Jack Iredale scored a stunning winner as rampant Hibernian defeated city rivals Hearts 2-1 to strengthen their European bid and extend their unbeaten run to 15 matches.
The Australian centre-back notched his first goal for the club with an emphatic half-volley in the 74th minute to make it back-to-back Edinburgh derby wins for the Hibees after Hearts midfielder Jorge Grant swiftly cancelled out Martin Boyle’s early opener.
In addition to boosting Hibs’ chances of finishing third in the William Hill Premiership, Iredale’s strike halted the momentum of Neil Critchley’s men, who had arrived at Easter Road buoyed by a run of just one defeat in 11 matches since they lost at home to the Hibees on Boxing Day.
Instead of potentially moving within a point of Hibs, the seventh-placed Jambos now face a scramble to ensure they make the top six over the next four matches before the split.
Hibs boss David Gray – named Premiership manager of the month for February on the morning of the match – made two changes to the side that started the dramatic 3-1 win at Dundee United on Wednesday as Chris Cadden and Kieron Bowie came in for Lewis Miller and Mykola Kuharevich.
There were also two alterations to the Hearts side from their win over St Mirren as Grant and Blair Spittal replaced Calem Nieuwenhof and Sander Kartum in midfield.
The early stages certainly lived up to the pre-match billing as both sides capitalised on slack defending to find the net.
After Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland saw a powerful shot blocked by goalkeeper Jordan Smith, the hosts made the breakthrough in the sixth minute.
Iredale lofted a pass up the left channel and as the ball ran into the box, visiting right-back Gerald Taylor was slow to react, allowing the alert Boyle to burst in, hold him off and guide a lovely finish on the bounce beyond Craig Gordon from a tight angle.
The Hibees were ahead for barely two minutes, however. When Shankland dinked a ball over the top and into the box, Rocky Bushiri – facing his own goal and under pressure on the edge of his six-yard box – could only hook a tame clearance into the path of Grant, who rasped a ferocious half-volley past Smith from 16 yards.
The exhilarating start soon descended into a relative lull, with clear opportunities few and far between for the remainder of the first half.
Hearts should have done better on the half hour when Warren O’Hora gifted possession to Blair Spittal, paving the way for a counter-attack but Shankland and Elton Kabangu were not ruthless enough to punish the hosts, with the captain ultimately nodding the loose ball wide.
Kabangu then had a strike ruled out for offside in the 33rd minute before Hibs wing-back Nicky Cadden fizzed a low angled shot across goal and agonisingly wide of the far post moments later.
Hibs were forced into a change just before the break when O’Hora limped off to be replaced by Miller after injuring himself in a challenge with Kabangu.
The hosts – having looked nervy at times in the first half – made a strong start to the second half and Josh Campbell just failed to connect with a dangerous Nicky Cadden delivery before Nathan Moriah-Welsh shot just wide from the edge of the box.
Hibs got themselves back in front in the 74th minute when Iredale beat Shankland to the loose ball and fired a stunning left-footed half-volley beyond Gordon from 20 yards out after Michael Steinwender headed Cadden’s cross out.
Hearts summoned little in response as they slumped to a second consecutive defeat at the hands of Gray’s green and white juggernaut.
