Berwick 1 - 1 Hibs: Berwick spoil Neil Lennon's Hibs bow

Neil Lennon's Hibernian reign began in inauspicious circumstances as they were held to a draw by Berwick Rangers.
Grant Holt, centre, made his Hibs debut in the draw with Berwick Rangers. Picture: Graham Stuart/SNSGrant Holt, centre, made his Hibs debut in the draw with Berwick Rangers. Picture: Graham Stuart/SNS
Grant Holt, centre, made his Hibs debut in the draw with Berwick Rangers. Picture: Graham Stuart/SNS

The new Easter Road manager would have been thrilled with the start to this friendly against their League Two opponents, with Jason Cummings giving the visitors the lead after just 12 seconds.

Twice, they then struck the crossbar as the players sought to impress on their first outing since May’s historic Scottish Cup final triumph.

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Lennon spent those opening exchanges in his dugout but was soon up off his seat, gesticulating and barking out instructions as things did not go quite according to plan just nine days before their first competitive outing in the Europa League next Thursday.

Michael McKenna’s 23rd-minute equaliser will have put a dampener on the occasion.

Although there was a change in the dugout there was a familiarity about the opening goal-scorer.

Jason Cummings has been linked with a possible move down south after netting 25 times last season and he proved his predatory instincts straight from the kick-off, which he took himself.

The 20-year-old raced upfield and ended up slotting past home keeper Kevin Walker after a flowing move involving Fraser Fyvie, debutant Grant Holt and Alex Harris.

Within moments Martin Boyle and John McGinn, back after being given a longer lay-off following his duties with Scotland at the end of last term, had both hit the bar and in the second-half a David Gray header from a corner was knocked on to the woodwork.

But Lennon’s frustrations were clear after Berwick equalised midway through the first-half.

The Easter Road side never looked comfortable dealing with Rangers’ set-pieces and it was from a corner that the home side equalised.

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McKenna was sharpest to the clearance 25 yards out and he rifled a drive low past Mark Oxley and into the corner of the net.

Oxley has been linked with a move away to Southend United but was given the first-half to make an impression on Lennon should he remain at the club.

Whether many of the others managed that during a slow start for the former 
Celtic manager remains to be seen.