Leigh Griffiths gives Hibs a vital lift
Leigh Griffiths struck a double as Hibs won at Dunfermline
What this match might have lacked in quality – as you might have expected in a scrap between the SPL’s two bottom clubs – it more than made up for in sheer excitement and entertainment.
The proverbial five-goal thriller, the pace was frenetic, the players to a man committed to the cause if missing a little finesse and the outcome was uncertain until the final blast of referee Alan Muir’s whistle.
But when the dust had settled and everyone had enjoyed the chance to finally catch a breath, Hibs has emerged victorious, with three precious points in the bag.
Easter Road boss Pat Fenlon would be the first to admit the Edinburgh club are far from out of trouble on the back of one result although the gap between themselves and the Pars has now stretched to four points, albeit the Fife outfit have a game in hand. However, the psychological boost for Fenlon’s players, battered and bruised from weeks of strife, could be immense. Not only was this Hibs’ first league win in ten, a run stretching back to October when they defeated St Mirren by the same scoreline, but the first time all season they’ve managed back-to-back victories, this one coming hard on the heels of that hard-fought triumph over Cowdenbeath in the William Hill Scottish Cup.
Again the Capital side had to battle all the way, forced to come from behind once more as they had a week earlier in Fife and demonstrating true grit as they thrust aside the disappointment of losing a late equaliser to immediately claim the winning goal.
While most connected with Easter Road will be at a loss to explain why it has come to this, the players, just as they did at almost the same stage last season, seem to have finally awoken to the perils of the situation into which they have floundered.
At long last, though, the penny seems to have dropped as defender Michael Hart admitted. He said: “When you get so low you have to climb out of it somehow. A club like Hibs should not be in the position we are in. But when you are you can either keep on getting beaten or you can get your head up and think we need to battle and get a result.”
Fenlon’s influence is undoubtedly beginning to show, Colin Calderwood’s successor having not enjoyed the best of starts to his Easter Road career, Hart agreeing that perhaps a month ago Hibs would have struggled to overcome the late blow of Liam Buchanan’s equaliser.
He said: “We have a bit more about us, we have put ourselves in this position and we are the only ones that can get us out of it. The boys are realising that and are digging deeper than we have before.”
Fenlon may only have been in the job a matter of weeks, but the Irishman will have quickly realised little is straightforward when it comes to Hibs. Having seen his side lose the opening goal at Central Park in just 15 seconds, he again had to watch as Andy Kirk rose unopposed to glance home Joe Cardle’s free-kick to put the Pars ahead.
It might have got worse had goalkeeper Mark Brown not got his fingertips to Martin Hardie’s free-kick but having finally managed to exert a period of sustained pressure, Hibs got their reward as David Wotherspoon returned Isaiah Osbourne’s blocked shot for Leigh Griffiths to slide the ball beyond Iain Turner.
The on-loan Preston North End goalie had already brought off a smart save in pushing aside Callum Booth’s early shot and he did so again at the start of the second half as Osbourne, back after a five-match absence, thundered forward to unleash a drive which the ex-Everton star matched.
Before the match Fenlon had expressed the hope that his players’ desire to win would exceed any fear of losing and he displayed his determination to secure all three points by throwing on top scorer Garry O’Connor for midfielder Wotherspoon with some 30 minutes remaining, giving Hibs a three-pronged strikeforce. And it appeared to have paid off when Booth charged forward before slipping the ball inside for Griffiths who, in turn, relayed it on for O’Connor to hammer high into the net to the delight of the massed ranks of travelling Hibbies.
Dunfermline, though, matched Hibs’ desire and in a late charge Booth was forced to take a Hardie header off the line before Buchanan found himself with time and space inside a congested penalty area to claim the equaliser. The Edinburgh-born hitman, however, hardly had time to celebrate as Hibs immediately reclaimed the lead, Griffiths wheeling and delivering a low shot which squirmed under Turner and into the net. The drama wasn’t over then, Brown pulling off a smart save from Buchanan with Paul Hanlon thumping the ball to safety before anyone in black and white could get near it.
Hibs might have had the chance to increase their lead – and calm their nerves – in the final minute when O’Connor appeared to have been brought down by John Potter, referee Muir thinking otherwise and booking the Easter Road hitman for diving.
It was a decision which left both O’Connor and his manager incandescent with rage, Fenlon spoken to by Muir for his touchline protests.
O’Connor, of course, has been at the centre of controversy for “simulation” already this season, being found not guilty by an independent tribunal after being accused of having dived to win a penalty against St Johnstone earlier in the season.
And Hart believes his team-mate now has a blackened reputation, insisting that on this occasion at least, he’d been the victim of an injustice.
He said: “I don’t know what reputation Garry has but it was a definite penalty. He is in there [the dressing-room] raging. The referee was in a good position to give it and he did not.”
Thankfully for Hibs, at least, the incident had no bearing on the final result, one which former Aberdeen, Livingston and Preston full back Hart believes can be used as a springboard by the Edinburgh side. Asked what psychological effect of two trips to Fife and two wins might have, he said: “Massive, it was our first league win in a long while, but that’s two in a row which shows resilience. We are scoring goals again although a clean sheet would be nice.
