Goals from Scott Allan and Lewis Stevenson secured a comfortable victory over Dunfermline Athletic at East End Park yesterday.
A large travelling support enjoyed the sunshine and watching their favourites wearing the new purple away kit which has broken all sales records, but if they hoped to check out new summer signings they were disappointed. Only reserve goalkeeper Antonio Reguero was in the squad and he had to be content with a place on the bench and there was no place for Friday’s signing Marvin Bartley.
There was a familiar face in the ‘Pars’ line up with former Hibs goalkeeper Sean Murdoch, who only joined the Fifers on Friday taking his place between the posts.
Head Coach Alan Stubbs started with a 5-3-2 formation with Jordon Forster, Liam Fontaine and Paul Hanlon in the centre of defence with attacking full backs David Gray and Lewis Stevenson on the flanks.
The game burst into life in the 18th minute when Jason Talbot was rightly shown a red card after a reckless challenge on Dominique Malonga.
Hibs eventually scored the goal that their pressure deserved in the 34th minute when Scott Allan fired in a sensational left footed curling strike which beat Murdoch and found the top right-hand corner of the net.
It was an exquisite finish from a sensational player and came at the end of a fine run from the midfielder who had peeled off the left flank before letting fly with a precise right foot finish.
Hibs doubled their lead in the 51st minute when last season’s top scorer Jason Cummings set up Stevenson (pictured) who coolly slotted the ball into the far corner of the net leaving his former teammate helpless.
After a number of substitutions from both sides, Dunfermline got back into the game and pulled a late goal back through Faisscal El Bahktaoui.
After the game Stubbs said: It’s what we wanted and it’s another step in our preparation work.”
Dunfermline Athletic: Murdoch, Williamson, Talbot, Fordyce, Richards-Everton, Geggan (Cardle 77′), Paton (Trialist 61′), Falkingham, Moffat (Trialist 64′), El Bahktaoui, Hospkirk (Byrne 72′). Unused Substitues: Hutton, Spence, Wallace, Thomas, Potter.
Hibernian: Oxley (Reguero 61′), Gray (Dunsmore 77′), Stevenson (Crane 77′), Hanlon (Martin 61′), Fontaine, Forster, Fyvie (Harris 61′), S. Allan (Sinclair 77′), Stanton, Cummings (L. Allan 61′), Malonga (Duthie 77′), Substitutes all used.
Referee: Nick Walsh.
Attendance: 3,337.
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.
