Team news

Brown braced for Hearts reaction Billy Brown is expecting a reaction from Hearts fans at the Edinburgh derby at Easter Road on Monday but hopes it is based on humour rather than vitriol.

Brown had two spells in Gorgie as assistant to Jim Jefferies before he crossed the city to work with Colin Calderwood after being sacked by the Tynecastle club in August.

Now assistant to Pat Fenlon, Brown knows the visiting support will acknowledge his presence in the Hibs dugout.

"I do expect a reaction," he said. "I hope it is a good one.

"Obviously I am going to get stick from certain quarters.

"But I worked tirelessly at Hearts during both periods and I am working tirelessly at Hibs, so I just hope that whatever stick I get is humorous.

"The atmosphere has changed since I was a wee lad, though.

"Hearts and Hibs supporters used to stand together and watch games, it doesn't happen now.

"There has been a division and the rivalry is tinged with a wee bit more bitterness for some reason or other." Ironically, Brown's last defeat in a derby match was one of Hibs' greatest wins over their city rivals.

In October 2000, the Leithers thrashed Hearts 6-2 at Easter Road, a month before Jefferies and Brown moved to take over at then Premier League club Bradford City.

Brown said: "I haven't lost a derby in 11 years - mind you I was away for eight of them.

"The 6-2 defeat by Hibs was the last derby Jim and I took part in.

"That was particularly sore because it was a big score but winning derbies is great because you realise you have pleased a lot of people." Brown knows most of the players at the cash-strapped Gorgie club who are still chasing wages for December after November's money was paid late.

The Easter Road number two takes no pleasure at seeing his former charges suffer.

"I am sad about that," he said. "I don't like that.

"I had a great time at Hearts and there are a lot of good people there.

"Maybe people want me to say it was a terrible place but it wasn't, it was a good place to work.

"So the position the club are in at the moment doesn't make me happy at all.

"I don't know if I'm glad to be away - it wasn't my decision to leave - but I do know that I'm at a big club here and having been involved with the two clubs, it is a great privilege.

"But I'm now at an equally big club and I am absolutely delighted to be here and I have a burning ambition to do well." Fenlon hopes to have new boy Eoin Doyle in his squad.

The Irish striker signed an 18-month contract after leaving Sligo Rovers and is waiting for clearance to be processed by the Scottish Football Association and their Irish counterparts.

Striker Garry O'Connor has an ongoing toe injury and will be assessed.

Meanwhile, Hearts manager Paulo Sergio has dismissed historical results and is concentrating on his own side's performance ahead of the derby.

Hearts travel across the capital beleaguered off the field, but improved off it, with two wins and a draw from their past three games amid the financial uncertainty which has seen their players' wages delayed for three straight months.

Meanwhile, Hibs claimed their first point after three losses under manager Fenlon in Wednesday's meeting with Inverness and were last triumphant in an Edinburgh derby in May 2009.

Despite Hearts being unbeaten in eight games against Hibs and winning the August fixture 2-0, Sergio is taking nothing for granted.

With the club's media blackout ongoing, the Portuguese boss told Hearts TV: "I hope we can give a very good moment for our fans, but history is history.

"It's another game, a different game and we have to focus on ourselves to be competent to have a good performance.

"I believe after a good performance the result comes naturally." Midfielder Ian Black is a doubt. Black was substituted in Wednesday's 0-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League draw at Aberdeen despite having only come on at half-time in place of Rudi Skacel.

Hibernian vs Hearts

Last modified 14:32 02/01/12

Hearts take the honours Hearts claimed the Edinburgh derby honours as two goals in the final seven minutes sealed a 3-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road.

Hearts now have four wins from 11 matches since their first-team squad first suffered delayed payment of wages, but Hibs have now failed to taste victory in nine matches, have not won the capital clash in nine attempts and remain in danger of relegation from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.

The visitors were on top for much of the opening half and winger David Templeton hit the outside of the post and Mehdi Taouil fired a good opportunity wide before limping off.

Hibs received a lifeline when goalkeeper Graham Stack denied Ian Black from the spot after 43 minutes after the goalkeeper had brought down Stephen Elliott following Callum Booth's short back-pass.

Hearts' pressure told when Ryan McGowan headed in after Andy Webster's effort had been saved, but the visitors conceded from the restart, Marius Zaliukas diverting Danny Galbraith's cross into his own net.

Webster then drilled in after 83 minutes and substitute Rudi Skacel struck a stoppage-time third as Hearts took victory and left Hibs manager Pat Fenlon in search of his first win as boss.

Hearts travelled across the capital with two wins and a draw from their previous three games but with December's pay outstanding - the third straight month of delayed wages.

However, now the January transfer window is open, Hearts were keen to impress.

Hibs began the better as Danny Galbraith screwed a shot wide from Leigh Griffiths' pass before Hearts' quality soon began to tell.

Lewis Stevenson was booked after nine minutes for fouling Scott Robinson, moments after another meaty tackle on Black inside the centre circle.

Paul Hanlon, left-footed and playing at right-back, was then cautioned for a mis-timed tackle on Templeton before a strong block challenge on McGowan soon after.

Templeton took on Hanlon after 16 minutes, cutting inside and leaving his marker behind before firing a vicious right-footed drive which careered off the outside of the far post.

Griffiths and Webster tangled on the edge of Hearts' box before Templeton shot wide as the visitors raced down the other end.

Taouil then missed a glorious opportunity, firing high and wide after Elliott's neat cut-back.

Taouil required treatment and limped from the field soon after, with Andrew Driver coming on.

Hibs had managed to hold firm but almost undid their good work two minutes from the interval when Booth's weak back pass failed to reach Stack and Hearts won a penalty.

Black opted to take the penalty ahead of a pleading Jamie Hamill, and Stack, who had been booked for his challenge, guessed the right way and palmed the spot-kick around the post.

Zaliukas headed wide before the break and Black had a 25-yard shot tipped over by Stack as Hearts resumed on the attack.

Webster's header from the resulting set-piece was saved, but McGowan followed up to put the visitors in front.

As Hearts players celebrated a fan in maroon from the away end was hauled away by stewards after running onto the pitch.

Hibs equalised from the restart after the ball moved left and Galbraith's cross was diverted in by Zaliukas.

Ivan Sproule was then booked for pulling down Black before John Sutton replaced Robinson as Hearts added a body up front.

And Sutton was instrumental as Hearts took the lead for the second time with seven minutes remaining.

The striker laid off McGowan's long throw for Webster to fire low into the bottom corner.

Strikers Garry O'Connor and Eoin Doyle, on for his debut, came on with four minutes remaining in place of Galbraith and Martin Scott as Hibs attempted to find a reply for a second time.