Outclassed for most the game, outsmarted and undone by individual indiscipline, a recurring theme in this fixture, ten-man Hibs were well beaten by Hearts at Easter Road. As hard as that may be for some supporters to accept, few would deny the evidence of their own eyes.
Yes, the home side mounted a ferocious fightback to come from 2-0 down. And a 15-minute burst of ferocious intensity meant they were in the ascendancy, even at 2-1 down, when substitute Jack Iredale picked up a second booking following a comedy of errors just after the hour mark.
Bui tonight’s 3-1 defeat to Hearts means David Gray’s men have now lost four out of the past five Edinburgh derbies. That is a record that cannot stand up to close inspection, even without considering the paucity of his team’s first-half showing here.
Hibs were 2-0 down at half-time, yet managed to pull themselves back into the contest through a wonder strike from substitute Adam Mayor with 50 minutes on the clock. But Iredale’s red card was swiftly followed by a Josh McPake solo effort to give the visitors a 3-1 lead.
Leaving aside the ifs, whats and maybes, the records show that Hibs found themselves a goal down after just 13 minutes. Felix Passlack was beaten with ease by McPake, the right back unable to recover as the winger went past him into the box before cutting back for James Wilson to finish well.
The brutal truth is that the home side were already being comprehensively outplayed on their own turf. Braga had two more good chances – one shot blocked, then a header brilliantly saved by Raphael Sallinger – either side of Jordan Obita limping out of action just before the half-hour mark.
The hosts at least had genuine cause to feel more confident with a proper rally as half-time approached, carving open one gilt-edged chance AND hitting the woodwork in a single madcap passage of play. Which starts, as these things often do, with Josh Mulligan simply deciding to be the best player on the park.
The Scotland hopeful exploded through midfield, leaving Laurent Mendy hanging off his shoulders, to set up Nathan Lowe with a through ball. The striker’s left-footed shot was well saved by Beau Reus.
Hibs kept up the pressure, though. And, after a bit of ricocheting around the box, Jacob Devaney saw a 20-yard strike fly off the crossbar. Positive omens? Signs of better times ahead?
They. Did. Not. Last. With two minutes of the half remaining, Hearts went 2-0 up, Mendy getting the final touch on a floated free-kick to head beyond Sallinger.
A VAR check for offside gave home fans some cause for desperate hope. Like their dreams of a genuinely impressive performance from their own side, those hopes were quickly thwarted.
Gray hit the gamble button at half-time, bringing on Miguel Chaiwa and Mayor for the struggling Devaney and ineffectual Callum Wright. It almost immediately paid off, Mayor – deployed at wingback in a change of shape when in possession – cutting back for a Mulligan shot well saved just four minutes into the half.
And the first Hibs goal was only delayed a matter of seconds as, following a superb bit of pressing from Mulligan, Mayor strode onto the ball with acres of space, drove towards the box – and let rip with an absolute screamer into the nearside top corner. Game on.
Boyle should have done much better with a horrific Oisin McEntee short back pass as Hibs pressed with renewed intensity, the skipper tamely tapping the ball at stranded keeper Reus with 54 minutes on the clock. And Mayor blazed over when presented with a chance to become a double derby hero before the hour mark; it was an easier chance than the one he took, certainly.
There hadn’t been any derby madness yet. Yet. Step forward substitute Iredale, who played a back-pass when neither Grant Hanley nor Sallinger were looking.
The keeper, scrambling to get back into his goal, chipped the ball straight back at the sub, who couldn’t control it and went in high on Calvin Miller. Already booked late in the first half, Iredale was shown a second yellow and then a red by referee Don Robertson.
Down to ten men, Hibs found themselves trailing 3-1 just four minutes after the red card, McPake slaloming through the defence and finishing with a deflected effort. That was enough for a good many Hibs fans, who left without waiting to see how the game played out.
They missed a couple of chances for Lowe, neither taken, and one goal disallowed for the game No. 9. And one thumping strike from Mulligan that Reus did well to tip over the bar.
9. CAM Callum Wright
4/10 Showed very little in a 45-minute shift. Replaced by Adam Mayor as Hibs tweaked their shape. | SNS Group
10. CF/No.10 Martin Boyle
5/10 Given the reception you’d expect, from visiting fans, when replaced by Suto after 70-plus minutes of effort and intent. Without much end product.
11. CF Nathan Lowe
5.5/10 Had a decent chance to make it 1-1 just before Hearts bagged their second. Spent a lot of the night battering into his markers without seeming to worry about the ball. But his effort can’t be faulted – and was unlucky to see a late ‘goal’ ruled out. Replaced by Klidje in dying moments. | SNS Group
12. SUB Jack Iredale
3/10 On for Obita with 28 minutes gone, the Australian defender was booked just before half-time. And gone by 62 minutes. A night to forget. | SNS Group