Goals by James Keating and Jason Cummings secured a valuable victory for Hibs over Raith Rovers at Easter Road this afternoon.
Head Coach Alan Stubbs made three changes to the starting XI that beat Stranraer on Wednesday. Captain David Gray returned to the right back slot replacing new signing Darren McGregor, Marvin Bartley took over from the injured Fraser Fyvie and Keatings made his first start for the club replacing Martin Boyle up front alongside Cummings.
Jordon Forster was listed amongst the substitutes after recovering from an injury picked up against Rangers in the Patrofac Training Cup in July.
Jon Daly who was linked with Hibs earlier in the week started for Raith Rovers after his move from Rangers.
Hibs started brightly and in the first twenty minutes created enough chances to win ten games. John McGinn went close with two long range efforts, Keatings fired over the bar from close range and Cummings forced keeper Kevin Cuthbert into a good save from a one on one situation.
Hibs eventually grabbed the lead that their play deserved in the 22nd minute, Dylan Henderson collected the ball in midfield and dummied the Raith defender before sliding the ball to Keatings who sent a powerful left foot strike into the corner of the net.
Henderson then went close with a curled effort but Rovers fought back and it took a superb save from Mark Oxley to keep the scores level, Ross McKeown sent a long cross into the box and the ball fell to Grant Anderson whose shot was heading to the bottom corner of the net but Oxley reacted quickly to fingertip the ball past the post.
The last two games between the teams at Easter Road both ended in 1-1 draws with the Fifers scoring late equalisers so it was not surprising that the fans were nervous and Raith started the second half with purpose. Daly went close with a header and also claimed a penalty following a tackle by Oxley before Cummings eased the tension with a poachers goal in the 47th minute.
The excellent McGinn found Henderson who drove forward before slipping the ball to Lewis Stevenson. The full back who grew up in Kirkcaldy supporting Raith Rovers sent in a long cross and Cummings was on hand at the back post to toe poke the ball into the net,
Dominque Malonga replaced Keatings on the hour mark and the striker left the field to a standing ovation. The big striker made an immediate impact showing some fine skills which were appreciated by the home fans.
Cummings almost made it 3-0 after good work by Gray and then the skipper thought he had scored after getting on the end of a Liam Fontaine knock down but the referee adjudged that the defender had committed a foul when jumping for the ball.
Scott Martin replaced Dylan McGeouch then McGregor came on for Bartley as Hibs held on to secure the three points.
Hibs: Oxley, Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, Stevenson, Bartley, Henderson, McGinn, McGeouch, Keatings, Cummings. Subs: Reguero, McGregor, Forster, Stanton, Martin, Boyle, Malonga
Raith Rovers: Cuthbert, Toshney, Benedictus, Anderson, McCord, Stewart, Davidson, Daly, Bates, McKeown, Craigen. Subs: Laidlaw, Petrie, Megginson, Matthews, Wighton, Ellis, Ford.
Referee Alan Muir
Attendance 8484
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.
