Hibernian 3-2 Hearts: Edinburgh derby delivers a cracker as Sallinger saves the day to give Hibs the spoils

Deck the Hearts with jabs and volleys. So read the banner, festive if not exactly exuding goodwill to all men, held up in the ultras section behind the goal during the first half of this exhilarating derby – and how David Gray’s side delivered on its message.

What no one inside Easter Road reckoned upon, though, was Derek McInnes’ Hearts climbing back off the canvas when three-down (and out) with quarter of an hour to go and only being denied a point in the end by two superb saves from home keeper Raphael Sallinger in time added on.

Special afternoons at Hibs’ home ground end with thunderous renditions of ‘Sunshine On Leith’. This one did too. However, relief almost tangible in the air amid the pride and delight.

When Kieron Bowie added to first-half efforts from Jamie McGrath and substitute Josh Campbell just three minutes into the second period, this looked like becoming a rout. In the end, it descended into a rearguard action for the hosts with Sallinger doing his best Davy Crockett impersonation.

Visiting captain Lawrence Shankland had snatched what looked like a consolation. Cammy Devlin, two minutes from time, turned it into a real lifeline. And it remains a miracle Shankland didn’t level it up in the 91st minute.

He got a firm contact on Alexandros Kyziridis’ cross from the left, it looked destined for the near post corner and then Sallinger flicked out his right boot. It was almost an unconscious reaction. And it ended with the ball being deflected wide.

Campbell watches on as his header beats Alexander Schwolow to give Hibs an early lead

The Hibs No1 then had to save again from a Beni Baningime shot in the 96th, finally getting the three points in the bag after one almighty, electrifying, showstopping battle.

That Hearts got themselves into back it – and almost salvaged a point – gives encouragement that there really is a never say die spirit within the camp. Where serious analysis is required, though, is in determining why they didn’t turn up until it was too late.

Those first 75 minutes must be as bad as they’ve been this season and, in truth, they got what they deserved. Their frontmen failed to click, their midfield was overrun and the defending at the goals was way, way below standard.

That needs to stay with these players throughout the remainder of the campaign and serve as a source of motivation. It will also have helped head coach McInnes, recruitment chief Will Lancefield and the Jamestown Analytics boffins harden their views on which areas of the side need bolstered next month.

This, of course, was exactly the kind of statement win the old Cabbage and Ribs had been missing this term and it still sets the standard for the New Year despite that terrifying late wobble.

They haven’t been doing badly, exactly. They’ve just had too many draws and not enough consistency. If this doesn’t light a fire under their campaign, though, what will?

In keeping with that black-and-green banner, they certainly jabbed and prodded the league leaders from the off, hitting them hard and early. And when McGrath’s third-minute strike set the tone in front of a hot, hot atmosphere, it came pretty much as instructed. With a volley. Well, a half-volley, if we’re nitpicking.

Schwolow was unable to prevent McGrath opening the scoring

Big up Dan Barlaser, who picked the ball up midway inside his own half, spotted Nicky Cadden in space on the left flank and delivered a brilliant diagonal pass.

From there, Cadden controlled the ball, beat Michael Steinwender and delivered an excellent cross, as is his wont.

McGrath just provided the jelly tot on the top of the Empire biscuit. He met the ball superbly on the half-volley inside the area and his effort flew past Alexander Schwolow in the away goal.

The celebrations on the far-side touchline were biblical. Punters poured over the advertising hoardings onto trackside. McGrath was swallowed up in it all. What looked like a white bar stool somehow ended up on the park.

From a Hibs perspective, all three guys involved in the opener deserve rose petals scattered in their path as they make their way into back into training. From Hearts’ point of view, it was a disaster.

Steinwender had given Cadden plenty of space, but still recovered and had an opportunity to stop the cross. He didn’t take it. Indeed, it is tempting to look at the opening goal as part of the reason why McInnes is looking to strengthen in that right-back position – with Jordi Altena, of RKC Waalwijk, understood to be the subject of a £500,000 offer.

Devlin’s worth to the Tynecastle cause, of course, is clear and the attention given to him by the opposition yesterday proved it. He didn’t cover himself in glory at that first Hibs goal, though.

He dropped just too deep in defending, couldn’t get a head to Cadden’s ball in and was left scrambling as the unmarked McGrath converted.

Bowie and his Hibs team-mates celebrate after going 3-0 up with the game seemingly in the bag

Hearts were rattled. When Claudio Braga surged up the left and won a corner on the quarter-hour mark, it represented the first meaningful example of the visitors getting up the field. Shortly afterwards, mind you, they came close to levelling when Stephen Kingsley picked out Shankland on the far side of the area with a fabulous cross.

Having peeled off Jack Iredale, the Hearts skipper had time to set himself and looked likely to equalise. His firm header, though, went the wrong side of Sallinger’s right-hand post.

Hibs rode the wave and got themselves two in front just before the break.

Cadden had gone off on the half-hour after receiving treatment on a calf injury. Given the quality of his crossing, it felt like a real loss for the hosts.

McGrath was moved out wide, Campbell came on, and how that switch-up paid off.

McGrath picked up the ball wide and worked space for himself with some tricky footwork to throw Oisin McEntee off balance. His cross was oh so tantalising and who should rise to meet it with the deftest of glancing headers than substitute Campbell. From the moment it left his head, it was always destined to land just inside the far post and spark off the kind of arms raised, wide-eyed celebration last seen when Marco Tardelli scored for Italy in the 1982 World Cup final.

Shankland manages to find the net before Devlin added a second, though it wasn’t enough for Hearts 

Hearts came undone again three minutes after the restart. Bowie had just sent an effort straight at Schwolow when an attempted clearance from Stuart Findlay smashed off Josh Mulligan and fell into his path in front of goal.

Messy as the build-up might have been, the striker’s curling left-footed finish was clinical and exquisite.

Then, it all went completely bonkers. Shankland directed home a fine header from a Kyziridis cross and Devlin pounced to put the cat among the pigeons after Sallinger had palmed a Kyziridis shot into his path.

The Austrian keeper would prove the hero in the end, however. How he ever ended up in that position is a mystery. As is the chaotic performance that saw Hearts having a mountain to climb. If their title aspirations are to maintain momentum, it can’t happen again.

Hibernian (3-5-2): Sallinger; O’Hora, Hanley, Iredale; Megwa (C. Cadden 84), Mulligan (Newell 64), Barlaser, McGrath, N. Cadden (Campbell 30); Boyle (Klidje 84), Bowie. Booked: Mulligan. 

Hearts (4-2-3-1): Schwolow; Steinwender, Halkett, Findlay (Kerjota 81), Kingsley (Milne 46); McEntee (Baningime 46), Devlin; Kyziridis, Magnusson (Wilson 88), Braga (Kabangu 73); Shankland. Booked: None.

Referee: John Beaton. Attendance: 20,035.