As the years go by the story will evolve until it is said that Alim Ozturk scored against the Hibs with a shot from halfway up Princes Street. 

When the big centre half decided to smash an effort at goal from 35 yards out with the clock running down at Easter Road there were Hearts fans screaming at him not to be so daft.

It seemed like poor decision-making deep in stoppage time of a game Hibs were on the brink of winning. Then the ball exploded off Ozturk's boot and carried and carried, flying over Mark Oxley and dipping enough to crash into the net off the underside of the crossbar. Wow. It was one of the most memorable goals this old derby has ever seen.

A stunning strike for Hearts was inevitably a merciless sickener for Hibs. They do beat Hearts now and again, but those can feel like rare, against-the-tide pleasures amid a sea of maroon victories. This wasn't an away win but it felt like one given that Hearts had been losing for more than half of the game, played poorly for much of the afternoon and were even a man down after Callum Paterson was sent off for a crude foul near the end.

Even when dropping points it felt like a boost. "We are unbeatable," sang the jubilant, euphoric Hearts support, which suddenly found its voice again after spending much of the afternoon in expectation of defeat. Their team is fit and fights to the end, though. It has a habit of scoring late goals.

Hearts are still top of the Championship, seven points clear and, although they failed to win a league fixture for only the second time in 11 fixtures, the nature of the draw meant no momentum was lost. Perhaps the opposite, in fact. Ally McCoist, the Rangers manager, watched from the stand and left when Hibs were still ahead through Dominique Malonga's goal.

When he was praising his own team after the match a slip of the tongue left Hibs manager Alan Stubbs saying they had just played "the champions", before laughing and correcting himself. He meant the league leaders, but the error was understandable. Rangers clawed two points back on Hearts over the weekend but the Tynecastle club displayed the resilience to survive even when playing unimpressively today.

Hibs' attitude was excellent. They were ferocious, aggressive and hungry. They pressed Hearts all over the pitch, never giving them a minute's peace or allowing them to settle, especially in the first half. They broke with pace and menace and might have been ahead long before their deserved opening goal just before half-time.

Supporters regard it as an unpardonable sin if their team is outfought in a derby and Hearts were guilty of that before the interval. One loose ball in midfield was 60-40 in Morgaro Gomis's favour but Scott Robertson had the dig to win it; that summed up what was happening all over. Hibs were mopping up all the stray possession and going at Hearts again.

Danny Wilson was back in the Hearts team after a hamstring problem but the captain almost cost them a goal when he dithered at a Hibs through ball, expecting Neil Alexander to come for it, and Jason Cummings robbed him. Cummings squared to Malonga and Hearts were grateful that his snatched finish went wide. Wilson lasted 57 minutes before his hamstring went again, leading to his substitution.

It was an engrossing, eventful game. Hibs threatened through efforts from Scott Allan and Cummings, and when the latter hit a free-kick which was heading well wide Hibs got the lucky break they needed.

The ball took a deflection to go out for what turned out to be a decisive corner. When it came in, Hearts were in trouble as soon as Liam Fontaine connected with a thundering header into the goalmouth. Paul Hanlon had a swipe at it and Cummings had a shot somehow blocked but Hearts were all at sea and at last it broke for Malonga to lash a finish high into the net.

Soon Malonga should have scored again but nodded a header past the post from Allan's delicious cross.

Just before falling behind Hearts had come more into the game. When Hanlon made a mess of a long Paterson ball over the top Soufian El Hassnaoui was through on goal and should have done better than allowing Oxley to beat away his finish.

There were other little moments but Hibs were generally comfortable. Hanlon's misjudgment of that through ball apart, they were diligent and composed. Full-backs Lewis Stevenson and David Gray delivered fine performances in both defence and attack, and Dylan McGeouch anchored their midfield, playing more centrally than he did at Celtic.

Hearts improved in the second half and pressed, even after Paterson was shown a straight red card for a cynical tackle from behind on Malonga as Hibs were trying to start a counterattack. Hibs' work-rate and concentration did not let up and they were tireless in protection of their lead. Oxley was booked for timewasting in the 68th minute.

That seemed to be about as difficult as his afternoon would get, and then Ozturk released that howitzer. The South Stand erupted. Hearts - surprise, surprise - had the derby's last laugh again.