Hearts 5 Hibernian 1

By Lisa Gray, PA Sport

Summer signing Mark de Vries stole the show for Hearts against city rivals Hibernian as the striker netted four goals to ensure a home debut he will never forget.

Andy Kirk started the ball rolling for Hearts and, although Ian Murray pulled a goal back for Hibs, the game was dominated by an outstanding display from de Vries.

Torrential rain continued to fall throughout the day and the crowds flocking to Scotland's capital for the Edinburgh Festival meant travelling to Tynecastle was a nightmare - but no-one seemed to care.

Not only did the meeting between Hearts and Hibs signal the first Edinburgh derby of the season, it also indicated the beginning of the end of the war of words which has surrounded the Scottish Premier League's television deal since April.

Other issues between the 12 top flight clubs have still to be resolved and could ultimately mean the end of the SPL as we know it if the 10 non-Old Firm clubs carry out their threat to leave the current set-up.

But just the very prospect of being able to watch the action from this game live on the BBC signalled a return to normality for fans of Scottish football after last week's opening day action was subjected to a black-out.

And the terrestrial television station could not have picked a better game to broadcast around the country from the selection of fixtures on offer this weekend.

Right from the outset the pace was fast and furious as both Hearts and Hibs set about trying to claim their first three points of the new season.

But it was the home side who dominated the proceedings throughout the opening 45 minutes.

The first real chance fell to Hibs when Derek Townsley played the ball through to Garry O'Connor and he unleashed a shot but the effort fell over the crossbar.

The breakthrough came in the 18th minute when a long ball from goalkeeper Antti Niemi was nodded on to Kirk by de Vries and Kirk made no mistake when he lobbed goalkeeper Tony Caig for the opener.

Kirk could have grabbed his second of the day just a minute later. This time he met a cross from Steven Boyack but bulleted the header just over the crossbar.

Hearts should have doubled their advantage after 27 minutes. Jean-Louis Valois directed a corner kick into the path of Scott Severin in the six yard box and he produced a dazzling diving header, only to watch as the ball cracked off the crossbar.

With just five minutes remaining before the interval, de Vries ensured he would have a home debut to remember when he stabbed home the second goal of the day from just outside the six yard box from Valois' cross.

Hibernian started the second half determined to pull a goal back and they enjoyed much of the possession.

They were rewarded for their hard work when they managed to net just five minutes after the restart to haul themselves back into the game.

Grant Brebner supplied the cross into the box and the ball was met by Ian Murray - deputising as captain in the absence of John O'Neil - who bulleted home the header.

Hearts tried their best to re-establish their two goal advantage and were quickly putting the Hibs goal under pressure again.

Valois went on a run down the left flank before trying to set up Kirk for his second but he just failed to connect with the ball at the far post.

Kirk had an even better chance to score for Hearts when he unleashed an effort from the corner of the six yard box only to be denied by a superb one-handed save from Caig who just managed to tip the ball over the crossbar.

But it was de Vries who was destined to add his name to the scoresheet again.

Valois tested Caig with a close range shot, which the Hibs goalkeeper did well to block.

But the ball fell into the path of de Vries who gratefully rammed home the rebound into the empty net to claim his second after 64 minutes.

Hibs manager Bobby Williamson introduced young striker Tom McManus and former player Mixu Paatelainen to the action in the hope that the Easter Road side could salvage a point from the encounter.

But, as the game entered the final 10 minutes, both sides were struggling to create much in the way of goalscoring opportunities.

Substitute Gary Wales had replaced Kirk earlier in the game and he tried a last-gasp attempt at extending Hearts' lead with a long, low drive two minutes from time but the ball went wide of the upright.

It was to be a fairytale ending for de Vries who slotted home his third in injury time to complete his hat-trick.

But he was not finished and grabbed his fourth goal deep into injury time when he nodded home from a Boyack cross.

Teams

Hearts: Niemi, Maybury, Pressley, McKenna, Mahe (McMullan 61), Simmons (Twaddle 54), Severin, Boyack, Valois, De Vries, Kirk (Wales 80).

Subs Not Used: McKenzie, Webster.

Booked: Twaddle.

Goals: Kirk 18, De Vries 40, 66, 90, 90.

Hibernian: Caig, Orman, Smith, Mark Dempsie, Murray, O'Neil (Brebner 12), Townsley (Paatelainen 77), Jack, Arpinon, Luna, O'Connor (McManus 78).

Subs Not Used: Colgan, Fenwick.

Goals: Murray 51.

Att: 15,245

Ref: M McCurry (Scotland).

Taken from sportinglife.com