Recalling Mixu Paatelainen's hat-trick antics on Hibs' historic night at Easter Road against Hearts

Emphatic win saw Alex McLeish’s side reclaim Edinburgh derby bragging rights
Mixu Paatelainen holds aloft the match ball after his hat-trick in the 6-2 win over Hibs on 22 October, 2000. Pic: Tony MarshMixu Paatelainen holds aloft the match ball after his hat-trick in the 6-2 win over Hibs on 22 October, 2000. Pic: Tony Marsh
Mixu Paatelainen holds aloft the match ball after his hat-trick in the 6-2 win over Hibs on 22 October, 2000. Pic: Tony Marsh

Derby wins don’t come much bigger or better than this.

After a decade of suffering at the hands of their arch-rivals, Hibs took out their revenge in the sweetest manner possible with a stunning derby demolition under the lights at Easter Road.

“We want seven” was the chant thundering down from the stands as the home fans beckoned Alex McLeish’s men to set a new milestone, their record victory over Hearts having been a 7-1 success in 1973.

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The particular landmark wasn’t to be, but derby history was still made with Mixu Paatelainen becoming the first Hibs player to score a hat-trick in the fixture since Pat Quinn in the 4-1 win at Tynecastle in 1967.

“Unbelievable”, was how the big Finnish striker summed up the preceding 90 minutes after the match.

It was only the fourth time in Edinburgh derby history that either side had scored six or more goals, and this win on 22 October, 2000 means the Hibees remain the last side to do so.

Hearts scored at the beginning and the end, but everything in between belonged to the men in green.

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A slow start by Hibs was punished by a strike from Hearts striker Andy Kirk but the game turned in the space of two minutes as Paatelainen, earlier denied a goal for a push on Steven Pressley, struck twice from close-range.

Those goals gave Hibs the platform for a memorable second 45 minutes as the home side ran riot with a scintillating display of skilful, possession football with the firepower to match.

With Russell Latapy and John O’Neil pulling the strings in midfield, David Zitelli linked with that pair to cleverly beat the offside trap and make it 3-1.

Latapy sprayed another imaginative pass out wide for O’Neil to fire in a cross which allowed Paatelainen to claim his hat-trick.

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And O’Neil broke his own duck, lashing in number five before Latapy completed the rout with the goal of the night, exchanging a one-two with Paatelainen before crashing a volley past Anti Niemi.

Those goals reduced Colin Cameron’s late strike for Hearts to a mere statistic.

Hibs settled for six, but it could have been many, many more.

“I thought there were a few of them flat out on their feet at the end, but I thought they deserved to stay on and milk the applause,” said Hibs boss McLeish.

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“It was a phenomenal performance after a dodgy opening 10 minutes or so, but we have played a lot of good football and created a lot of chances.

“On that form, it will be a hard game for Celtic to come here, but I am not going to make any boasts.”

The victory took Hibs into second-place, five points behind Celtic, amid talk of a possible title challenge.

That ultimately proved a step too far, but a fantastic season nonetheless ended with a third-place finish.

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