Hibee History: Ormond on the ball as Hibees thump Jambos

WHEN Hibs won their cup tie at Tynecastle the season before, Hearts supporters could console themselves that it was something of a flash in the pan, largely engineered by skilful pre-match planning.

But this was a very different story, when Hibernian played much the better football, adapted themselves more intelligently to the conditions, and might well have won by more than 3-1.

The Easter Road side looked like potential winners almost from the start. Joe Baker slammed a shot against the post and a driving strike from Turnbull also hit the post.

Hearts' attack was so poor that 23 minutes passed before Willie Bauld tested Leslie with their first good shot.

It was no surprise when Willie Ormond opened the scoring with a header from Baker's centre, but it was something of a surprise when Hearts equalised quickly. On play, a goal was not deserved, but Young showed brilliant opportunism by cashing in on a split-second chance for which Thomson could take credit.

Hearts' only dangerous spell came after half-time when they tried to harness the strong wind but Hibs reduced the disadvantage to a minimum by keeping the ball where it belongs - on the carpet.

Ormond's second goal, scored from a Smith centre, was enough to end Hearts' feeble rally, and Fox made it quite sure six minutes from time after good work from Ormond. Only Marshall, the half-backs and to some extent Young, earned credit in a Hearts side which failed miserably.

The Hibs attack defied the blustery wind and pouring rain to produce some excellent, progressive football. They had what Hearts so obviously lacked - skill and resource on both wings - and it was as well for the champions that Milne stuck so determinedly to the task of trying to hold Baker.

Hearts had now collected two points from four successive games as 1959 dawned and, although they were to rally, a dramatic final day saw them pipped to the title by Rangers after the Jambos lost 2-1 to Celtic. Hibs, for all their flair on New Year's Day, would finish tenth out of 18.

Hearts: Marshall, Kirk, Thomson, Bowman, Milne, Cumming, Paton, Murray, Young, Bauld, Crawford.

Hibs: Leslie, Grant, McClelland, Turnbull, Plenderleith, Preston, Smith, Fox, Baker, Gibson, Ormond.