Hibernian 0-4 Heart of Midlothian, April 2006 – Your boys took one hell of a beating

by Joel Sked

Sometimes, just sometimes supporting your team can be exhilarating, enjoyable, everything you ever wanted rolled into one. In a word. Perfect.

Sunday the 2nd of April 2006 was one of those days. The day featured the second of the Scottish Cup semi-finals. On the Saturday second division Gretna had defeated first division Dundee. It was left to Heart of Midlothian and Hibernian to contest one of, if not the biggest, Edinburgh derbies in modern history.

A side who were in the process of splitting the Old Firm for the first time since Motherwell (and Hibernian) did so in 1995 against a side who had not tasted Scottish Cup glory in 104 years.

For one it was the opportunity to prolong their rival’s misery and collect the ultimate bragging rights. For the other it was the perfect opportunity to banish the demons of a cup hoodoo that rivals that of the Boston Red Sox and the ‘Curse of the Bambino’. And what better way to do so than knocking out your city neighbours to set up a final with a second division side.

However this is not the story of Hibernian and their Scottish Cup curse. This is about Heart of Midlothian providing me with a game that may never be rivalled.

The 2005/2006 season saw sweeping changes take place at Tynecastle. Russian-born Lithuanian business man, Vladimir Romanov had acquired shares in Hearts in 2004, then more at the turn of the year. But it was the close season where significant transition took place. Goalscoring hero John Robertson was replaced in the manager’s seat by George Burley, and in came a swathe of talented and trophy-laden players of the calibre of European Championship winner Takis Fyass, Champions League and Uefa Cup winner Edgaras Jankauskas, Rudi Skacel and Roman Bednar. The foreign legion complemented the solid Scottish spine already at the club; Craig Gordon, Steven Pressley, Andy Webster and Paul Hartley.

The new-look Hearts side took the SPL by storm winning their first 8 league games and remaining unbeaten in 12 with their high-tempo, up-an-at-‘em football, overpowering most opposition. However conflict behind the scenes saw George Burley unexpectedly replaced by Graham Rix who only lasted 135 days in the aptly named hot-seat. He was replaced by Lithuanian coach Valdas Ivanauskas. By which time Rix had led Hearts to home victories over Kilmarnock, Aberdeen and Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup to set up the semi-final meeting at Hampden with Hibs.

The two sides have previous. A lot of it. Hearts have their dominant derby record, (marginally) fuller (if that is the correct word) trophy cabinet, 22 unbeaten derbies in a row. While Hibs have 7-0 and 6-2. That season had produced three incredible derbies already; Hearts had trounced Hibs twice at Tynecastle, 4-0 and 4-1, while it was the Leith side who had ended Hearts’ unbeaten record at Easter Road.

With the game scheduled as a Sunday lunchtime kick-off in Glasgow I, like many other fans, took the decision to stay the Saturday night through the west. Come Sunday morning it was a 10 minute walk up the road to Hampden Park. Mount Florida’s west side could easily have been mistaken for Gorgie Road on a match-day.

The atmosphere was bubbly. Completely opposite to what I was feeling. As a 17-year-old I did not handle derbies well. Instead of embracing the occasion I would be wrapped in nerves and the fear of losing. That Sunday was no different. Worse even, as the nerves had intensified.

In the West Stand, high up behind the goals, everyone around me was on their feet awaiting a momentous derby. I was sitting down waiting for the game to end, so long as I could be put out of this self-inflicted misery. However three events before the start of the game started to banish the anxiety. From my legs, I could stand. Then my stomach, I could sing. Then my head, we can win.

As the Hearts end filled, large areas of the Hibs end remained vacant.

The teams were announced. Hearts were almost full-strength. Hibs were missing key players, especially a goal threat.

Then The White Stripes unmistakeable ‘Seven Nation Army’ belted out from the Hampden tannoy prompting, almost to a man, every Hearts fan on their feet singing, creating an infamous but iconic anthem about our rivals, politely sitting at the other end of the ground.

This was our day.

In a game as big as this you always feel that the opening stages will be tentative. This game wasn’t. Both teams went forward from the start, Hearts bringing out the best in Zibi Malkowski and Steven Whittaker the best of Craig Gordon. It was the side in maroon however that had the greater energy, better movement and more panache. Just shy of the half hour mark it was 1-0.

Hibs squandered possession deep in the Hearts half. Doing what they had done all season the Gorgie side sprang forward with pace and in numbers. Skacel to Hartley. Hartley to Jankauskas advancing down the left. Jankauskas spotting the trademark run of Harlety into the Hibs box, a flick of the boot, goal and Hartley was off on an adrenaline fuelled 50 yard dash to the Hearts fans who were in delirium.

The one goal lead was taken to half-time without either side threatening to add to the single goal. It was not plain sailing for Hearts. Captain Steven Pressley, who now splits opinion among Gorgie faithful after acrimoniously moving to Celtic, was removed. Although it is never bad when you can replace him with the then Greek international Takis Fyssas. One of the finest players to wear Maroon and grace the Tynecastle turf. And it was he who won the free-kick for the second goal.

“Zico” Hartley had already gone close with a deflected free-kick not long after the restart. This time the free-kick was wide on the left. Everyone in the ground and everyone in the box thought he was shaping to fire in a cross. Including Malkowski. Instead he whipped the ball with maximum curl into the near, unguarded, corner. Now I was starting to enjoy myself.

It was not yet over. Gordon had to be at his £9m best to stop Whittaker again. Then Jose Goncalves joined Pressley, succumbing to injury, replaced by Saulius Mikoliunas; Skacel dropping into left-back, Fyssas to centre-back.

It was all over in a mad three minute spell. First Mikoliunas expertly stole the ball from Hibs speedster Ivan Sproule, who in turn opted to foul then apply pressure to the Lithuanian’s back with something in between a stamp and plant of the foot. Miko needed no convincing to provide a dramatic reaction. Quickly looking at referee Stuart Dougal then writhing around in agony.

That was followed moments later by fellow Lithuanian Edgaras Jankauskas doing something we did not get to see too much of – chasing down a long ball from defence. He beat a hesitant Malkowski who had advanced to the edge of the box to the ball and then with the coolness we were more accustomed to, and which the big striker personified, rolled in the third goal. A mass evacuation ensued in the Hibs end unwilling to suffer any longer.

The only thing left was a Paul Hartley hat-trick. Too perfect you say? Not this Sunday. Not this perfect day. Another ball over the top troubled a redundant Hibs defence. Substitute Michael Pospisil got goal side of Gary Smith, edged into the box before being pulled back. Another straight red.

There was only one man to finish the job. The man who had once donned the green and white of Hibs. Any slight doubts for Hearts fans over an ex-Hibee in maroon were about to be extinguished. There was no way he who had scored so many important goals for us, he who had scored the penalty to clinch second spot ahead of Rangers would miss.

He did not. Dispatched into the bottom left corner. Three goals for Hartley and he would let everyone know exactly that. As he ran to the jubilant Hearts fans he raised three fingers aloft in a now iconic celebration.

4-0 Heart of Midlothian.

This was our final.

Hearts would go on to claim a spot in the Champions League qualifiers and then clinch their 7th Scottish Cup in a hard-thought final win over Gretna.

After all, a “Seven Nation Army” couldn’t hold Hearts back.

Joel Sked is a new contributor to Just Football. If you would like to contribute your own memorable derby moments to our ‘Your boys took one hell of a beating’ series, click here for more information.

Heart of Midlothian, Hibernian, Scottish Cup, Scottish Premier League, Your boys took one hell of a beating...