Elements conspire to deny Hibs game time

Published on Wednesday 22 July 2009 09:52

JONATAN JOHANSSON today backed referee David Somers' decision to abandon Hibs' latest pre-season match in the midst of a violent thunderstorm after a lightning strike left a Danish player in a coma.

The second half of the game against First Division newcomers Raith Rovers had barely started when a power surge caused the floodlights at Stark's Park to fail. But as the players waited for power to be restored the incessant rain became torrential, peals of thunder echoed around the area and bolts of lightning split the Fife sky.

Although the lights began to flicker back on one-by-one, Somers decided to bring the match to an early end, with Raith leading through Ian Williamson's 27th minute goal.

The official explained: "Initially we were told it would take five or ten minutes to allow an electrician to fix it and we took the players into the dressing-rooms.

"However, as the weather conditions became exceptionally worse and we had at least two or three bolts of lightning my concern became player safety both underfoot and overhead.

"Taking into account the conditions at the time and in conjunction with the police match commander, we took the decision to abandon the game."

Today Finnish internationalist Johansson was adamant Somers had got it right, citing an incident in Denmark on Monday when FC Nordsjaelland defender Jonathan Richter was struck by lightning during a reserve match against Hvidovre.

The 24-year-old was left unconcious and police later said he was in a coma.

Johansson said: "The referee came in and explained he was calling the game off for the safety of the players and the crowd.

"There is always a bit of a risk playing when there is thunder and lightning. There was that incident in Denmark earlier in the week when a player was injured so I think he made the right decision."

While Hibs boss John Hughes also agreed with the decision, Johansson admitted the premature end to proceedings had been disappointing, particularly with Hibs trailing. He said: "These pre-season games are important as we want to get fit. You want to give a good impression which, I felt, we didn't do in the first half.

"We were particularly disappointed because we hadn't played well and we wanted to go out and show better than that."

Having made six changes to the side which started in the 4-0 win over Dunfermline at the weekend, Hughes saw his side denied an early goal as Raith goalkeeper David McGurn spilled a low shot from Merouane Zemmama, Johansson pouncing to loft the ball into the net.

Assistant referee Steven Crichton's flag, however, was up in an instant to signal offside, Johansson grumbling: "I thought it was a goal – as strikers always do."

Raith capitalised as Chris Hogg and Steven Thicot, forming a new partnership in central defence, both attacked the same ball conspiring only to slide into each other to leave Gregory Tade to cut it back for Williamson.

Even then it needed a wicked deflection off the unfortunate Kevin McBride for goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay to be beaten although the Belgian star did well to prevent John McGlynn's side extending their lead.

Grant Murray's long ball caught Hibs flat-footed as it found Tade in space but the Raith striker saw his low shot blocked by Ma-Kalambay who was back on his feet to push away Graham Weir's effort from the rebound.

And then the towering 'keeper had to look sharp to fist away a short back header from Thicot with Weir waiting to pounce.

As at East End Park on Saturday, the returning Zemmama carried Hibs' greatest threat.

The little Moroccan sliced his way through the Raith defence only to see his shot zip wide before the midfield ace floored Stephen Simmons, one of three former Hearts players in the home line-up, with a ferociously struck free-kick which caught the Rovers man full in the face and knocked him off his feet. The floodlight failure and weather – the nearby Stark's Bar was flooded and the road outside closed – ended Hibs' hopes of a comeback although boss Hughes insisted he wasn't too disappointed with what he had seen.

He said: "I was disappointed the game was called off although that's not to say we would have gone on to win as Raith were giving as good as they got.

"It was the right decision. It would have been disappointing for the supporters but when you have that heavy rain plus thunder and lightning, safety has to come first"

Hughes revealed his players' "reward" for their early finish last night would be a double training session at East Mains today, not as punishment for finding themselves behind but to catch up on the match time they'd lost.

And that time, he revealed, will be spent with him and assistant Brian Rice endeavouring to continue to impart the style of football they want played by those in a green and white shirt.

He said: "There were bits and pieces I thought were not bad but the guys need to know what I expect of them in terms of how to pass the ball, where to pass it and to be big enough and brave enough to get on the ball and show they want tot enjoy their football. They did it in bits and pieces but we want to be at it all the time, we can't just do it in fits and starts.

"I'm not too disappointed. It was a pre-season game and sometimes in these matches you see things and think 'that's quite good'. Other things make you think 'oh, oh.'

"It will be like that for the rest of pre-season until we get down to business.

"It was a bad goal to lose but we won't be pointing the finger of blame at anyone, you just need to learn from it. We had possession and we gave it away but that's going to happen if you are not assured with your touch and your passing.

"But I felt some of the stuff wasn't too bad, we just need to get more penetration and do it quicker so we'll get back on the training pitch and working again.

"We still have a lot of hard work in front of us."

Raith Rovers: McGurn, Wilson, Ellis, Campbell, G Murray, Davidson, Williamson, Simmons, Tade (Walker 43), Weir, D Smith. Subs not used: O'Connor, Ferry, Hill, Bryce.

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, McCann (Van Zanten 46), Hogg, Thicot, Hanlon, Zemmama, McBride, Wotherspoon (Cregg 46), Stevenson (Rankin 46), Galbraith (Riordan 46), Johansson. Subs not used: Flynn, I Murray, Keenan, Bamba, Nish, McCormack.