Fletcher and Guillaume Beuzelin had returned from injury for Hibs, while Filipe Morais was available again after suspension. Merouane Zemmama, Clayton Donaldson and Ross Chisholm dropped out - and that was matched by the three changes made by Hearts. Calum Elliot, Ruben Palazuelos and the injured Marius Zaliukas dropped out following the fine CIS Cup win over Celtic. Eggert Jonsson came into midfield, while Nade returned from suspension to partner midweek two-goal hero Velicka. But the switch to two up front and four in midfield could not prevent Hibs taking the early initiative and Fletcher's 20-yard drive sliced a few yards wide. Hearts responded and Andrew Driver sent a header a foot over the crossbar following a Robbie Nielson cross. Driver turned provider and Velicka sent a drive into the side-netting from 10 yards from the winger's low cross to the near post.
Hibs ought to have been awarded a penalty after 13 minutes, when Berra bodychecked Stevenson. Justice was done four minutes later, after Berra deflected the ball into his own net from a Morais corner under pressure at the near post from Rob Jones. Berra redeemed himself with a fine last-ditch tackle to deny Mickael Antoine-Curier. And it was out-rushing goalkeeper Anthony Basso's turn to save Hearts with a fine one-handed stop that prevented Fletcher chipping home a second after the striker broke clear. Yves Ma-Kalambay's legs came to the rescue of Hibs seconds later to thwart Velicka's 25-yard drive after Hearts applied some sustained pressure as the first half came to a pulsating conclusion. Hearts continued where they left off by equalising 46 seconds into the second half. Driver's cross was headed towards goal by Ksanavicius and Nade deflected it past Ma-Kalambay from five yards. It was end-to-end stuff now and desperate clearances by Basso and Ibrahim Tall denied Hibs, while Driver squandered a good shooting chance for Hearts. Velicka cleared a Beuzelin header off Hearts' line and a Fletcher effort entered the net only to be ruled out for a foul. Mauricio Pinilla turned a Ksanavicius cross wide from six yards. Hibernian : Ma-Kalambay, McCann, Hogg, Jones, Murphy, Morais, Kerr, Beuzelin, Stevenson, Antoine-Curier, Fletcher.
Subs: McNeil, Zemmama, Donaldson, O'Brien, Gathuessi, Chisholm, McCormack. Hearts : Basso, Neilson, Goncalves, Berra, Tall, Driver, Stewart, Jonsson, Ksanavicius, Nade, Velicka.
Subs: Banks, Wallace, Pospisil, Mikoliunas, Elliot, Pinilla, Palazuelos. Referee: C Richmond
Subs: McNeil, Zemmama, Donaldson, O'Brien, Gathuessi, Chisholm, McCormack. Hearts : Basso, Neilson, Goncalves, Berra, Tall, Driver, Stewart, Jonsson, Ksanavicius, Nade, Velicka.
Subs: Banks, Wallace, Pospisil, Mikoliunas, Elliot, Pinilla, Palazuelos. Referee: C Richmond
Source: BBC Sport
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