could inject some life into his side. Hearts then lost Michael Smith and Andy Halliday to injuries. The subsequent reshuffle included Nathaniel Atkinson entering the field to play an unfamiliar left wing-back role in Halliday’s place. Alan Forrest replaced Smith on the opposite flank.

Hibs opened the second period with a bit more purpose, largely down to McGeady’s pace and trickery in wide areas. Hearts found themselves defending more often and struggled to regain the momentum which gave them control of the first-half proceedings. Defender Alex Cochrane made in important block to stifle a shot from the visiting striker Kevin Nisbet on 66 minutes. At the midway point of the second half, it was those in green and white pressing most in search of the game’s next goal.

Clark was forced into an instinctive reaction save when Cochrane’s attempted clearance ricocheted off Joe Newell and flew towards the keeper’s net. The home supporters would have been chuffed seeing Humphrys make his return from injury as this affair entered its closing stages. The on-loan Wigan Athletic forward has proven himself a popular figure since making the move to Gorgie.

Hibs fans in Tynecastle’s Roseburn Stand hung on in the hope of a late two-goal rally from their team. Cadden cut inside Cochrane to curl a left-footed attempt narrowly wide of the far post. Then came two stunning tops from Clark which underpinned Hearts’ determination to see this out. Cadden’s tremendous run and cutback found Magennis, whose first-time effort and follow up were brilliantly blocked by the diving goalkeeper. The thought arrived that Craig Gordon himself would have been enormously proud of such fine work. Clark celebrated with his defence in the aftermath.

Seven minutes’ stoppage time was announced before the sight of one away fan throwing his green-and-white scarf onto the track next to Clark’s goal. Humphrys’ late third merely compounded the misery. He sprinted on to fellow sub Jorge Grant’s weighted through pass and arrived before Lewis Stevenson to stroke the ball low beyond Marshall.

As celebrations took off at one end, Clark was struck by an object thrown from the stand at the other. He required treatment on the pitch as a needless and senseless end to the game ensued. That aside, it was a day when everything else went exactly how Hearts wanted.

Hearts (3-4-2-1): Clark; Sibbick, Rowles, Cochrane; M Smith (Atkinson 55), Devlin, Snodgrass, Halliday (Forrest 55); Shankland, McKay (Humphrys 76); Ginnelly (Grant 71).

Hibs (4-4-1-1): Marshall; Fish (McGeady 46), Bushiri, Hanlon, Stevenson; Cadden, Campbell, Newell, Youan; McKirdy (Magennis 46); Nisbet.

Referee: Kevin Clancy.

Attendance: 18,980.