Potential Derby Hibees Reward

Hibs Scottish Cup winning manager Alan Stubbs made the draw for the Fifth Round and gave his former charges a chance to repeat last season’s dramatic win over Hearts in the same round.

Neil Lennon’s side overcame Bonnyrigg with the minimum of fuss on Saturday, recording an 8-1 victory over the East Superleague outfit to ease into the next round whereby Hearts struggled to overcome Championship side Raith Rovers on Sunday, eventually settling for a 1-1 draw in a dour encounter at Starks Park.

Hibs currently sit 6 points clear at the top of the Scottish Championship whilst the Jambo’s have yet to begin performing under new manager Ian Cathro.

The 30 year old former Valencia and Newcastle coach was seen as an ambitious appointment by Ann Budge and Craig Levein however a mixed bag of results so far has seen the Jambo’s fathful begin to question his appointment despite only being a half dozen games into his reign.

Having went ahead through Jamie Walker on Sunday most people expected Hearts to win comfortably against the Fifers, managed by Hearts hero Gary Locke, but an insipid second half showing allowed Rovers to equalise at the death.

The replay takes place on Wednesday which may limit the crowd at Tynecastle due to works taking place to form the new main stand so the tie is certainly not a foregone conclusion, especially if they perfom as they did in the second period yesterday.

Hibs meanwhile appear to be finding form more akin to the standard they performed to in the early part of the season and have now registered four wins on the bounce, conceding just two goals in the process.

Although the tie against Bonnyrigg was one which should always register a victory for the full time side, bar a 15 minute spell in the first half, Hibs stuck to their shape and produced a highly professional performance.

Should Hearts come through Wednesday night’s replay unscathed the chance to knock the holders and their most bitter rivals out the cup will mount the pressure on Cathro as many Jambo’s never forgave his predecessor Robbie Neilson for throwing away a 2 goal lead against the Hibees last season when goals from Jason Cummings and Paul Hanlon secured a draw at Tynecastle before another Cummings strike saw them off in the replay.

If it is to be an Edinburgh Derby, it’s likely to be one of the most bitterly contested matches in recent years with Hibs finally ending their 114 year cup hoodoo last season and as such destroying a whole Hearts songbook.

The last 3 years have seen the conquerors of Raith go on to win the trophy ergo a Rovers victory on Wednesday wouldn’t be too unpleasant.