Hibs edged Hearts in the Boxing Day Edinburgh derby which swing this way and that.
It didn’t take long for the game to take on some life and the Hibees found themselves in front after just nine minutes, following a lengthy VAR check.
Rocky Bushiri was right on top of Craig Gordon as Josh Campbell’s flicked header came off the face off Kye Rowles and flew past the keeper but, despite the intervention of his linesman, Nick Walsh gave the goal after watching it back.
The visitors were really taking the game to their hosts and looked to punish them further, getting down the sides and in behind with regularity.
But they couldn’t add to their lead and Hearts got an undeserved lifeline on the stroke of half-time when Lawrence Shankland’s header was sliced into his own net by Rocky Bushiri.
Hearts improved massively after the break but still couldn’t really create much.
And the momentum swing in Hibs’ favour with 13 minutes left on the clock. Nicky Cadden provided yet another dangerous delivery from the left and Dwight Gayle ghosted it to side-foot a lovely finish into the far corner.
That was the last word as the men in green took a rare Tynecastle victory.
Hibs lay Hearts problems bare
Hearts have zero creativity, zero attacking width, zero pace and zero goal threat.
These problems were all laid bare today under the microscope of a derby.
Hibs were everything their rivals weren’t as they actually carried a threat and played with an attacking intent, unlucky not to be further ahead in the first half.
David Gray’s side are far from perfect or the finished article and they kept things pretty simple, but you could see what they wanted to do and they caused a shaky maroon backline all manner of problems.
The difference between the sides in that opening 45 was night and day and was further confirmation to home fans just how far away their squad is.
It mas a much better second period for the home side but their lack of creativity was still there for all to see, and they were punished at the other end as has often been the case.
Hibs momentum continues
That is now six games played for Hibs with just one defeat, and that came at Celtic Park. This win obviously carries even more weight for them than the others.
Gray switched to a 3-5-2 and it seems to be suiting them better while individuals like Nicky Cadden, Josh Campbell, Martin Boyle are now coming up trumps for them.
Joe Newell and Nectar Triantis are looking a strong partnership in the middle while they are more solid at the back with a three and Jack Iredale and Rocky Bushiri looking strong, the latter’s own goal aside.
They are looking like they could really climb the table now.
Critchley has one arm tied behind his back
A look at what Hearts had on the bench to try and change things told a story.
Neil Critchley threw on attacking players Yan Dhanda, Liam Boyce and Kenneth Vargas, none of them having recently shown anything to suggest they could provide a shot in the arm.
He also turned to defensive midfielder Malachi Boateng when Bani Baningime had run his race.
And the starting team he was forced to pick clearly lacked the ability to penetrate and punish the opponent in the first place.
It shows the unbalanced and underperforming group the Jambos boss is trying to work with and the squad needs massive surgery performed on it.
For these reasons, it is hard to judge the Englishman at this stage after he inherited this mess.