IN the rich, varied history of post-match blethers with a football manager, the observation from Craig Levein in the aftermath of this absorbing Edinburgh derby must have been something of a first, even by the often giddy levels of absurdity that the Scottish game can reach. “Who has got a spare coconut to throw on?” asked the Hearts manager as he mulled over the latest missile to be hurled on to a pitch in the domestic scene.

Forget coins, bottles of Buckfast or firecrackers, we can now look forward to an SFA statement featuring a reference to the genus Cocos. With a few smokebombs from both sets of supporters adding to the febrile mood at Tynecastle, the general billowings ensured the capital lived up to its Auld Reekie moniker. Daryl Horgan, meanwhile, was smoking himself amid the tumult as his brace gave Hibernian a first win at the home of their old foes since May 2013. The Leith men also hoisted themselves above Hearts and into fifth place in the Ladbrokes Premiership while maintaining Paul Heckingbottom’s mightily impressive start to his tenure at Easter Road. It is now 20 points out of a possible 24 for the canny Yorkshireman.

While those aforementioned smokebombs were delaying proceedings every time they went off, there was something of a bonfire of the profanities at the final whistle as brassed off Hearts fans directed their howls, growls and curses at both Levein on the touchline and the directors’ box in the stands. It was a furious, fist-shaking finale. The day, however, had started pretty promisingly for the hosts as they looked to make amends for the meek surrender to Rangers in midweek.

Levein had been handed a timely tonic prior to the match when the bustling, bruising striker Uche Ikpeazu was passed fit following last week’s serious head knock. With plenty at stake on a dour, damp afternoon, Hearts began with a relentless salvo as they pummelled away at the Hibernian defence like an artillery bombardment supporting a beach invasion. The jinking and jouking of Jake Mulraney provided a menacing outlet for the home side while the considerable clout of Ikpeazu, a man so strong he makes the Castle Rock look as sturdy as a Farley’s Rusk, approached his first Edinburgh derby with battering, clattering gusto. At one point, there were so many Hibernian players attached to him they resembled barnacles clinging to a whale.

There were plenty of warning signs for a startled Hibernian in this initial onslaught, not least when Olly Lee rattled the foot of the post with a curling free-kick on 15 minutes. Mulraney then had a shot saved by Ofir Marciano before Arnaud Djoum poked a good chance over moments later as the Hibs defence continued to creak like the back court door in a Gorgie tenement. It was hardly a shock to the system when Hearts finally made a breakthrough with 23 minutes on the clock. Lee’s corner was met by Peter Haring and his header flew into the net. Instead of deflating Hibernian, though, that setback galvanised them and some tactical tinkerings by Heckingbottom as the Hearts players were still celebrating quickly helped them establish a much-needed foothold in the game. Within three minutes of falling behind, they were level with their first real purposeful surge. Marc McNulty – who was marginally offside – nipped in behind the Hearts defence and his low ball across the face of the goal was turned home by the sliding Horgan. The half ended with a bone of contention as John Souttar appealed loudly for a penalty after a tangle with Stephane Omeonga. Willie Collum was unmoved, though.

Hibs got moving after the resumption, meanwhile, and forged ahead with a brilliantly conceived goal. Horgan started the thrust and after taking Stevie Mallan’s pass in his stride, he arrowed a cracking leftfooted strike in at the near post to spark scenes of unbridled jubilation. Things almost got better for the visitors moments later when McNulty got on the end of a cross only to plonk his header wide. A goal to the good, Hibs were happy to dig in and ambush an increasingly desperate Hearts on the break although their next chance came from a set-piece when Mallan unleashed a fearsome free-kick which Zdenek Zlamal palmed away at full stretch. Time was running out for Hearts and the increasingly crotchety harrumphings from the stands were heightened with 10 minutes left when Levein’s men squandered a glorious chance to restore parity. A deep cross fell to Djoum at the back post but he hoofed his effort well over the bar. In the dying embers, McNulty almost rubbed a great fistful of salt into the Hearts wounds but Zlamal blocked the Hibernian’s striker’s thump on target. It didn’t matter. Hibs had plundered the points and the bragging rights.