Hearts 1-0 Hibs

Jan 20 2008 Gordon Waddell At Tynecastle

Banks Backs Stevie To Get Back On Track

STEVE BANKS last night urged Hearts supremo Vladimir Romanov to back Stevie Frail's bid to become boss after the Jambos dumped their derby rivals.

The Tynecastle side have been on the road to recovery since Frail was handed the reins at the turn of the year and ordered to haul the club out of the drop zone.

And after battling out two draws on the bounce he finally got his reward in the biggest game of the lot as his side kept their first SPL clean sheet in four and a half months and ended a 10-game winless streak.

Andrius Velicka's 12th goal of the season - ably assisted by Hibs keeper Yves Ma-Kalambay - put Hearts in the driving seat after 20 minutes.

In recent weeks that still wouldn't have been enough to see them over the line but this time they dug deep to see off an admittedly desperately poor Hibees side.

And Hearts keeper Banks said: "Shaggy has backed us, tried to do the best for us and training has changed completely.

"We know what he's about, his heart and soul is in this place. He shows it every day on the training ground and at matches and hopefully it has rubbed off on us as we want to do it for him.

"You can see by the way the lads are performing that they're right up for Shaggy being the manager.

"And if that happens we'll be more than happy about it.

"We've shown the desire in previous weeks but needed to turn it into a win and we did this time. We fought hard, defended for our lives and deserved it."

With the Jambos going into the game in 11th spot - after bagging just four points out of the previous 30 - and Hibs themselves only just ending an eight-game run without a win, it was hard to remember an Edinburgh derby kicking off with such a big cloud hanging over it.

But right from the off there was only one team in it. Twice inside 40 seconds Hearts came close to taking the lead with Michael Stewart's deflected shot bulleting past the post followed by a dipping volley from Deividas Cesnauskis that tested Ma-Kalambay down low.

And the Belgian keeper had more on his plate three minutes later when he adjusted his shape magnificently in mid-air to turn away a Ruben Palazuelos shot that was wildly deflected by Chris Hogg.

But you can have as many spectacular reflex saves as you like - if you don't get your bread and butter stops right they'll destroy you.

And in 20 minutes the Hibs keeper blundered badly as he fumbled a routine save.

Christophe Berra towered over Hogg to meet Andy Driver's corner, Velicka headed the knock down straight at Ma-Kalambay but the big man mis-handled and could only bundle the ball over the line as he tried to claw it back.

It was the goal the game needed to put a real light under it. The volume suddenly hit 11 helped on its way by a controversial booking for Velicka for a dive as Hogg challenged him in the box.

Hibs were nowhere near the game, though.

Even out wide with full back Jose Goncalves having a nightmare first half Filipe Morais couldn't work him - although the winger did tee up Hibs' best chance of the game with a ball fizzed along the six-yard line which Abdesallam Benjelloun fresh-aired.

The away side needed a spark and new gaffer Mixu Paatelainen tried to provide it when he lost the rag a minute before the break.

The big man stormed out his dugout in a fury over Robbie Neilson's reaction to a crunching but fair tackle from the outstanding Ian Murray and was well warned by ref Kenny Clark to cool it.

He must have taken his unhappiness in at the break with him though because when Hibs came back out Benji had been hooked for Steven Fletcher.

It was the Scotland Under-21 striker's first game in five weeks after an ankle injury and although he was short of fitness he still made a difference. Just not enough.

For all the ball they had after the break, and for all Hearts' nerves biting deep again, Hibs still never forced a save of note from Banks.

Their only chance came from a free-kick delivered by sub John Rankin with eight minutes left.

Hogg looked like winning it at the back post but Christos Karipidis manhandled him out of the header and was lucky to get past ref Clark without a whistle.

Frail shrugged: "Maybe there was something in it. I've seen it on TV and it looked as if his arms were round Hoggs' shoulders but the ref never gave it thankfully.

"It was a great three points for us and now we need to build on it. We can't think we've done the hard work yet."

REF WATCH

KENNY CLARK got a lot right as he used his experience to keep a lid on a powderkeg derby although he blotted his copybook by wrongly booking Andrius Velicka for diving. Rating: 6/10.

MATCH STATS

HEARTS

SHOTS ON 7

SHOTS OFFF 2

OFFSIDE 5

FOULS 18

CORNERS 8

BOOKINGS 3

HIBS

SHOTS ON 6

SHOTS OFF4

OFFSIDE 2

FOULS 12

CORNERS 7

BOOKINGS 2

Taken from the Sunday Mail