Hibs fail in top-six bid after promising start at Tynecastle is wiped out by slick Hearts

Hibs will play their final five Scottish Premiership fixtures in the bottom six after failing in a last-day bid against city rivals Hearts to squeeze into the top half of the table.

A dream start at Tynecastle saw the visitors ahead after just five minutes, Drey Wright’s effort taking a couple of deflections on its way past Craig Gordon.

But Andy Halliday equalised in first-half injury time, Stephen Kingsley turned the game on its head shortly after the restart, and Halliday added his second and Hearts’ third just before the hour mark.

Results elsewhere meant that Motherwell nabbed the final top-six berth; the Steelmen coming back from 2-0 down in West Lothian to draw 2-2 coupled with Ross County’s dramatic late victory against Aberdeen pushing Livingston into the bottom six.

Elias Melkersen competes with Alex Cochrane during the Edinburgh derby

There was a lot to like about Hibs’ performance in the opening half-hour; the players were displaying the physicality manager Shaun Maloney had requested.

Just five minutes were on the clock when Harry Clarke’s ball up the left flank found Wright and his low effort ended up in the far corner of the net via one or two deflections. It was a dream start for Hibs but they were unable to build on the opener.

Elias Melkersen hooked an effort just over from a Josh Campbell cross after Nathaniel Atkinson thundered a header off the juncture of post and bar.

Halliday had fired a couple of long-range efforts over the bar in the first half but made no mistake from Ellis Simms’ cutback in injury time, sweeping the ball past Matt Macey to equalise.

The second goal for Hearts came just minutes into the second half, Peter Haring’s cross picking out Kingsley at the back post and he poked it beyond Macey to put Hearts in front.

Chris Cadden then cut inside and hit a shot just wide in one of Hibs’ rare attacks in the second period.

Hearts came close to a third moments later but Toby Sibbick was unable to turn in the ball after Simms’ header from Barrie McKay’s corner.

Halliday wrapped things up with an effort from the edge of the box just before the hour mark and with Hibs offering little in the final third, the hosts didn’t need to do much else to secure the points, and third place.

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