Stamp sent off after scoring derby decider

Craig Levein, the Hearts manager, paid tribute to his side's spirit after they had battled back to beat Edinburgh rivals Hibernian 2-1 yesterday.

Kevin McKenna cancelled out Mixu Paatelainen's first-half opener four minutes from time at Easter Road. Then, in injury-time, the midfielder Phil Stamp struck the winner before being sent off when his celebrations with the fans apparently went too far.

"The lads kept going right to the end," Levein said. "We had to compete and that was the thing. It just shows you if you keep going right to the end, you can get your rewards."

Alex McLeish, the Rangers manager, is confident Barry Ferguson will not need surgery on his groin injury. The midfielder had feared he would require an operation after the Old Firm derby on December 7. "I don't know if he will need surgery, but we have put him on a course of stretching exercises," McLeish said.