“But it’s progress, you saw the boys battling more for each other. We might have chucked it before when they equalised but we went right up the park and scored again which shows the character in the boys.”
Email to a friend
Print this page- Rangers takeover: Duff & Phelps threaten legal action against BBC
- Family mourn death of Glasgow ‘fight’ schoolboy
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Rangers administration: Fans fear Duff & Phelps claims could scare off Green
- Rangers takeover: triple penalty punishment enough, says Johnston
- Alistair Darling leads ‘No to independence’ fight over tea and biscuits
- Scottish independence: SNP flip-flops over Nato
- Scottish Independence: SNP ‘won’t be Yes campaign’s only voice’
- Today’s youth not fit to be employed, says car firm Arnold Clark
- Scottish independence: ‘People here are best qualified to run Scotland’
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Edinburgh
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 8 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 11 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
Comments
There are 16 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
vladhibs
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 07:45 AMgoc and grif will terrorise defences all over scotland, the futures looking bright
orourke272727
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 at 04:18 AMOff topic ScotCanadianhibby curious and out of touch, how does the loan system work? HibsHearts have farmed out a few is the parent club responsible for "most" of the wages loan club pays a portion?? Griffiths, assume Wolves are kicking in some??? Agree with the poster tott Hibs may be lacking long term planning thought $150K for Griffiths if asking was reasonable. After all we got $100K for Marinello 41yrs ago. Rough calculation would be worth $2,185,000 now....yup old days were magical. Thanks in advance
North Enclosure ER
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 11:49 PM#1 No he didnt and it WAS A PENALTY ! Get off the Hibs thread - you are pathetic Hearts supporter.
Portsmouth 657
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 10:18 PM#4 Hibs 4000 fans aye rights Estimated by Pars at "NO MORE THAN 2500" hibbys alll talk nonsense.
The Yak Farmer
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 08:47 PM11 - Puff the Magic Dragon - please jog on. You've already been exposed on this thread as being all hot air but no flame. Yes, I am very jealous of you and the club you support. Very jealous indeed.... sigh PMSL.
Dragonlord
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 07:45 PM8# Sad that you come on this thread with your stupid vision of what I look like. I answered your previous drivel on the other thread yet you refuse to reply. You, TT and the other sad hobbits will always be looking up at your betters, so I will simply say this. We are third you lot are second bottom enjoy.
Baldrick
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 05:44 PM2* Very good point. Selling players is the problem and it's by no means restricted to Hibs. The only solution I can see is trusting your judgement and putting young players on long-term contracts.
Binzo
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 04:50 PMListen, I like many Hibs supporters will happily take this result and hopefully things might start to improve, but how many more years do we have to witness KEY clashes like Hamilton v Hibs or Dunfermline v Hibs. Getting really tired of this p1sh now!! At least Fenlon appears to have identified the dead wood that Calderwood dragged in so that has to be a bonus. Lets just wait and see but it can't get much worse unless of course Dunfermline find some form that is!!
The Yak Farmer
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 02:59 PMDragonlord is one of those fantasy-role playing oddballs and likes to walk around the meadows in a long leather trenchcoat listening to vintage metal on his headphones....
Footbal fan
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 02:37 PM#6 DRAGONLORD Firstly, from hearing the "Open all mics" on Radio Scotland on Saturday, all the pundits agreed it was a very entertaining game - not typical of a relegatioin clash at all. I do not know which report you were reading which states the contrary. Second, actually #4 did not mention the word "fact" - you did. He mentioned only 2 "points". Perhaps you should try reading other posters comments carefully before making your judgements. Third, have you simply come on this thread to make a petty point about how "..we are better than youse"? If so, here is a FACT - you are a complete tw@t!
Dragonlord
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 02:08 PMit more than made up for in sheer excitement and entertainment. ..................................................... Acording to all the other reports this was a really dull game. Maybe this reporter had rose tinted specs?.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4# Have a think before trying to pst alleged facts. If you want some proper facts Hearts fans can quote them till the cows come home. However here's one: Hearts have won more derbies at ER than HIbs. Fact! Now if you want more I'm sure others will oblige.
Peterperfect
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 01:21 PMLets see who Pat will bring in but we need patience in these times and the fans to get behind us, like the game on Saturday. Incredible that the Rankers hardly had any support on the road, sign of the times that their silly songs are not welcome on the road. Also, Garry; yes it was a penalty but the guy is just too big to make a meal of it!
the ball is round
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 01:17 PM#1 two quick points old chap. Firstly, it's Garry (two r's). Secondly, great to see a 4000 string away support - meaning there were more HIbees away at Dunfy than there were Hearts fans at Home in the Special Relationship Cup last week.
boozy
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 01:16 PM# Almost forgot to add, well done to Leigh and the guys, that was an essential win.
boozy
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 01:12 PMTo the journalist above, I'm not at a loss to explain why it has come to this, its because we would sell our granny. I'm still waiting to find out why we sold Stokes to Celtic for sweeties?, yes I know the argument about not being able to keep them. But surely some of the money received could go on a decent replacement.
Page 1 of 2
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.