Hibs 4 - 0 Montrose: Double from Simon Murray puts Hibs at ease

Hibernian's Simon Murray celebrates scoring the opening goal with Fraser Murray and Lewis Stevenson. Picture: SNS/Alan Rennie

The signing from Dundee United powered home a header for a 12th minute opener and then nodded home Hibs third after his namesake, 18-year-old Fraser Murray had claimed his first Easter Road goal, the man of the match slotting a low shot beyond Montrose goalkeeper Allan Fleming.

And substitute Brian Graham made it four from the spot after Graham Webster was adjudged to have handled Lewis Stevenson’s cross three minutes from time.

Martin Boyle, playing against his first club, almost opened the scoring in the tenth minute, taking down a hanging ball from Stevenson before firing in a shot which came crashing back off Fleming’s right hand post.

But Simon Murray did make the breakthrough two minutes later, teenager Fraser Murray feeding the ball out left for Stevenson to deliver a cross for the striker to mark his competitive debut with a goal.

Hibs had been in total control from the first whistle and it came as no surprise when they doubled their lead in the 22nd minute, the highly impressive Fraser Murray laying the ball off to Simon before moving onto the return pass to beat Fleming with a low drive.

Fleming may have been left helpless on those occasions but he prevented Montrose falling three behind in the 29th minute as he pulled off a terrific save after Boyle’s scuffed shot had left Simon Murray all alone inside the visitors’ penalty area.

Gary Fraser had a great chance to pull Montrose back into the game two minutes after the interval as Andy Steeves’ long ball found Fraser ghosting in behind the Hibs defence. But with only goalkeeper Ofir Marciano to beat he tamely side-footed wide.

Immediately Hibs should have made it three, Simon Murray looking on in dismay as Fleming stopped his shot with his feet before skipper David Gray headed wide and Dylan McGeouch hammered in a shot which also missed the target.

A third, though, was only delayed, Simon Murray stealing in front of Sean Dillon to nod home his second of the game and three minutes from time Graham rounded off a comfortable afternoon for the Capital side, scoring from the penalty spot.