Hearts manager Jim Jefferies felt his team should have scored four or five goals against Hibernian as his derby selection gamble paid off in style.
Hearts triumphed 2-1 at Tynecastle after Jefferies restored Andrew Driver, Ruben Palazuelos and Ian Black to his starting line-up despite their recent knee problems.
Jefferies said: "It was too close at the end, it should have been over. If the score had been four or five-nil at one stage, I don't think it would have flattered us."
He added: "What pleased me was the way we started the second half - we had three great opportunities in a 10-minute spell.
"The goal that got them back into it was down to tired legs. Ruben tried to stop the ball coming in but I can't complain.
"We took a gamble with him, Black and Driver, but I felt their experience was important in a match like this. I just felt Hibs would get a surprise when they saw the team sheet. We had planned to take them off after an hour but the two injuries obviously upset us."
Jefferies had to use all his persuasive powers when naming the team.
"I had to get into wee Andrew's head and tell him this would be the game they would be worried about if he was playing," the former Kilmarnock boss said. "We convinced him this would be a game where he could be a big player. He said he would leave it up to me and as soon as he said that he was in.
"Pazaleluos did not even train on Thursday. He said, 'Maybe I would be better on the bench', but I said I didn't have time for that.
"Wee Blackie was always keen to play. He wasn't wanting to come off. We asked him how many times he had been down and he said once but he had been off twice. That obviously tells you there is concussion there and the medical people insisted we take him off. It's unfortunate for Ian because he started the game very well."
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