Hearts 3-2 Hibernian

By Colin Moffat

Paul Hartley celebrates his early goal at Tynecastle

Hearts edged a thrilling Boxing Day Edinburgh derby with a large helping hand from an accident-prone Hibs side.

Paul Hartley stroked Hearts in front after two minutes and keeper Zbigniew Malkowski fumbled a free kick to gift Edgaras Jankauskas a simple tap in.

Chris Killen headed Hibs back into the game and Dean Shiels equalised from the penalty spot only to be sent off for barging into keeper Craig Gordon.

Saulius Mikoliunas lashed Hearts in front again to seal the victory.

Interview: Hearts head coach Valdas Ivanauskas

Interview: Hibernian manager John Collins

It was a wonderful strike from the Lithuanian and it moves Hearts four points clear of their city rivals.

However, Hibs will be frustrated, having been the architects of their own downfall.

Hearts captain Gordon returned after being rested last weekend and was one of seven changes for the home side.

Neil McCann and Julien Brellier were restored to midfield, while Jankauskas and Roman Bednar were paired up front.

Nerijus Barasa and Jose Goncalves were brought in to play in the full-back positions.

Hibs skipper Kevin Thomson was free from suspension but he and fellow midfielders Steven Fletcher and Meroune Zemmama failed late fitness tests.

However, Scott Brown was back from a training ground knock and Abdessalam Benjelloun was handed a starting place.

Dean Shiels was sent off after clashing with Craig Gordon

And the Moroccan striker squandered a great early chance, shooting narrowly wide from 14 yards inside the first 40 seconds.

Hibs paid dearly for that miss, with Hearts immediately racing up the park and taking the lead through Hartley.

Jankauskas beat Rob Jones to a high ball and his flick was gathered by Bednar, who squared for Hartley to shoot home from inside the six-yard box.

In a typically frenzied opening, Killen could only prod a close range chance straight at Gordon, while Bednar broke clear of the visiting defence but his shot was blocked by the feet of Malkowski.

On 22 minutes, Killen ran on to a flighted pass from Michael Stewart and brushed off substitute Lee Wallace only to shoot wide of the target from near the penalty spot.

With the pace slowing to a mere whirlwind, the first half ended with Malkowski gathering a curling free kick from Hartley.

The same player was given a chance to test Malkowski again soon after the break and this time the Polish keeper made a terrible hash of it.

The erratic Malkowski spilled Hartley's tame free kick and Jankauskas was presented with a tap in.

Hibs hit straight back when Killen powerfully headed home a corner from Shiels.

And the Easter Road side were on level terms after Shiels netted a penalty, having been obstructed by Barasa.

But, while celebrating his goal, the midfielder ran straight into Gordon and pushed the Scotland keeper to the ground - earning himself a crazy red card.

Both defences looked fragile as play raged on and Hibs allowed a weak pass from Andrius Velicka to roll across the 18-yard line for Mikoliunas to blast high into the net.

Ten-man Hibs continued to press and were unlucky when right-back Steven Whittaker galloped forward only to see his strike cannon off both posts, with Gordon well beaten.

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Hearts: Gordon, Barasa, Zaliukas, Berra, Goncalves (Wallace 9), Mikoliunas, Hartley, Brellier, McCann, Bednar (Pospisil 76), Jankauskas (Velicka 64). Subs Not Used: Banks, Aguiar, Karipidis, Driver.

Booked: Hartley, Brellier. Goals: Hartley 2, Jankauskas 49, Mikoliunas 70.

Hibernian: Malkowski, Whittaker, Martis, Jones, Murphy, Beuzelin, Stewart, Scott Brown, Shiels, Benjelloun, Killen. Subs Not Used: McNeil, Hogg, Stevenson, Glass, McCann, McCluskey, Campbell.

Sent Off: Shiels (62). Booked: Stewart, Whittaker, Scott Brown, Beuzelin. Goals: Killen 55, Shiels 61 pen.

Att: 17,369

Ref: M McCurry