Hibs 1-2 Hearts: Aaron Hickey nets late Edinburgh derby winner
- Published
Highlights: Hibernian 1-2 Heart of Midlothian
Seventeen-year-old Aaron Hickey's deflected late strike earned Hearts a dramatic Edinburgh derby comeback win, and eased the pressure on Craig Levein.
With Hearts bottom of the Scottish Premiership going into the game, defeat may well have spelled the end for manager Levein. But instead it is Hibernian's Paul Heckingbottom who finds himself under increasing scrutiny as his side slip to 11th place.
Stephen Mallan's superb 30-yard shot had given Hibs the lead, before Uche Ikpeazu equalised at Easter Road.
But Hickey's looping shot gave Hearts a priceless first league victory of the season, and extended their rivals' winless run to four matches.
The win moves the Tynecastle side off the foot of the table just eight days after fans protested at Levein's management following a home defeat by Motherwell.
The focus will now switch to the future of Heckingbottom as boos from the home support greeted the full-time whistle in Leith.
Hearts flip momentum to pile on misery
Mallan's ridiculous, dipping, swerving, screamer two minutes after the break was like a shock from a defibrillator to a previously lifeless derby, which in the first half bore no reflection of the importance to both managers.
As the ball sailed over Joel Pereira and careered into the net, bedlam ensued in the stands, resuscitating the Easter Road faithful and, at long long last, we had a game.
Harem-scarem, bruising, breathless... call it what you want, the Edinburgh derby is rarely a classic. Both sides' non-start to the season only added to the nervy, win-at-all-costs atmosphere associated with recent meetings of these old foes.
Levein spoke about ensuring he absorbed all the heat of the winless start to the league campaign to protect his players, Heckingbottom said he was demanding more responsibility from senior members of his squad in a bid to keep their winless run at four games.
Whatever the merits in either approach, the start from both was nervy and there was nothing powder-keg about it as misplaced passes, a lack of recognisable patterns in play and a whole lot of exasperation in the stands characterised the first half.
Then, came that strike. Mallan, who has a penchant for the long-ranger, picked up the ball 40 yards out and when not a soul in maroon closed him down, he advanced and let rip.
It was then looking extremely bleak for Levein, who was backed by owner Ann Budge in midweek, but he would have known all too well a derby defeat could have proved too much to come back from in the eyes of the fans.
However, his team responded brilliantly and the match reverted to the more familiar, frenetic derby template. Hibs had their chances on the break, chiefly when Melker Hallberg sliced wide when the goal was at his mercy and Pereira pushed away Glenn Middleton's low drive.
But soon the soft defending that has haunted their campaign re-emerged as Ikpeazu picked up the scraps from a Christophe Berra header, single-handedly held off two defenders and steered the ball home.
From there they slowly crumbled and momentum, often so key in these fierce contests, swung irretrievably. Hearts' confidence swelled and, though there was a touch of fortune in Hickey's winner, it was reward for far greater intent from the visitors.
The scenes in the away end as it hit the top corner showed exactly what this fixture meant, which is exactly why Heckingbottom no doubt faces a few sleepless nights.
Man of the match - Aaron Hickey
BBC Scotland's Brian McLauchlin at Tynecastle
Mallan's goal would have been worthy of winning any game, but the award must go to youngster Hickey. He belied his years with a tremendous display of not only defending but also of how to pile pressure on the opposition.
His thunderous strike took a deflection en route to the back of the net but to have the bravery to shoot when others may well have played safe gave us an indication of how he looks at the game.
We have seen many a youngster over the years show talent when handed an early opportunity and, while he still has a lot to learn, on this evidence he has a long and prosperous career ahead of him.
'Derby goal was best feeling in my life' - Hickey