Shock treatment seems to have worked for Steve

Ian Paul

6 Nov 1989

Hibernian 1, Hearts 1

PERHAPS one encouraging conclusion to be drawn from the latest dreary derby in the capital is the strength in depth that both teams seem to be developing as they strive to make their marks in the premier division.

Hibs began without their top striker, Keith Houchen, and their influential midfield man, Neil Orr, while Hearts lost two key players, Eamonn Bannon and Scott Crabbe, at half time.

Both teams were able to overcome these drawbacks without too much inconvenience and from that we can assume there is more chance of the Edinburgh teams staying the premier-division course this time around.

Steve Archibald scored a goal and very nearly added a second, thus justifying his inclusion after being left out of the party that went to Belgium in midweek.

The former Aberdeen, Spurs, Barcelona, and Blackburn forward was unhappy at being left at home but maybe that shock treatment was considered necessary by the manager.

No great pyshochology is necessary, I imagine, in dealing with Graham Mitchell, the midfield player who has emerged as Hibs' most consistent and perhaps important player this season.

His strength and determination, not to mention an ability to score goals, have been major assets to the Easter Road side.

Hearts' substitutes, John Robertson and Dave Kirkwood, did well enough in the second half but, in general, the Tynecastle team did not hit the form of which they are capable.

They have moved on from the stage where their very existence seemed to depend on winning this fixture to a point where the mad hash and bash which is the inevitable pattern does not really suit them.

Hibs might well prefer a game where there was at least half a second avialable to make a pass, too, but it seems that when these sides are wound up before they come out of the tunnel the batteries don't run out until after 90 minutes.

Demanding is the word to describe it.

For the players, for the fans.

Entertaining is another word altogether.

Football is another world altogether.

The 20,000 who turned up were kept on their toes by the sheer freneticism of it all and probably counted the two goals scored in the first half as an unexpected bonus.

They certainly surprised me.

The first was scored by Bannon after Foster had cut the ball into his path and the equaliser by Archibald after he got his head to a Mitchell cross.

Very few scoring opportunities appeared thereafter as the midfielders, as many as eight-a-side at times, struggled for supremacy, but Hearts' cause was not helped by the injury to Dave McCreery, who had to have his knee heavily bandaged soon after the interval.

Archibald hit the post with a superb free kick near the end and if that had gone in I suppose Hibs would have had some justification for claiming it their right.

They did have more of the ball than Hearts.

But the fact that neither side won seemed to me real justice.

For Hibs, however, a draw was invaluable after their recent depressing run when they lost three successive games, against Aberdeen, Rangers, and FC Liege, without scoring a goal of their own in the process.

The Archibald goal ended both worries but manager Alex Miller is well aware that more quality is needed if further improvement is to be made.

Hearts may well have given their poorest display of the season and on that count can be delighted with a point.

They are capable of great things but not if they have too many aberrations along these lines.

HIBERNIAN -- Goram, Kane, Sneddon, Cooper, Mitchell, Hunter, Weir, Archibald, Hamilton, Collins, Evans.

Substitutes -- McGinlay, Fellinger.

HEARTS -- Smith, McLaren, McKinlay, Levein, McCreery, McPherson, Colquhoun, Mackay, Foster, Crabbe, Bannon.

-- Substitutes -- Robertson, Kirkwood.

Referee -- A W Waddell (Edinburgh).