Martin Boyle’s remarkable form continued with two goals and an assist as Hibernian saw off  sixth tier Clydebank to progress to the 5th Round of the Scottish Cup.

Opening the scoring just two minutes into the first half, Junior Hoilett fired a ball across to Boyle after Adam Hodge made a meal of Jack Iredale’s long pass.

Hibs would come again just minutes after the break when Boyle’s cross was lofted over the head of Clydebank keeper Andrew Leishman to allow eighteen year old Rudi Molotnikov to fire home.

With his sixth goal in just three games, Boyle made sure the game was dead and buried with over half an hour left to play after subsitute Christopher McGowan’s block landed somewhat fortuitously at his feet.

Despite the frenetic opening, David Gray’s side featuring five changes laboured in the first half, struggling to trouble Leishman.

Molotnikov saw three of his efforts miss the target after some good footwork to find space.

Faring no better with his first attempt on goal, Kwon Hyeok-Kyu blasted a shot well over the bar as the side struggled to find a second.

With his side’s only attempt of the afternoon, Nicky Low’s effort was blasted well above an unperturbed Jordan Smith.

However after flying out the traps, Hibs found a way through Clydebank, whose run of four wins in the competition comes to an end.

The Martin Boyle Show has stellar supporting cast

Writing this section of Hibernian games has almost come to feel like a copy paste of the last such is the impact Martin Boyle has had in recent weeks.

Six goals in three games is made all the more remarkable considering the fact that he had managed just three in nineteen appearances prior.

So instead the limelight will be shifted onto another impressive and no less deserving performer from the evening, Rudi Molotnikov.

Having seemingly cemented his place in the side at just eighteen years, Molotnikov has overcome injuries and a spell on the bench to get an opportunity to shine tonight.

Fair to say he did just that, a goal and a man of the match performance to boot is testament to his mentality as much as his ability, which he used to great effect to torment Clydebank’s defenders.

Result aside, David Gray will be pleased by a performance that shows the depth the squad is building ahead of an arduous challenge to secure the top six and now a cup run to think about.

Fans and players alike enjoy spirited performance

No doubt Darvel’s David versus Goliath exploit against Aberdeen has raised the bar for the underdogs but it was always going to take a miracle for a sixth tier side to travel to Scotland’s form team of 2025 and grab a result.

Undone by two goals conceded ninety seconds after the first and second half whistles blew, Clydebank can take a fair bit of pride in the way they regrouped and frustrated Hibs following the opener.

Having not played since the middle of December, it is little wonder they seemed to lack the sharpness of their opponents who had three games under their belt in January alone.

None of that seemed to dishearten their supporters who continued to back their team until the end, having started in the early hours of the day.

Filling the away end far more emphatically than many a Premiership side, the fans and their players left Easter Road with their heads held high.

Despite a cup run that ends with their fifth game, the West Dunbartonshire side will now regroup and continue their push for promotion to the Lowland League as they sit top of the West of Scotland Premier Division.

What the manager’s said:

Hibernian boss David Gray:

“Firstly it’s job done. That was the challenge make sure you get into the next round.

“I thought we started the game really well, scoring in the first minute or so. Full credit to Clydebank from that point, to lose a goal from the first minute of the game it could have been easy for them to throw the towel in but they kept going.

“We knew it was going to be a challenge. It was their cup final today.”

Clydebank boss Gordon Moffat:

“We take pride in that performance but probably a lesson in the levels of performance.

“The timing of the goals was frustrating for me as a manager.

“I would have liked to have seen us do a wee bit more when we did get in the final third we just lacked that wee bit at times.

“[The fans] were brilliant. My only regret is that we didn’t give them that moment, that goal. Over the piece they were fantastic.”

Attendance: 11,406

Line-ups:

Hibernian (3-4-1-2): J. Smith, J. Iredale, R. Bushiri (C. Cadden 46’), W. O’Hora, R. Molotnikov, D. Levitt (L. Amos 63′), Kwon Hyeok-Kyu (L. Gillie 72′), L. Miller, J. Hoilett, M. Kuharevich (J. Campbell 46’), M. Boyle (c) (K. Bowie 63′)

Substitutes: L. Amos, K. Bowie, J. Bursik, C. Cadden, J. Campbell, D. Gayle, L. Gillie, N. Triantis

Clydebank (4-2-3-1): A. Leishman, O. McHugh (J. Darroch 78′), J. Grant, D. Syme, A. Hodge (C. McGowan 36’), N. Low, D. Cairns, C. Truesdale (D. MacKenzie 68′), N. Little (c), L. Gallacher (L. McGonigle 78′), C. Mulcahy (K. Samson 68′)

Substitutes: J. Darroch, J. Gibb, C. Keaney, D. Mackenzie, L. McGonigle, C. McGowan, B. McLernan, K. Samson

Referee: Duncan Nicolson