First for Collins as Hibs break Hearts hoodoo

Hibernian 1 - 0 Hearts
Jones 32

Ewan Murray at Easter Road
Thursday November 9, 2006
The Guardian

Hibernian put an end to their sorry record against their city rivals, Hearts, in the Scottish League Cup last night by emerging victorious for the first time from an Edinburgh derby in this competition.

This win, which puts Hibs through to the last four and was also John Collins' first as the Easter Road club's manager, was achieved by virtue of a 32nd-minute Rob Jones strike but should, in reality, have been by a far greater margin.
Collins tasted victory only four times in 24 attempts in this fixture as a Hibs player, which must have made the dynamic manner of this performance from his team all the more pleasing. "We played ever so well," said the Hibs manager. "We should have scored more but thankfully one was enough. The players were all fantastic; it was a team performance. That's what will win us things."

It was revealed before kick-off that the Hearts manager, Valdas Ivanauskas, will remain on sick leave for an indefinite period. And Julien Brellier, one of their best performers last season but now given a bit-part role, was seen to storm out of Easter Road after not being named in the squad of 16. Given the clear inadequacy of the man taking his place, Marius Zaliukas, Brellier's reaction was understandable.

Edinburgh derbies are always fiercely competitive but seldom pretty. This was no different, doubtless owing to the 10 midfielders deployed between the teams. Hibs enjoyed the better of the exchanges and Jones blasted into the roof of the net after the visiting defence failed to deal with a routine corner from Merouane Zemmama.

Hearts remained dreadfully short of attacking verve - they failed to register a single shot on target - with only a combination of luck and poor finishing on the part of Hibs keeping the score at 1-0. The Hearts caretaker manager, Eduard Malofeev, does not now have his troubles to seek; last season's Scottish Premierleague runners-up have not won in five weeks.

Neither Malofeev nor any of his coaching staff attended last night's post-match press conference, with no explanation forthcoming. But the defender Jose Goncalves admitted the Hearts players were "embarrassed" by their display.

St Johnstone's win over Rangers and Falkirk's victory at Celtic Park on Tuesday ensures Hibs are now favourites to lift this trophy; Kilmarnock are the other team in this afternoon's semi-final draw.

Taken from the Guardian/Observer