Hibs produced a five star performance to move three points clear of Queen of the South in third place in the Championship after a comfortable 5-0 win over Cowdenbeath at a freezing cold Easter Road this afternoon.
Head Coach Alan Stubbs kept faith with the same staring XI that shared the points with Falkirk last Saturday, although Lewis Stevenson moved to right back and Callum Booth returned to his more familiar left back slot.
New signing Franck Dja Djedje missed the game due to a slight hamstring strain but defender Jordon Forster was listed amongst the substitutes.
Hibs started brightly and opened the scoring in the 8th minute when Scott Allan’s corner found Liam Craig at the back post. The skipper headed the ball back across goal and Paul Hanlon (pictured) volleyed home from close range.
Jason Cummings then continued his impressive run of form after Dylan McGeouch did well to find Allan who crossed for him to head home his sixth goal in his last five games.
The teenager could have added to his tally but was twice denied by fine saves from Thomson in the Cowdenbeath goal.
After the break, Hibs continued to dominate possession and never looked in any danger.
With 15 minutes remaining Scott Robertson wrapped the points up after beating Cowdenbeath defender Thomas O’Brien before curling the ball into the far corner of the net.
Substitute Sam Stanton who had replaced Allan, won possession and played a one-two with Stevenson before finding Booth who hammered the ball into the net.
Lewis Stevenson added a fifth with the last kick of the game.
With the Rangers game abandoned last night, Hibs win takes then to five points behind the Ibrox club and three points in front of fourth placed Queen of the South who came from behind to snatch a draw against Falkirk.
Hibs face Queen of the South at Palmerston Park next Saturday.
Hibernian: Oxley, Booth, Hanlon, Fontaine, Robertson, Craig, Stevenson, McGeouch (Forster 77’), S. Allan (Stanton 64‘), Boyle (Handling 78’), Cummings. Substitutes not used: Perntreou, Heffernan, L. Allan, Martin.
Cowdenbeath: Thomson, O’Brien, Robertson, Higgins, Wedderburn, Oyenuga, Milne, Marshall, Miller, Hughes (Buchanan 70’), Halsman. Substitutes not used: Sneddon, Adamson, Armstrong, Kane, Brownlie, Johnston.
Referee: Andrew Dallas.
Attendance: 8,240.
Photo by John Preece
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
