Let me start with the good news today. The most recent round of SPL fixtures was the most compelling so far this season. Sadly, the one match that didn’t deliver was the Edinburgh derby at Tynecastle. After all, some of us had journeyed quite a distance to see it unfold!

We, on ESPN, gave the Hearts v Hibernian contest the requisite big build-up but it was a drab affair with little to say for itself. Such a shame really as the day itself in one of Europe’s great capitals was glorious, while Armistice weekend was marked with taste and dignity.

Hibs, the form team going in, were never able to impose their preferred slick passing game on a Hearts team better known for robust obduracy. That John Hughes lost Merouane Zemmama to injury and had to leave Derek Riordan on the bench for the same reason, meant a big shift in approach. Colin Nish an old-fashioned aerial centre forward has his uses, but you always feel there’s a tendency to play too many high balls in his direction when the big man is named in the side. Nish also needs someone to play off and there was no one fulfilling this important role.

Abdessalam Benjelloun, who endured a forgettable afternoon was caught in the no man’s land area between midfield and attack. Anthony Stokes was similarly marginalised in a wide position on the left. Hibs simply didn’t spark into life until the gifted Riordan came on midway through the second half. Suddenly the Hearts defenders, Jose Goncalves and Ismael Bouzid who had been strolling through the game had something to think about.

Hearts held dominion over their city rivals for much of the game but lacked a cutting edge. It has been a problem for the men in maroon all season and there is no panacea in sight. The bulky Christian Nade can hold the ball up well enough, but hasn’t scored for nine months in the SPL and all clubs must demand more from their first choice centre-forward.

Hibs came close to scoring when David Wotherspoon’s shot took a slight deflection off the head of Nish, yet somehow Janos Balogh changed direction to make one of the saves of the SPL season. Hearts had a last gasp shout for a penalty rightly turned down when substitute Jamie Mole went down but an award would have been very harsh.

Conclusions from the first Edinburgh derby of the campaign? Hearts will continue to struggle unless Csaba Laszlo is allowed to sign a finisher in January and preferably someone with a bit of creative ability in midfield. They are woefully short in both areas.

Saturday was proof that Hibernian don’t have the capacity to play swashbuckling football every week. For verve and adventure they are heavily reliant on the manager’s ‘maverick four’ (Riordan, Stokes, Zemmama and Benjelloun.) When one member of that quarter is out, they’re not quite the same.

Every other match on Saturday and Sunday provided the sort of entertainment Scottish fans have been craving. The 2-2 draw in the Lanarkshire derby between Hamilton and Motherwell was incident packed and engrossing. Fair play to the Accies for earning a point despite being reduced to ten men for most of the match.

Sunday’s 3-3 draw at The Falkirk Stadium must go down as one of the best SPL spectacles in many a year. Celtic fans probably thought they would stroll to victory against the bottom club, but Eddie May’s young charges were up for it and provided a perfect example of how the less fashionable clubs might have a go at the Old Firm as winter takes hold.

Meanwhile, I remain confident that the next Edinburgh derby on January 3 will have considerably more substance.