In a chaotic and controversial Edinburgh derby that will be remembered for its red cards and late drama, Hearts came from behind to beat nine-man Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road, moving three points clear at the top of the Scottish Premiership. Blair Spittal scored the winner in the 86th minute, curling a fine finish into the bottom corner after Sabah Kerjota’s good work on the right. The win lifts Hearts three points above Celtic and four above Rangers with just four games remaining.
Hibs Strike First but Self-Destruct
Hibernian started brightly, and Martin Boyle – a proven derby performer – gave them a seventh-minute lead, pouncing on a loose ball from Jamie McGrath’s free-kick. Easter Road erupted, but the atmosphere turned sour seven minutes later when goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger was sent off for handling the ball outside his area after a VAR review. Referee Don Robertson showed a straight red after checking the monitor.
Despite being a man down, Hibs held on until half-time, with Claudio Braga missing two big chances to double the lead. But their hopes unravelled further in the second half when Felix Passlack was given a second yellow card for a high challenge on Beni Baningime. Some argued the tackle merited a straight red.
Hearts Capitalise on Numerical Advantage
With a two-man advantage, Hearts dominated possession. Marc Leonard crashed a shot against the bar before the equaliser came via a bizarre own goal. Lawrence Shankland’s near-post flick was turned into his own net by Warren O'Hora. The goal came after sustained pressure, but Hearts struggled to create clear-cut chances until Spittal’s late intervention.
Key Takeaways
- Title Race: Hearts now lead Celtic by three points and Rangers by four, with a crucial clash against Rangers next weekend.
- Discipline: Hibernian’s red cards – Sallinger (straight red) and Passlack (second yellow) – proved decisive in a game they led for 70 minutes.
- Derby Drama: Blair Spittal’s 86th-minute winner continues Hearts’ habit of late goals this season.
- Next Up: Hearts face Rangers on May 4 (live on Sky Sports), while Hibs look to recover against St Johnstone.
Infographic: Key Stats
Red Cards: 2 (Sallinger 14', Passlack 59')
Own Goal: Warren O'Hora (65')
Winner: Blair Spittal (86')
Possession: Hearts 62% – 38% Hibs
Shots on Target: Hearts 5 – 3 Hibs
Manager Reaction
Hearts head coach Derek McInnes told Sky Sports: “We stayed calm and disciplined. When we need someone, our captain does it again. Blair Spittal scores goals like that every day. It could be such an important goal.” He added: “We said it would be unlikely one team would win all five games. This win does us no harm psychologically, but we still need to perform. No one is going to give us it.”
Captain Lawrence Shankland said: “We want to do it. We’re close enough. We’ve worked so hard to get to this point, and it’s important we go and try to finish it off.”
Hibernian, who remain fifth, will now rely on Celtic and Rangers to stop Hearts’ charge. Scottish Premiership action continues next weekend.
Source: Sky Sports
