Hibs 2-1 Bohemians: Job done as Hibs enjoy rare action

Two goals in five first-half minutes from Martin Scott and Liam Miller were enough for Hibs to see off Irish outfit Bohemians 2-1 in last night's hastily-arranged challenge match, but little attention will be paid to the final result.

What will have given Easter Road boss Colin Calderwood, faced with a month without a competitive match, greater satisfaction was simply 90 minutes of football. The Hibs fans probably felt much the same way, starved of watching their team in action thanks to a combination of circumstances which had conspired to leave their side idle for far too long.

Those strikes from Scott and Miller suggested the Edinburgh side would coast to an easy victory, much of the half-time talk being just how many more they might add in the second 45 minutes. The fact they didn't was very much down to Calderwood making seven substitutions, five of them immediately after the interval, the name of the game being to give as many of his players some game time as possible.

And to that end, it was mission accomplished, the added bonus being the first taste of top-team action for youngsters Scott Smith and Scott Taggart with only a penalty from Bohs substitute Chris Fagan - the Dublin side's only shot on goal throughout the entire game - on the debit side of the account.

With Paul Hanlon, David Wotherspoon and Callum Booth all on international duty with Scotland's Under-21 squad and Victor Palsson similarly engaged with Iceland, Hibs took on something of an unfamiliar look as manager Calderwood took the opportunity to give a few players who had been on the fringes recently a run-out in what will be the Easter Road club's only public outing in a month.

Czech goalkeeper Jakub Divis made his first appearance for the club having arrived on loan from Slovakian outfit Tatran Presov while former Bolton Wanderers striker Ricardo Vaz Te got the first glimpse of his new home. Michael Hart's return from injury at right-back saw Richie Towell move to his more favoured position in central midfield, Lewis Stevenson started on the left of the back four just outside David Stephens, the big defender enjoying a rare outing.

Bohemians, second in the Irish League having made an unbeaten start after three games, were dealt a blow after just seven minutes as centre-forward Anto Flood limped off to be replaced by former Manchester United youngster Fagan but Hibs soon had the measure of their opponents, Vaz Te cutting in onto his right foot to unleash a shot from 22 yards which Bohs goalkeeper Barry Murphy did well to turn round the post.

That incident signalled a spell of concerted pressure on the visitors, Francis Dickoh glancing a Derek Riordan cross wide before Murphy, under pressure from Vaz Te, succeeded only in hacking a clearance to the feet of Riordan who was unable to find the target from near the right touchline.

Riordan and Vaz Te were showing early signs of striking up a partnership, Hibs' top scorer seeing plenty of the ball, delivering a cross which his team-mate couldn't direct on target and then forcing another decent save from Murphy before leaving Calderwood's latest signing with a clear sight of goal only for the Portuguese star to slice wide.

If Divis was hoping for the opportunity to impress Calderwood he'd have been bitterly disappointed in the opening 30 minutes, the 6ft 5in stopper having nothing to do other than deal with routine pass-backs as those in front of him continued to probe for that elusive opening goal. It came, however, with 38 minutes on the clock, Miller spotting Scott's diagonal run and playing the ball into his path. Scott hit it first time with his right foot and was a touch fortunate as Murphy failed to deal with it at his near post, the ball slipping under his body and into the net. Scott repaid the compliment five minutes later, picking out Miller as the midfielder's run evaded Bohemians' offside line with a ball over the top, allowing the Republic of Ireland ace to bring it down before placing a deft flick over the head of Murphy.

Predictably, Calderwood changed virtually half his side after the interval, the five replacements introduced to the action including Under-19 captain Smith and Taggart.

It didn't take Hibs long to recover their rhythm, at least initially. Vaz Te, now playing a slightly more withdrawn role as substitutes Kurtis Byrne and Darryl Duffy foraged in front of him, feeding Byrne who drilled in a low angled shot which Murphy managed to push out, the goalkeeper thankful for a terrific last-ditch tackle by Mark Rossiter which prevented the on-rushing Matt Thornhill from making it three.

Pat Fenlon's side had posed little or no threat but the home fans were silenced in the 63rd minute when another of Calderwood's half-time changes, Ian Murray, went through the back of Fagan, leaving referee John McKendrick with little choice but to point to the penalty spot despite the protests of the Hibs captain.

Fagan was quick to ensure none of his team-mates were going to deny him the chance to score, grabbing the ball and confidently beating Divis, the last touch for the substitute who found himself being replaced by Daniel Joyce 23 minutes from time.

Seconds later Hibs had loud shouts for a spot-kick of their own waved away, the claim being that Bohs centre-half Aiden Price had used an arm to ease the ball to safety as Byrne forced his way into the opposition's penalty area.

Hibs had certainly lost much of that first half fluency with those changes, Calderwood making a sixth as Colin Nish replaced Scott before a seventh was forced on him, Vaz Te limping off to give Danny Galbraith the final 12 minutes.

Supporters of the Edinburgh side would be relieved to hear afterwards that the player had suffered no longer lasting damage than a touch of cramp.

Bohemians almost grabbed an equaliser, Liam Burns rising above everyone to meet Killian Brennan's deep free-kick only to nod wide in another rare threat to Divis' goal before Hibs had another late shout for a penalty turned down, Byrne adamant Burns had blocked his run.

If the home fans perhaps left a bit disappointed Calderwood's side hadn't gone on to claim a few more goals given the dominance they had displayed over the course of the opening 45 minutes, the fact remained that Bohemians' only shot on target was that Fagan penalty.

Calderwood and Bohs boss Fenlon, however, would have been happy enough with an exercise which satisfied the needs of both clubs, namely some much-needed action.

Hibs: Divis, Hart (S Smith 46), Dickoh (Murray 46), Stephens, Stevenson, Towell (Duffy 46)), Miller (Taggart 46), Scott (Nish 65), Thornhill, Vaz Te (Galbraith 78), Riordan (Byrne 46). Subs not used: G Smith.

Bohemians: Murphy (Sexton 85), Heary (Dwane 78), Cahill, Rossiter, Burns, Price, Dixon (Burke 56), Flood (Fagan 7, Joyce 76)), Brennan, O'Brien (Buckley 87), Bayly (Traynor 62).

Referee: John McKendrick.