Josh Mulligan and club record signing Thibault Klidje both got off the mark for Hibernian, as they won 2-0 to knock Livingston out of the Premier Sport Cup in the round of 16.
Hibs came into this one off the back of a gruelling extra time triumph over Serbian side Partizan Belgrade on Thursday evening, whilst Livingston were hoping to gather some momentum following a 3-1 victory over Falkirk last weekend.
The results sees the capital city side book a trip to Ibrox to take on Rangers in the quarter-final, which ensures to be a mouth-watering clash as the Hibees will be entitled to a larger away allocation as per cup rules.
Klidje nearly got his first goal for Hibs before some fans had eve taken their seats. The Togolese forward got on to the end of a long ballad tried his luck from range with a looping volley, but it was palmed over by Jerome Prior in the Livingston net.
Hibs had the lion’s share of possession in the first half and approached the game with a bit of directness, challenging the Livingston back line’s resolve with balls over the top to utilise the pace of Klidje and Martin Boyle.
Their best chances leading up to the goal however came from distance, with Josh Campbell and Alasana Manneh having half volleys from the edge of the area blocked by yellow jerseys.
The Edinburgh side’s goal would come just on the stroke of half time. Martin Boyle’s in-swinging corner curled onto Klidje’s head at the near post and was directed goalwards on the striker’s first start for his new club.
The away side kept the pressure on as they plugged away for a second, and opportunities for that two goal cushion didn’t come much better than Junior Hoilett’s effort just after the hour mark. Just minutes if not seconds after coming off the bench, the Canadian was put clean through on goal by Klidje’s defence splitting pass, yet the experienced winger dragged a tame effort wide of the post.
The second goal would eventually come for the visitors just three minutes from time, when substitute Josh Mulligan sent a rocket into the top left corner of the goal, also meaning that this was his first goal for Hibs as well, since his arrival from Dundee this summer to well and truly send Hibernian on their way to the quarter final as they will be aiming to win their first piece of silverware since their Scottish Cup heroics of 2016.