The Scotsman

Murray in a hurry

● Early goal wins derby but it should have been more insists Hibs boss Lennon

- By MOIRA GORDON at Easter Road

Hibernian head coach Neil Lennon celebrated his side moving back above city rivals Hearts but insisted the 1-0 scoreline was not a fair reflection of his team’s superiorit­y in the first Edinburgh derby of the season.

The visitors just couldn’t live with the standard set by the Leith side, who took the lead in the third minute through Simon Murray.

“I’m very very happy. You know me, it takes a lot to make me happy,” said Lennon. “In the first half we were perfect. The intensity and pace, maybe only Celtic could live with that. The scoreline flatters Hearts. We were thoroughly dominant. I have been involved in a lot of derbies and that is as good as any.”

For Hearts manager Craig Levein, it was a sore one. “I’m disappoint­ed, which you would expect,” he said. “More disappoint­ed that we turned up with the right attitude – but just didn’t play. That has disappoint­ed the players, as well. I’m pleased with the effort they put in but [we] didn’t pass the ball well enough, never really got a grip of the game.

“The first half was really poor and we didn’t get going at all. We weren’t getting cut open but we never got the ball moving as we needed to. We ended up giving it away, defending, giving it away, defending. We couldn’t take the ball in areas where we needed to go. In the second half we were better. Harry [Cochrane] made a difference and got on the ball but when he made passes, we didn’t do enough.”

“That’s down to us,” insisted Lennon, left. “We forced the game. We pressed them, made them make mistakes. It was a very special performanc­e, as good as I’ve seen here. I think we’ve played well against Celtic away, Aberdeen here, Celtic in the semi-final. We haven’t been far away. So I’m very happy.”

Murray’s winner ended a mini scoring drought for the striker and secured his place in Edinburgh derby history. “It’s a great finish,” Lennon said. “He’s been champing at the bit and has been a bit off colour in the last few games. Seeing Oli [Shaw] coming on at the weekend gave him shot in the arm. But the two wingers were fantastic; [Brandon] Barker was incredible and Dylan Mcgeouch and John Mcginn are as good as anyone in the country at the minute. More importantl­y, it’s three points, we are back in top six, and the punters have gone home happy.”

Hibernian are growing to really love these fixtures. They certainly have a grip on them they do not seem keen to relinquish.

The sides came into the game on the back of differing fortunes. Hearts had managed to dig out a win over St Johnstone at the weekend, ending a lengthy spell without a victory against the Perth side but, with the unbroken chain of games without success extended to seven in derby clashes thanks to their inept showings last term, the Gorgie side were hoping they could do the same against their city rivals and regain some capital city pride.

Having leapfrogge­d Neil Lennon’s men at the weekend, avoiding defeat would also be enough to keep the Tynecastle outfit above them in the league standings,

Hibernian, though, were looking to bounce back from their Hampden disappoint­ment and, in terms of finding a way to soothe the pain of their Betfred Cup semi-final defeat, there are few more pertinent ways to do that than to better your main foes.

Hibernian seemed intent on ensuring that outcome, making a dream start.

Simon Murray had been an unused substitute at the weekend as his manager explored his other attacking options against Celtic, but the man who had been on a goalscorin­g splurge at the start of the season was quick to remind his boss what he is capable of.

Making only his second start in seven matches, the summer signing struck in the third minute to take his personal goal tally to 11 and settle the home side. The ball was played forward to him on the left wing and the striker cut inside, skipping past John Souttar before burying it in the roof of the net.

It was a bold and bright start from the Easter Road players as they took the game to their guests, poking and prodding and giving them little time or space to ease themselves into the game. Hibs are a side well used and more comfortabl­e taking the game to their opponents and, with the pace of Martin Boyle and Brandon Barker on the flanks and the busy running of Murray at the tip of the attack, they threatened Hearts on a regular basis in those opening minutes.

It was a tough spell for the visitors to weather, but they did as they fought to gain a foothold in proceeding­s, although it was going to prove a tough evening as the greater guile and physicalit­y of the home side tested their resolve.

But, in the 16th minute, Jamie Walker gave the travelling supporters some hope, bursting through and forcing Paul Hanlon to foul him on the edge of the box. They just couldn’t convert that into anything tangible.

In the 22nd minute Walker won the ball in the middle of the park and threaded a pass through for young Euan Henderson. He left Steven Whittaker on his backside as he played a cross in for Ross Callachan to have a dig. That effort was blocked and Rafal Grzelak ballooned the long-range rebound into the Famous Five Stand.

A derby with more bite and more keenly contested than has been the case in the past couple of seasons, Michael Smith was the first in the book, in the 27th minute, hacking Marvin Bartley as Hibs threatened a quick counter-attack.

Hearts were caught napping at a 30th-minute corner. Barker played it out to an inrushing Lewis Stevenson who had acres of space before Souttar reacted and charged it down for another corner. Barker delivered again, but this time Efe Ambrose’s header at the back post soared over.

Hibs were pressing, but, as has been the case several times this season, the final ball and the final touch was missing, with passes zipped tantalisin­gly across the face of goal with no-one able to make the vital connection.

Hearts were still in it, though, and a long ball forward from Souttar gave Kyle Lafferty the opportunit­y to sklep an angled dipping shot goalwards, but it landed on the roof of the net.

Walker also had a weak shot, as did Henderson, but nothing Hearts could muster was causing any real panic in the home rearguard.

Comfortabl­e with the onegoal advantage, Hibs should have given themselves an even plumper cushion just before the interval.

With Boyle through, he dallied on his shot and Jon Mclaughlin got out to block. But Whittaker should have buried the follow-up. Instead, with a gaping goal, he sent it high and wide.

Hearts did shuffle the pack as they sought out an equaliser. Teenager Harry Cochrane, pictured, was thrown on and Isma Goncalves and Cole

 ??  ?? 3 Hibs striker Simon Murray, centre, celebrates his early goal which turned out to be the Edinburgh derby winner.
3 Hibs striker Simon Murray, centre, celebrates his early goal which turned out to be the Edinburgh derby winner.
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