Quickfire double sees Hibs join defeated Motherwell in top half

Quickfire double sees Hibs join defeated Motherwell in top half

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A Martin Boyle double saw Hibs come away with the all important three points, sending David Gray’s side into the top six as Motherwell left the capital with just one win in seven.

Boyle continued his fine form to open the scoring, finishing a pass into the box by substitute Jordan Obita, who entered the fray early on after Nicky Cadden’s knock to the head.

Just minutes later Ewen Wilson was caught in possession by Nectar Triantis, the Australian bursting clear and firing a low shot past Archie Mair, whose signing was announced less than an hour before kick off.

Time crept on as the home side looked to see out the win but Jack Iredale’s silly foul just outside the box allowed Motherwell back into the game, substitute Callum Slattery firing in an excellent free kick.

Motherwell made sure this was little more than consolation as Stephen O’Donnell gave away a cheap penalty whcih Boyle duly converted for his fourth goal in two games.

Hibernian did well to see out the game but in truth Motherwell offered little threat going forward.

Tony Watt had a couple of headed chances on either side of half of the break but could do little more than send the chances over the bar.

Nectar Triantis came close to getting his second as the ball met him at the far post but Mair put enough pressure on the midfielder to force a shot into the stands.

Motherwell’s frustrations continued to bubble and eventually Jack Vale earned himself a straight red for a foul on Boyle with seconds to go.

Hibs march on with one eye on Europe

Just over a month ago, the chat around Easter Road was about how the side would cope with relegation. Now, Europe is talk of the town as Hibs powered into the top half.

And why not? The side have always looked to two good for the bottom places, let down by what was perceived as mental fragility that looks distant memory.

Martin Boyle has four in two games but more than numbers, the striker has become a leadership figure and his tireless running an embodiment of Gray’s desire to not let his side take their foot off the gas.

Speaking in the post match conference, the manager was unequivocal, they will focus on chasing the next team down rather than look to far ahead.

That will not however, stop the fans from dreaming of booking a trip to continent come next season.

Lack of spark kills Motherwell’s chances

Despite the single victory in seven, Motherwell remain four points clear of the bottom half.

Helped in the past by their ability to eek out victories by single goal margins and more recently by their opponents fumbling the bag in their own attempts to push up the table, Motherwell might need to find a solution fast if they are to prevent a slow drift in the rankings.

Without the titanic Aston Oxborough in goal and missing the creativity of Lennon Miller, the side lack to guaranteed points the two bring.

Their lack of bravery going forward was exposed in the continued absence of their captain, Tony Watt and Jack Vale waited in vain for the ball to progress its way up the park towards them.

Stuart Kettlewell spoke of the fatigue, both mental and physical setting into the side as the congested fixture list wore heavy on the side featuring six changes from their draw in Kilmarnock.

With a Cup game coming next week, Kettlewell will need to dig deep to find the solutions for what he called the most difficult period of managerial career thus far.

 

What the managers said:

Hibs boss David Gray:

“The return, one defeat in the last ten games, is fantastic. A hell of lot of work’s gone into it.

“Probably didn’t create as many chances as I would have liked but controlled the game.

“We’ve given ourselves a real opportunity to push on, tasked before the game to try and get into that top six. We’ve still got ten games to go before that’s settled we need to make sure we keep picking up points quickly and make sure we’re in it.”

Motherwell boss Stuart Kettlewell:

“I think it’s a case of three individual errors cost us.

“That’s my biggest frustration, the mental fatigue as well as physical that started to set in.

“To give that penalty away at that stage quite clearly gives Hibs a lift that they needed and it gives them a platform they needed just to see the game out.”

 

Attendance: 15,829

Line up:

Hibernian (3-4-1-2): J. Smith, J. Iredale, R. Bushiri, W. O’Hora, N. Cadden (J. Obita 19’), D. Levitt (Kwon Hyeok-Kyu 62’), N. Triantis, C. Cadden (L. Miller 62’), J. Campbell, D. Gayle (J. Hoilett 62’), M. Boyle (c)

Subsitutes: R. Molotnikov, L. Amos, J. Bursik, J. Hoilett, Kwon Hyeok-Kyu, H. McKirdy, L. Miller, N. Moriah-Welsh, J. Obita

Motherwell (3-5-1-1): A. Mair, S. Blaney, P. McGinn (c) (D. Casey 33’), K. Balmer, E. Wilson (M. Kaleta 46’), T. Sparrow (C. Slattery 70’), A. Halliday (T. Maswanhise 46’), K. Andrews, S. O’Donnell, T. Watt (M. Ebiye 70’), J. Vale

Substitutes: D. Casey, M. Connelly, M. Ebiye, M. Kaleta, J. Koutrombis, T. Maswanhise, S. Nicholson, C. Slattery, D. Zdravkovski

Referee: Colin Steven

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