Wasteful Hibs let derby victory slip through grasp - report and ratings from Hearts clash at Easter Road

Hibs had a rare Edinburgh Derby victory within their grasp. In this season of dropping points and letting things slip at the very death, however, they could not hang on. Couldn’t find a way to keep Hearts at bay when it mattered most.

And so David Gray’s men had to settle for a 1-1 draw that did not reflect the balance of chances created. A result that might have been worse. But should surely have been a whole lot better.

A Myko Kuharevich goal after 65 minutes, the substitute striker letting out a roar of relief and redemption after losing his starting spot for the biggest game of the season so far, sparked inevitably wild celebrations at Easter Road. But Hibs fans who had endured so much during this season of late concessions and horrible collapses could hardly have been surprised when, with four minutes of regulation time remaining, James Wilson grabbed a late equaliser from a long throw-in not cleared from the danger area.

With seven minutes of injury time added on, there was tension aplenty over the closing stages of a contest full of fired and bite. Ultimately, however, Gray’s men remain rooted to the foot of the Scottish Premiership table – and still desperately in need of a second league win of the season to ease pressure on the rookie head coach.

Moments of genuine quality were as rare as you might expect in the opening exchanges of a fixture where the intensity level is never set to anything less than manic. Yet there was incident enough to keep supporters teetering between panic and hope.

A heavy touch here, a bounce of the ball there. That’s all it takes, sometimes. And there were plenty of those.

Josef Bursik did nothing to ease nerves among the home support by coming for – and failing to get – a free-kick into his box with just under 20 minutes gone. The Hibs goalie did clatter into one of his own team-mates, though. Something of a recurring theme lately.

Gray’s men looked more than dangerous on the break. And they carved open a couple of excellent chances before the interval, both falling to the player best suited, you’d think, to put them away. Dwight Gayle’s first start probably should have been marked by at least one first-half goal.

First, he saw an effort cleared off the line by Penrice after Craig Gordon had slapped away a Junior Hoilett cross. Then the veteran penalty box predator directed a free header just too close to Gordon from another Hoilett delivery, this one from a free-kick. The Scotland goalkeeper stuck out a strong right paw to make a really good save.

Gayle failed to put an even better opportunity away right at the start of the second half. And, as the 34-year-old tired, Gray turned to his bench.

Impact subs? Kuharevich falls into the category. He’d only been on the pitch five minutes when he put his team ahead, bundling the ball home from point-blank range after Marvin Ekpiteta’s looping header had been touched onto the bar by Gordon.

If it’s never going to be in the running for the Puskas Award, there was still much to admire about the opener. Starting with Martin Boyle winning the free-kick. But also including Hoilett’s delivery and Lewis Miller’s flick on to the back post area.

Nectar Triantis probably should have made it 2-0 as he ghosted in on a Miller free-kick, the midfielder tamely directing his effort into the arms of a grateful Gordon. After Wilson’s equaliser, the keeper made an absolutely stunning point-blank stop from an Ekpiteta header early in the seven minutes of time added on. But Hibs also had to survive a few late scares to at least claim a draw.