Hearts' big title moment: Injured players' press box reaction, unsung hero, and Jamestown blend

Spittal has been in and out of Derek McInnes' Hearts side. He is not a first-choice player when everyone is fit. As a result, ahead of this Edinburgh derby against Hibs, he had yet to score in the 2025/26 campaign. He could not have picked a better time to find the net.

With Hibs down to nine men and Hearts pressing for the knock-out blow with the score at 1-1, the ball came to Spittal just inside the penalty box. With a swish of his stylish right foot, he guided the ball, via a slight deflection off Rocky Bushiri, beyond Hibs keeper Jordan Smith. It may turn out to be one of the most important goals of his career.

Patience was a virtue for Hearts. They were the beneficiaries of a Hibs misjudgement when goalkeeper Raphael Sallinger was sent off on 14 minutes for handling the ball outside the penalty box and denying Landry Kabore a clear goalscoring opportunity, and then defender Felix Passlack's lunge on Beni Baningime that earned him a second yellow card on 48 minutes. It made it almost impossible for the hosts to hold on to Martin Boyle's seventh-minute opener.

Hearts didn't let the pressure of playing against nine men show. As McInnes pointed out afterwards, it's not an everyday occurrence for an opponent to be so numerically depleted. There was a lethargy to parts of their play but once Lawrence Shankland's backheel cannoned off Hibs defender Warren O'Hora and into the net on 65 minutes, there was always a belief Hearts would find a way to get it done.

This is Hearts’ title to lose

Spittal's strike sparked quite wild scenes in the away end. The importance of the goal in this compelling title race cannot be overstated given that Rangers lost 3-2 to Motherwell at Ibrox earlier in the day. Hearts now lead the Gers by four points going into their meeting at Tynecastle a week on Monday. Celtic are sandwiched in between them, in second place and three points adrift of the leaders.

This is Hearts' title to lose now. The most important Edinburgh derby since the 2012 Scottish Cup final went the way of the Gorgie boys. Oh did their fans milk it afterwards, goading the Hibs support and also singing "stand up and sing for Motherwell". They were appreciative of the Steelmen's efforts along the M8.

Hibs put in a ton of effort themselves, but it was not enough. They fought like dogs to stay in the game and if results were decided by application, they'd have got at least a point. Alas, Hearts had enough in their arsenal to shoot them down. Gray lamented afterwards the individual "mistakes" that cost his team. For a second match in a row, Hibs paid the price for a red card.

Hibs are now six points behind fourth-placed Motherwell. Perhaps the quest now should be to stay ahead of Falkirk, five points behind them in sixth, and maintain a chance of qualifying for Europe.

Boyle's opener, a sweet volley from an excellent Jamie McGrath free-kick, had Easter Road on its feet. The prospect of Hearts winning the league is extremely difficult for most Hibbies to take. This was Boyle's final Edinburgh derby, a fixture he has been decisive in during previous editions. His effort may have counted for something had Sallinger not completely lost his bearings and picked the ball up a smidgen outside his penalty box.

Smith, his deputy, came out of cold storage and made some excellent saves from Stephen Kingsley, Claudio Braga and Craig Halkett during a period of the match when Hearts just couldn't find a way through. Anxiety emanated from the away end before the leveller. They knew what was at stake.

Hearts’ blend of old and new

It was fitting that both of Hearts' goals were a blend of old and new. Sabah Kerjota, a Jamestown signing from the lower echelons of Italian football, is a tricky winger who is only ever used as a substitute. He stood up Jordan Obita not once but twice to set up Shankland to force the O'Hora own goal, and then Spittal for his coup de grace. The Scots have experienced far darker days as Hearts players. This time last year, head coach Neil Critchley was sacked and there was a lingering fear of a relegation play-off. We are a world away now. Hearts are a proper force, backed by Brighton owner Tony Bloom, who was present to witness proceedings.

The Hearts players celebrated gleefully in front of their adoring faithful at full time. Up in the stands, the injured group of Harry Milne, Cammy Devlin, Oisin McEntee and Tomas Magnusson banged the press desks in appreciation. This felt like a moment. A title-winning moment.

More work, of course, is required. Celtic will not give up their crown easily and Rangers may still have a say, although Hearts could deliver a haymaker to them a week on Monday when the two teams clash at Tynecastle. That promises to be quite the event.

So many have questioned whether Hearts have the minerals to see off the Old Firm. Just four more games - Rangers, Motherwell, Falkirk and Celtic - stand between this group of players and immortality. This win could be one of many chapters to a remarkable story now close to its fairytale ending.