Hibs 2, Hearts 2, April 25, 2005

Published on Tuesday 19 April 2011 13:13

WHEN all is said and done a point is better than nothing, but even so there was no hiding the disappointment among Tony Mowbray's players as they allowed the chance to end Hearts' interest in the race for Europe slip through their fingers.

The Hibees had a second derby day win in just ten days cruelly snatched away from them as Paul Hartley's free-kick took a deflection straight on to the head of team-mate Andy Webster who hauled the Gorgie outfit level for the second time in the game.

It was a point stolen by the Jambos, not that the fans clad in maroon behind Simon Brown's goal cared.

While Mowbray still refused to rule Hearts completely out of the equation at that point, the fact remained that with games rapidly running out it now seemed to be a straight two-horse race between Hibs and Aberdeen. The Dons were just two points behind the Easter Road side. The Pittodrie outfit still had to visit Leith for the penultimate match of the season, a game which Mowbray acknowledged could prove to be a case of winner take all. But, for the meantime, Mowbray insisted that his side would focus on the two games that cropped up before then - away to Celtic and Motherwell.

While a touch disappointed at being forced to settle for a draw, Mowbray would find some comfort in the fact that his side, which had perhaps been displaying signs of weariness in recent weeks, showed they still had plenty of fuel in the tank as they hit Hearts with a whirlwind at the start of each half.

It took only eight minutes for Garry O'Connor to claim his 18th goal of the season, the striker finding himself in acres of space as Scott Brown returned Derek Riordan's deep corner into the danger area while Hearts claimed in vain for offside.

Perhaps the goal came too early for Hibs as they then took their foot off the pedal, allowing Hearts to dominate. Lee Miller smacked a header off the base of Simon Brown's left-hand post before a superb move culminated as the on-loan striker held off Gary Smith to crack home his 11th goal off the underside of the bar.

Hibs began to rock and Simon Brown pulled off a great save from a Webster header. However Hibs felt they had retaken the lead when Gary Caldwell got his knee to Derek Riordan's corner. The ball appeared to have crossed the line before Joe Hammill managed to clear it to safety. The second half started the same as the first, with Hibs racing at Hearts and striker Amadou Konte had a header somewhat dubiously ruled out for offside and just as you felt Hibs might pay for passing up these chances, Riordan struck with a stunning strike which had his trademark written all over it.

A sumptuous crossfield pass from Smith, hit on the volley, found Riordan prowling his favoured left touchline. As Robbie Neilson backed off Riordan didn't need a second invitation, crashing a left-foot shot into the top far corner of the net before Webster struck a late blow to leave Hibs rueful.

Mowbray said afterwards: "The players were very disappointed sitting in the dressing room. When an equalising goal comes so late in the game it always leaves everyone a bit deflated. I felt that in the second half in particular we did enough to win the game on chances created."

While Hibs would lose that pivotal clash with Aberdeen 2-1, Mowbray would have the last laugh as his side won their race for a Euro place that season, finishing ahead of the Dons in third place by dint of a goal difference just two better than their rivals.