Hearts give Hibs a hangover

The script was written, all it needed was an unlikely hero to make it complete. A weary and, it seemed, demoralised team in maroon, who were spanked 4-0 in their last game, travel to the home of their city neighbours and hated rivals, missing several players through injury or suspension. Their hosts, meanwhile, have just won a trophy in devastating style, are full of confidence, and are the bookies clear favourites. Guess what happens.

If nothing else, Hearts' unlikely victory on Sunday meant that the old footballing chestnut about derbies, form books and windows could be given another airing. They never looked like scoring all afternoon, but another blunder by a Hibs goalkeeper (clearly the yellow jersey is cursed, because they are on their 3rd keeper of the season now and they all seem a bit error-prone) allowed Marius Zaliukas to score the only goal of the match. It was an eventful afternoon for the Lithuanian defender, who also got booked and lived dangerously at times with some very hands-on defending in his own box.

Hearts celebrated like champions, and a large section of their supporters amusingly stayed behind in the away stand after the match. Hibs were due to parade the League Cup trophy straight after the game, but the Jambos made them wait and wait and wait, as the stewards failed to clear the South Stand. Stephen Frail, the Hearts' assistant coach, spoke at length about the importance of team spirit afterwards, and it was clear he and Craig Gordon have done much since the debacle against Dundee Utd to try and get some unity in the dressing room. This was a hard-won victory, and for that they deserved it.

Yet there was something depressing about it all. Here was a team that had come to Easter Road to defend and frustrate, with the clear aim of getting a point. The win was an unexpected bonus. It was the way Falkirk had played when they came to Easter Road in September, and left with the same result. It did the job against a strangely flat Hibernian, who couldn't impose themselves on the game as they would like. Yet this was not Falkirk, but the "mighty" Hearts, who were supposed to be challenging for the league this season. All the swagger and verve has gone, and in its place is a fundamentally limited team. If you wanted evidence of just how badly wrong the Romanov project has gone, Sunday was - despite the win - pretty damning.

It's hard, too, not to come to a similar verdict about the SPL 06/07. Celtic have been within sight of the winning post for so long that their eventual triumph is going to feel more and more like an anti-climax the longer the wait goes on. Gordon Strachan has built a decent team, but they are making a meal of wrapping up the title.

There were some who hoped Paul Le Guen would have the same effect on Rangers as Arsene Wenger had on Arsenal. Instead, he destroyed their title ambitions by Christmas and was off soon after, leaving a wounded club in his wake. Walter Smith has tightened up the defence and generally improved things since his return, but - as the UEFA Cup tie against Osasuna showed - they really aren't all that good.

Aberdeen are 5 points adrift of Rangers and could still get second, but holding off Hearts to claim third and the UEFA place looks more likely. Based on their performances this season, though, neither the Dons nor the Jambos would be a good advertisement for Scottish football in Europe next season.

And down at the bottom, Dunfermline, who have looked stuck-on for relegation since August, still have hope mostly thanks to the atrocious form of St Mirren. If there was a God, he'd relegate both of them.

Hibs 0-1 Hearts
Dundee Utd 1-1 Celtic
Rangers 1-1 ICT
Falkirk 2-0 St Mirren
Kilmarnock 1-2 Aberdeen
Motherwell 2-0 Dunfermline