Hibee history: McBride makes perfect arrival

WHO needs Colin Stein? That's what jubilant fans were asking at Easter Road after Hibs' new centre forward Joe McBride scored a first-half hat-trick in the 3-1 defeat of East Germans Lokomotive Leipzig in the second round of the Fairs Cup.

Stein had been snapped up by Rangers just a few weeks before for 100,000, the first six-figure fee between two Scottish clubs.

McBride, who had scored four goals on the last occasion he played at Easter Road, AGAINST Hibs for Celtic two years before, had a great first night in front of his own crowd, who sang and chanted the name of the club's bargain buy.

Joe achieved a feat that no Hibs player had accomplished since the team had moved into the European scene 13 years previously by scoring three. And it should have been a four-timer, for McBride scored a magnificent goal in the second half and had it chalked off by referee Josef Heymann.

Hibs fans were not displeased to hear that the 50-year-old Swiss official was retiring at the end of the season. His interpretation of the rules brought dissent and a beer can from the terracing, and nobody could understand how he failed to award a penalty when Jimmy O'Rourke was felled near the end.

Said manager, Bob Shankly: "McBride's best goal was the one he didn't get and we should have had a penalty. I am disappointed that we didn't finish it at one go. But it was still a satisfactory result and we feel confident about the return game."

The one-time Dundee manager and brother of legendary Liverpool boss Bill was to see his confidence borne out when Hibs came away 1-0 winners in the German Democratic Republic and went through 4-1 on aggregate.

In the match at Easter Road, Leipzig gave them a fright early on when Pat Stanton cleared off the line and, after snatching a useful second-half goal, which Hibs players thought was offside, Lokomotive nearly grabbed another.

Alan Cousins and Jimmy O'Rourke put in a lot of excellent work for Hibs and the turning point in Lokomotive's fortunes came when Alex Scott was sent off in 67 minutes. The right winger had been in sparkling form and his partnership with McBride was the feature of the game.

Goalkeeper Nauert couldn't judge Scott's well-flighted centres and he was glad to see the winger leave the field for retaliation against skipper Giessner.

But it was a joyful night for McBride and no wonder he wore a broad grin when he left the ground. His first goal was a present from Nauert, who dropped an O'Rourke cross at the centre's feet. Joe doesn't miss such gifts.

Number two in 15 minutes was a brilliant effort. Scott squared a perfect ball which McBride headed into the net, the club's 50th goal in the Fairs Cup.

A minute from half-time he left-footed Hibs into a 3-0 lead from a headed pass by Eric Stevenson.

Colin Grant missed a good chance to spark off a second-half goal storm, and it was the Germans who struck through Naumann in 66 minutes. Lokomotive did not conceal their delight at grabbing a goal but it would be Hibs who had the last laugh...

Hibs: Wilson; Shevlane, Davis; Cousin, Stanton, O'Rourke; Scott, Quinn, McBride, Grant, Stevenson.

Lokomotive Leipzig: Navert; Franke, Giessner; Harms (Fretsch), Faber, Gase; Lowe, Stamer, Frenzel, Naumann, Bukewitz.