Hearts 2 Hibs 1 IT was fitting that in a week that two Spanish sides will contest the Champions League final, it was a man from Barcelona who set Hearts on course for the derby win they required to secure European competition next season.

While the big-name players of his home-town team, which he briefly played for, are revered wherever they go Juanjo has struggled badly to make his name in Scottish football, until yesterday that is.

Over the past two seasons he has made a total of only thirty appearances for the Tynecastle side and scored only two goals in the process. He was so far out of the picture at Tynecastle that he was nearly farmed out to Cowdenbeath and looked on the way out of the club.

However his first half strike which opened the scoring and was added to in 56 minutes by Gary McSwegan, was such a sweet strike it would have graced any European tournament, let alone an Edinburgh derby.

Overall Hearts just shaded a game in which they knew only one point was required to pip Motherwell for third place in the league and in the end it was their midfield superiority which won them the match.

The Easter Road side, in which John Hughes and Pat McGinlay were playing their last game for the club, battled manfully but their midfield's inability to get forward more than they did turned out to be their undoing.

The fact that they lost defender Martin McIntosh in 71 minutes after he was booked for a second time after a late, late challenge on Hearts captain Colin Cameron meant that any chance of a late fightback was denied them.

However the day was all about Hearts and the way they had managed to overcome their end of season jitters and finally record their first derby win of the season.

In the first half they had the best of what few chances were going and it took a magnificent save from Nick Colgan to deny Juanjo in 21 minutes after he had got inside full-back Paul Lovering in what would be one of many occasions during the game.

However eight minutes later Hearts went ahead with a magnificent goal from the Spaniard which was ironically borne out of frustration by the winger.

He picked the ball up out wide on the right but rather than try and take it past Lovering decided to cut infield and found himself drifting towards the other touchline while gesturing to his team mates to make some sort of run.

As it turned out the Hibs defence kept backing off him to the extent that by the time he found himself on the left side of the Hibs penalty box he was unmarked and with time to look up and fire a magnificent curling shot into the corner of the net.

Hibs made a few half chances up until half-time but overall the Tynecastle side were running the show and were worth their half-time lead.

In the second-half Hibs, with Hughes growling at his team as only he can do, upped the pace with their midfield making more forward runs into space.

For all their efforts it always looked like it was going to take a good goal to get them back into the game and so it proved. Derek Collins put in a good cross to the back post which McGinlay headed back across goal to Kenny Miller whose looping header was only prevented from going in by an acrobatic save from Antti Niemi.

With the Hearts goalkeeper exposed Paatelainen reacted quicker than the defenders to stoop low to bravely head home the equaliser with 56 minutes on the clock.

You would have thought the goal would have spurred on Hibs even more but it seemed to be more of a wake-up call for Hearts who, with Cameron covering acres of space in the middle of the park, started to push forward even more.

Only six minutes after the Hibs equaliser Hearts went ahead again with a goal the Hibs defenders will be furious they didn't manage to keep out. Lee Makel put in a free-kick into the box and it was Gary McSwegan, who got in between big defenders Hughes and McIntosh, who rose to head home.

Hibs did try and come back into the game and even after McIntosh had been sent-off had a few chances, the best falling to Lovering who squandered a relatively easy free header from just outside the six yard box.

However it was fitting that at the end it was Juanjo who was still tormenting the Hibs defence, putting paid to any hope they had of snatching a late equaliser.

Overall Hearts were a better team on the day and defensively have a good unit in Niemi, Flogel, Petric, Pressley and Naysmith who have the experience to operate well in the UEFA Cup next season. In midfield Cameron once again proved to be their engine room while up front McSwegan also put in a power of work before going off near the end.

At the end there were emotional scenes for both Hearts in celebration and also for Hibs. Despite the defeat Pat McGinlay and John Hughes were given a warm reception by Hearts manager Jim Jefferies as they left the field, leaving the way clear for the celebrations to follow.

Within minutes of the final whistle the Hearts players were back out in specially printed tee-shirts to mark their return to Europe while Jefferies stood sedately on the touchline allowing the players to milk the applause to end a good season for the Tynecastle club.

nAyr United have launched a double swoop for Hibs duo Stuart Lovell and Paul Lovering.

United are desperate to gain promotion to the SPL and will embark on a summer spending spree, and top of their wish list is a raid on Easter Road.

Lovell, who was recently tipped for an Australian call-up, has been a regular for Hibs this season. But manager Alex McLeish is looking to reshape his squad for next term and would listen to offers for the 28-year-old midfielder.

Lovering has been unable to tie down the left back slot at Hibs and a move to Somerset Park would resurrect his career.

Ayr have already made offers to Dundee duo James Grady and Eddie Annand.

Manager Gordon Dalziel knows he needs new faces for a promotion push next term. Lovell and Lovering would be a major addition to his squad.

nTROUBLED Raith Rovers have been forced to put their staff on part-time wages during the close season.

The cash-strapped Fife club were taken to court last week by a security firm in a bid to recover an unpaid bill.

Now, in a new bid to cut costs at Stark's Park, Rovers have informed their administrative staff that they will be working on a part-time basis during the summer.

The move has been made to ensure that Peter Hetherston's side can remain a full-time outfit so they can mount a serious challenge on the first division next term.

Raith have recently launched a ''Friends of the Rovers'' scheme, where fans are invited to contribute financially to the club.

The Kirkcaldy club have endured severe financial difficulties over the past two years. They have stated that they have one more season of full-time football left in a bid to return to the top flight. But this latest cutback is an indication of how serious Rovers' financial woes are.