Thrilling Hearts-Hibs derby sparks jubilation and regret: Alex Lowry's exit has impact, Nick Montgomery keeps plan A, big injuries for both

The question at half-time in this pulsating Edinburgh derby was whether Hibs manager Nick Montgomery was capable of coming up with a Plan B. Because, at that stage of his first taste of a clash against Hearts, Plan A certainly wasn’t working.

However, the former A-League champion proved he is nothing if not dogmatic and, in no mood to turn everything upside down, he took the less revolutionary approach and simply demanded that his men execute the existing gameplan better.

A goal down thanks to a scorching Alan Forrest long-range strike, the contest could have already been beyond them if Hearts had managed to translate their first-half dominance into a more commanding scoreline. The fact they didn’t gave their guests hope, and allowed Hibs to earn a 2-2 draw at Tynecastle.

With just one win in Gorgie in the past decade, that does not tend to be a commodity in plentiful supply when Hibs hike across the city, and as Hearts gave their visitors the runaround throughout that opening period, any they had conjured up thanks to Montgomery’s four-game unbeaten start since being appointed as Lee Johnson’s successor must have dwindled further.

Hibs' Elie Youan sparks bedlam in the away end after scoring his equaliser against Hearts.

For Hearts, though, a team that has struggled this season, statistics show that the derby usually gives them some extra pep in their step. More dynamic than their rivals in the opening stages, their movement proved tough for Hibs to track and the pace and intensity of the forward thinking tactics and their willingness to compete for everything unsettled the Leith side.

An open, pulsating and captivating match throughout, there were plenty of turnovers to heap on the entertainment but the quality, predominantly, was provided by Hearts and, in particular Alex Lowry and Forrest. While there has, quite rightly, been so much focus on Hibs’ forward line and plaudits handed out for the goal threat they pose opponents, it was Hearts who were creating openings and pressing hardest.

Lawrence Shankland was ready to shoot in the sixth minute but left it for Lowry, who came steaming in from nowhere, but he has many attributes, he lacks his captain’s finishing prowess and he lashed his shot straight at Hibs keeper David Marshall. At the other end, a free-kick taken by Dylan Vente had a bit too much curl on it but it was soon Hearts who were back in attack.

Toby Sibbick and Forrest linked up high up the pitch before slipping the ball inside to Lowry and he was fleet of foot as he took a couple of side steps to open up a route to goal, but this time the shot careered back off the far post.

Alex Lowry was instrumental for Hearts as they bossed proceedings for 60 minutes.

Lowry and Forrest had Hibs dancing to their tune and the former played a delightful ball over the top for the latter but, again the finish was lacking. That was until Forrest burst through in the 28th minute. Hibs failed to sense the danger or close him down quickly enough and he rattled a clinical long range strike past the helpless Marshall.

Struggling to find a foothold, Hibs came up against a wall of maroon when they did get up the field and with Hearts busy in the midfield, and alert down the flanks, the supply to their strikeforce was scrappy.

Hibs had been lambasted at the interval and they were playing their way back into things when Hearts looked to quash those aspirations. Lowry was the man responsible and he used quick feet to cut inside and, whether it was an attempt on goal or a cross into the busy box, his effort sliced off Christain Doidge’s foot as he tried to block and headed into the Hibs net.

Looking back to that moment in the game, Naismith must have exited Tynecastle wondering how the heck his men did not collect all three points. In the end, they simply had to be content that they did not allow their rivals to leapfrog the in the league standings, standing firm to claim a draw. But that draw will feel like a loss to Hearts, who were goaded by the travelling support telling that that they had been 2-0 up but they’d f****** it up.

Hibs' Will Fish tries to keep Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland in check.

Double goalscorer Elie Youan admitted after the game that he had copped plenty of flak from his boss over his performance up until that point but he responded in the best possible way. With Lowry substituted in the 62nd minute, allowing Hibs to venture on to the front foot, Hibs’ French forward pulled one back on 66 minutes and within two minutes he had added another to leave Hearts rattled.

The first goal was an emphatic finish past Zander Clark after a Vente pass deflected off Toby Sibbick and into Youan’s path and the second was just as precise, Martin Boyle’s cross from the right only partially cleared by Sibbick once more. The strike sparked chaotic scenes in the away end, with some Hibs fans invading the pitch in jubilation.

While the home side had lost defender Stephen Kingsley to injury, Hibs were also forced to make a switch as goalkeeper Marshall pulled up with a groin issue, leaving young Max Boruc to see out the game in goals. In front of him, men in green and white threw their bodies in front of everything as they foiled Hearts attempts to reassert themselves.

In a thrilling conclusion, there was no lack of bravery as both teams made it abundantly clear that they still wanted all three points and rather than simply allow the game to fizzle out, the only thing missing was the sound of the cavalry charge over the public address system.

Leaving everything out on the pitch, there were late opportunities at both ends, with Kye Rowles – who had performed well at left back following Kingsley’s departure – watching in disbelief as his deflected effort cannoned back off Boruc’s bar before the visiting captain Joe Newell tried to force the win but was foiled by a Clark save.

It meant that Hearts unbeaten run in Tynecastle was extended. It also meant that Hibs unbeaten run under their new gaffer continues.