Hibs 2 - 0 Falkirk: Hibs go joint second after Riordan scores twice

Published on Saturday 28 November 2009 10:02

A DEREK Riordan double extended Hibs unbeaten SPL run to nine games and lift the Easter Road outfit into joint second place in the table alongside Rangers.

• Derek Riordan celebrates his second goal of the game. Picture: SNS

Riordan struck after 32 minutes as his volley appeared to take a deflection off Falkirk defender Brian McLean and the Scotland striker eased the nerves of the home support with a second three minutes from time, lashing the ball home after a terrific run and pass from David Wotherspoon.

Hibs made all the early running, Darren Barr and then McLean blocking shots from Riordan in quick succession before Falkirk goalkeeper Robert Olejnik collected a low shot from Merouane Zemmama. Colin Nish thought he had put the home side in front in the 24th minute as left-back Ian Murray charged forward before supplying his striker with the ball.

Nish steadied himself and appeared to have picked his spot beyond Olejnik only for Chris Mitchell to throw himself in and deflect the ball inches wide.

Falkirk almost capitalised on that escape as Carl Finnigan got his head to Mitchell's corner, his effort taken off the line by David Wotherspoon whose clearance was directed back into the path of Ryan Flynn who put the ball into the net only to discover it had gone out of play for another corner which proved less fruitful.

Hibs did, however, make the breakthrough in the 32nd minute, Riordan meeting Zemmama's deep cross on the volley, his angled drive going across the body of Olejnik and into the far corner of the net with the suggestion that Falkirk's McLean had got the final touch.

Nish again thought he had scored as he rose to power in a header from Riordan's cross but Olejnik brilliantly clawed the ball out from under his bar before pushing it to safety.

Right on the stroke of half-time Barr went close for the visitors with a header from Mitchell's corner which slipped just wide of Graham Stack's right hand post.

Hibs restarted with Yves Ma-Kalambay in place of Stack, the assumption being the goalkeeper had picked up an injury during the opening period of play.

And the towering Belgian Under-21 internationalist had to use every inch of his 6ft 5in frame to keep Hibs ahead in the 57th minute. Pedro Moutinho appeared to have given Sol Bamba a push in the back as they jostled for the ball but was allowed to continue. He floated the ball over Ma-Kalambay who stretched and just managed to tip the ball onto the bar and over.

Hibs appeared to have handed the initiative to Falkirk as they stood off their visitors and allowed them to play, the hlome fans becoming increasingly frustrated, not least by the constant sound of referee David Somers' whistle, the official intent on penalising virtually every bit of physical contact between the players.

Ma-Kalambay had the Hibs fans hearts in their mouth as he showed some fancy footwork to sidestep Falkirk substitute Lee Bullen as the home side continued to toil to get that all important second goal.

Falkirk would have thought they were well worth a point for their second half efforts but other than that Moutinho effort they had done little else to trouble Ma-Kalambay until the Hibs goalkeeper was forced to rush from his area to challenge the on-rushing Bullen five minutes from time.

If there was any dubiety as to the scorer of Hibs first goal, there was absolutely none about their second, Riordan leaving Olejnik with no chance as he took Wotherspoon's pass and hammeered the ball home.

Hibs: Stack (Ma-Kalambay 46), Wotherspoon, Hogg, Bamba, Murray, Zemmama (Benejelloun 68), Miller, Rankin, Riordan, Nish, Stokes (McCormack 68). Subs not used: Cregg, Stevenson, Galbraith, Byrne.

Falkirk: OLejnik, Allison, Barr, McLean, Mitchell, Marceta (MacDonald 26), Arfeild, Vitor Lima, Flynn, Finnigan (Bullen 70), Moutinho (Twaddle 79). Subs not used: Wagenaar, Montero, Murdoch, Bloom.

Referee: David Somers.