MAN OF THE MATCH

CRAIG HALKETT If there’s a better defensive option for Scotland at the moment then he must be some player. A rock and a picture of calm at the back for Hearts and growing in stature with every game. Read danger superbly and picked his passes with intelligence IT was agony for Hecky and ecstasy for Hickey as Craig Levein ended a six-month wait for a league victory when Hearts fought back to win the El Sackico derby.

Levein went from “getting sacked in the morning” to arriving at Riccarton with a spring in his step as the pressure switches to beleaguered rival Paul Heckingbottom.

That was how much was riding on this doomsday derby as a turgid first half was followed by a topsy-turvy second 45 minutes that ended with Levein savouring a rare Premiership win.

The home fans chanted the axe would fall today after Stevie Mallan’s scorching strike early in the second half looked set to extend Levein’s winless run.

But Uche Ikpeazu levelled with 20 minutes left – as he did at Easter Road in the final derby of last season – before Aaron Hickey’s deflected 83rdminute strike won it for Hearts.

The full-back became the youngest post-war derby scorer for Hearts, aged 17 years and three months.

And as far as Levein is concerned he might not score a more important goal against Hibs in his career.

Suddenly it was Hearts fans chanting that Heckingbottom – with just one win in 11 league games stretching back to last season – was “getting

GAVIN BERRY AT EASTER ROAD

sacked in the morning” with a section of the home support joining in.

It was Levein’s 99th game in charge for his second stint as Hearts boss and victory ensures he will be 100 not out when Aberdeen visit Tynecastle in Wednesday’s Betfred Cup quarter-final tie.

Heckingbottom faces a trip to Kilmarnock in their lasteight clash before a daunting match at home to Celtic.

Some fans on both sides would have been happy to take a defeat if it forced managerial change and Levein