Rookie Hibs ‘keeper Kevin Dabrowski earned his side an Edinburgh derby draw with a trio of saves to deny Hearts.
The goalie was drafted in to replace injured Matt Macey and he played a key role in earning Shaun Maloney ’s side a point at Easter Road.
Dabrowski - making his debut for the club - thwarted Jambos striker Ellis Simms three times in a pulsating game that ended goalless.
The on-loan Everton striker went one-on-one with the 23-year-old three times in the second half but couldn’t grab a winner for Robbie Neilson ’s men.
Hibs had chances of their own to grab a priceless victory in Leith.
Kevin Nisbet failed to convert in a first half, which Maloney’s men had the better of.
And near the end, sub Josh Campbell had a golden opportunity from point-blank range but Scotland number one Craig Gordon kept him out.
There was plenty of passion and desire on show but the 90 minutes lacked real quality, with neither side deserving of the win.
The stalemate was a better result for the visitors who stayed third in the Premiership - 12 points clear of their city rivals.
3 talking points
Jambos defence holds firm
There was pressure on Hearts’ defence going into the derby without regular first-picks John Souttar and Craig Halkett.
But Robbie Neilson’s patched up rearguard held firm in the hostile atmosphere of Easter Road, which bodes well for the Jambos going forward especially when Souttar departs for Rangers in the summer.
It was always going to be a shift for the visitors’ back three against a Hibees’ strike duo of Kevin Nisbet and Christian Doidge.
But Taylor Moore and new signing Toby Sibbick didn’t let their manager down and were solid throughout, with Stephen Kingsley in beside them.
Sibbick, who only arrived from Barnsley days ago, had one loose pass in the first half that put his side in trouble but he recovered brilliantly to avert the danger.
Souttar and Halkett are big players for the Tynecastle side but Neilson would have been delighted with his replacements who fought tooth and nail for a clean sheet.
It's never a classic
These games never seem to change and it’s unlikely they ever will when there’s so much passion and pride at stake.
It was never going to be a classic with free-flowing football, irrespective of how either gaffer set their team out to play.
And from minute one, it was frantic football, with very few players able to put their foot on the ball and make something happen.
The crowd were whipped up before kick-off by a Hibees singer on the pitch, whose ‘get it up ye’ gesture to the away end just ramped it up further.
The likes of Barrie McKay and Joe Newell tried to slow the pace down and pass it. But before they could think, they were being hounded with tackles flying in all over the place. There were so many turnovers in possession, neither side could get a proper foothold.
With both teams not giving an inch, it felt inevitable that it would end up in stalemate.
At times, it felt like they were playing with a bomb instead of a ball - but the truth is, that’s why we love this fixture.
The quality wasn’t there but you couldn’t keep your eyes off the action.
Roll on the next one.
Dabrowski steps up
Hibs suffered a blow pre-kick-off with news that ‘keeper Matt Macey was out but his understudy Kevin Dabrowski - making his Hibees’ debut in the derby - performed superbly between the sticks.
The Easter Road side used to have trouble with goalies, particularly against Hearts.
But the 23-year-old should be proud of his display last night. After Hibs had the better of the first half, the Jambos stepped it up in the second and put the home side under pressure.
He was called upon three times in quick succession as striker Ellis Simms got in to face him up.
But Dabrowski pulled off a trio of terrific saves to deny the on-loan Everton man at point-blank range.
It was a big test for the ‘keeper, who has had spells at Cowdenbeath and Dumbarton.
But he proved to his boss Maloney that he can be trusted between the sticks when Macey is absent.
