Hibs and Clydebank roll back to the 90s but Boyle ensures there's no cup upset 26 years on from Boghead loss

It hasn’t felt this good for a while at Easter Road. Hibs’ early-season struggles and relegation fears from the Premiership have been replaced by unbeaten run and dreams of European qualification - and who knows, perhaps even a Scottish Cup run?

While it wasn’t the most exhilarating of wins, a brace from Martin Boyle and a second-half strike from Rudi Molotnikov ensured David Gray’s side were able to successfully navigate beyond sixth-tier Clydebank and place themselves neatly into the hat for the fifth round of the Scottish Cup with a 3-0 win.

Memories of Kelty Hearts’ shock victory in the Premier Sports Cup earlier in the season fresh in the memory, you’d have forgiven the Easter Road faithful if the visit of a part-time outfit Clydebank had brought them out in a cold sweat, despite Hibs winning five of their last seven games - but they’d needn’t have been concerned.

It had been almost 26 years since the sides last faced each other, where Clydebank handed Hibs only their third - and final - defeat of their 1998/99 second-tier title winning season. An attendance of 1,695 watched on that day as goals from Barry Elliott and Graeme Love grabbed all three points. However, just four years later, Clydebank were dissolved, and their football club as they knew it were no more - at least for a little while.

Martin Boyle scores to make it 3-0 against Clydebank. | SNS Group

Taking place during the days when Oasis ruled the charts, it was perhaps a coincidence that the sides found each other one again mere months before the Gallagher brothers themselves take centre stage in the capital this summer. Things look a little different these days, though. Six divisions separated the sides ahead of kick off, while the ‘new’ Clydebank arrived at Easter Road as a club now a fully-fledged community outfit, largely funded by supporters.

Many of those present at Clydebank’s victory over Hibs at Boghead in 1999 will have formed part of a noisy two thousand plus away end at Easter Road for Saturday afternoon’s fourth round tie, though they will have arrived more in hope than expectation this time. The game provided an opportunity for those fans to reflect on the journey the Bankies have been on. However, having been forced to return to the league as a junior outfit in the Central League Division Two all the way back in the 2003-04 season. Achieving a similar result to the one they achieved in March 1999 was but a pipe dream though, in all truth.

This assignment provided an opportunity for David Gray to tweak his starting XI and allowed him to get much needed minutes into the legs of Mykola Kukharevych, Molotnikov and Junior Hoilett. The inclusion of six starters from last week’s 3-1 victory against Motherwell proved the head coach was taking nothing for granted, as he aimed to extend the club’s unbeaten run into eight games.

As for the game itself, while it didn’t dampen the mood of the vocal Clydebank supporters too much, hope turned to fear almost immediately for the travelling fans when a simple ball over the top saw Hoilett break into the area and cross for man-of-the-moment Boyle, who tapped beyond a helpless Andrew Leishmann after just two minutes to score his fifth goal in three games and hand the hosts an early lead.

Clydebank fans pack out the away end at Easter Road. | SNS Group

Clydebank rallied well enough, with each sporadic foray forward greeted by a roar of encouragement from their raucous support. Sadly it didn’t produce a shot on target though, let alone the chance the away side so desperately desired. The gulf in quality was evident, even if the score remained at 1-0 at the break. When Molotnikov and Boyle added to the tally early in the second-half from close range, the Clydebank resistance was broken and any chance of an unlikely upset was brought to a shuddering halt.

With the win in the bag before the hour, Hibs welcomed summer signing Kieron Bowie back to the field following four months out with a hamstring injury. Touted by Gray himself as the next possible Scotland No 9 upon his arrival in August, his return to action was a welcome sight for manager and fans alike.

And so, the romance of the Scottish Cup was not to be for Clydebank, as the dream of an unlikely win was scuppered early on for their horde of travelling supporters. They’ll now turn their attention back to winning the West of Scotland Football League, where they are currently one point clear at the top. For Hibs, confidence, positivity and momentum continues to emanate as Gray threatens to bring the good times back to Easter Road.