Hibernian 2 - 3 Maribor: Hibs humbled once more as Maribor are just too sharp

Few of them have proved enjoyable, with an emphatic first-leg defeat in Slovenia followed by this rather lame loss. A goal at the end from Edwin de Graaf, his second of the evening, saw Hibs at least cut the deficit on the night to just one, but over two legs the margin of defeat is four goals. Few could say it is wildly flattering to the Slovenians, who again here attacked with poise and purpose.

Hibs conceded the crucial first goal after just 19 minutes, something which provided the rest of the match with a somewhat surreal air. While it was competitive, it did not even border on the type of European night that had been anticipated last season, when Hibs sealed qualification on the final day. Those Hibs fans who remained until the bitter end sportingly applauded Maribor from the pitch. Their heroes, they knew, had been well beaten, although De Graaf's double did provide some cheer. But a double claimed by Marcos Morales Tavares and penalty from Dejan Mezga did the damage on the night.

Hibs started as their fans hoped they would – on the front foot. They attacked in waves, and could have, indeed should have, been the ones to open the scoring, something their manager had stressed had to happen.

It was not just a matter of one person's opinion. No-one in the ground would have believed Hibs could score five times, something a goal for the Slovenians required them to do. Getting just the one was a tough enough task, as Hibs proved in those significant opening 15 minutes.

Although they had chances, Hughes' side could not convert them. And even though Hibs saw the majority of the ball, Maribor could not ever be discounted. The recalled Sol Bamba had to throw himself at the ball on a couple of occasions. It was the sort of last-ditch defending the home supporters had not wished was required,with one block from Ales Mertelj particularly critical. He was an often towering presence, although like the rest of the Hibs defence, he was sadly posted missing at the game's defining moment.

But Hibs were at least pouring men forward, with De Graaf, making his home debut, ever eager to join Anthony Stokes and Colin Nish in attack.

Derek Riordan, meanwhile, flitted in and out of proceedings from his berth on the left flank. It was De Graaf who was handed the best opportunities to undo all the recent renovation work at Easter Road, and help blow the main stand's roof off. The supporters willed a goal, and with just 12 minutes gone the Dutchman had was given a clear sight of goal. His shot, however, rattled past the post, when it should really have been on target at least. Six minutes later came The Moment. The true turning point in this fixture had probably come with the scoring of Maribor's third goal in the first leg, but De Graaf will lament spurning the best opportunity to put Hibs ahead on the night. A mis-hit shot from Ian Murray was deflected into his path, and although the ball was bobbling he needed to do better than hook it straight at the goalkeeper.

Almost inevitably, Maribor broke back up the pitch and killed the tie from a corner-kick, taken by Dejan Mezka. Just 19 minutes had elapsed.Sinisa Andelkovic appeared to have won the header in the Hibs box, but skipper Marcos Morales Tavares got the decisive final touch to send Hibs out of Europe. Silence filled the air, as did despondency.

It might have got worse before half-time too. Mezga's deflected effort after a poor clearance from Chris Hogg was just a post away from going in, and jeers echoed back off the empty East Stand. But Hibs, like Celtic the previous evening, aimed to at least avoid defeat on their own patch, and rallied. Just eight minutes after the re-start De Graaf finally got the goal which had eluded him in the opening 45 minutes, although it was a fortunate affair.

A long-range effort from Stokes struck the Dutchman's body, and the switch in direction provided the effort with a dynamism that saw Marko Pridigar beaten at his near post. Now Hibs only required four more goals in 37 minutes. Stokes looked the liveliest of the forwards, and might have got Hibs on the way to achieving this lofty ambition but for Pridigar's block from his angled shot.

But one thing Hibs have learnt from this brief, rather painful European adventure is that they cannot afford to give Maribor even so much as a sniff of goal. They gave them more than this after 65 minutes, after Kevin McBride had rather crudely felled the danger man Mezga as he weaved into the box.

Had the referee, a Mr Turpin, denied Maribor a penalty it would have been robbery of the highest order. Mezga converted the award with the minimum of fuss.

A further insult was supplied with the third goal for the visitors, although the move deserved to be applauded by those deflated stragglers who had remained in their seats. Josip Ilicic swung a cross-field pass onto Dalibor Volas' head, and his knock-down from wide on the right was swept into the net by Tavares, for his second of the night. Riordan later hit the bar, but by this time, so too had many Hibs supporters.

They missed De Graaf's second of the night, a volley after Nish's headed lay-off.