Freddy Arpy with the three points!
Hibs U-21's perfect for Arpinon
(Mike Burns)A HEADED GOAL
by Freddy Arpinon after two minutes was enough to give the U21's a victory
over a young rangers side at Easter Road last night, with a number of
first-team squad members being given one last opportunity to impress
before they board the flight to Athens on Wednesday morning.
Derek Townsley, David Zitelli and Paco
Luna joined Arpinon in the young Hibs side's 1-0 win over Rangers, as Hibs
full line up was: Tony
Caig, Alan Dempsie, Paul Hilland, Derek Townsley, Ryan Harding, Les Byle,
Derek Riordan, David Zittelli, Paco Luna, Freddy Arpinon and Lyndon
Andrews. Subs were, Ian Westwater, Kirk Broadfoot, Stephen Whittaker,
Fraser Ogilvie and Stephen Black.
The Rangers team did not contain anybody
of note, but then neither does their first team so there was not much
change there! Hibs kicked the match off shooting up the hill, which
was a surprise as there is no hill anymore - and maybe that caught the
rangers defence wondering what was going on. Arpinon picked the ball
up just over the halfway line and played it forward to Luna. Paco
had made a move inside and was not there for the pass but fortunately the
Rangers defender gave it right back to Freddy who despatched it right wide
to Zittelli. David played a curling high ball to the back post where
Freddy had made his run to and a superb header back across the face of the
goal was too good for the Rangers keeper McGregor and the Hibees were one
up already.
Arpinon - ran the show against young Rangers (sns)
Seven minutes later, a Zittelli free
kick bent high over the bar, I think David needs a bit of tuition from his
fellow Frenchman ami Mr Sauzee. A penalty claim from Rangers was
waved away, which doesn't happen too often normally, but this was a
blatant dive and the offender was lucky not see a yellow card.
The opposition were seeing a lot of the ball without any real threat at
goal although Caig made a fine save low down, punching the ball clear.
This actually led to a Hibs break and Arpinon was fouled yet again,
something that repeated throughout the game, which eventually saw Zittelli
having another shot which was well saved.
There were chances at both ends and the
score could easily have been 4-3, to Hibs of course, but Freddy Arpinon
remained the class player on the field and was spreading passes to all
points of the park. The first booking off the game was
received by Alan Dempsie in 42 minutes for what was nothing more than a
run of the mill tackle, although a minute later Arpinon was also booked
for a lunging two footed challenge, I think he was fed up being on the
receiving end.
Rangers should have equalised right on
half-time when with only Caig to beat, the forward shot wide, oh well, 1-0
to the Hibees then. The 2nd half started with little urgency
and the talking point seemed to be how the ball boys all gather together
in a wee group of three on the East and South Stands and then have to go
chasing after the ball when it goes nowhere near them, aye the joys of
watching U21's fitba.
Zittelli took the ball full in the face from close range, fortunately he
recovered and it looked like a bit of a Tam McManus job, or should that be
John Wayne.
Zitelli - needs some lessons from Franck (sns)
Paul Hilland was the next Hibs player to
be booked for another nothing tackle and from the free kick, Caig again
missed his punch but scrambled back to retrieve the situation.
Paco Luna was subbed after 59 minutes, which was a surprise as I had
forgot he was even on the park, and young Stephen Whittaker replaced him.
Freddy Arpinon had been running the show all night and yet another
disgraceful challenge on him ended up with Freddy getting a boot in the
head for his troubles. This angered David Zittelli who reacted by shoving
the offender and a hand bags scene developed, which resulted in Zittelli
and Rangers man being booked.
Seventy minutes into the game and young
Whittaker raced into the box. The lad slightly overran the ball though and
his desperate attempt to regain possession saw him lunge at the Rangers
player for another Hibs booking. Four minutes later the worst
tackle of the evening was launched on an unsuspecting young Hibby as
Rangers James Gibson dived in with all studs showing and the lucky lad
unbelievably got away with a yellow card. It looked obvious from our
position that he was after Arpinon but Freddy had taken a few steps back
and it looked like Les Byle had taken the brunt of this disgraceful two
footed assault.
Both teams had a few chances to add to
the scoring but poor finishing mostly put paid to that dream. Derek
Riordan did have the ball in the net for Hibs after Zittelli had put him
through but the linesman, obviously feeling a bit bored with proceedings,
decide he wanted in on the act and put his flag up for offside, the
feeling around us was that this was not a correct decision and who am I to
disagree with the majority opinion, it should have stood. Deep
into injury time, Lyndon Andrews dallied on the ball just outside the Hibs
box and by the time it had reached the Rangers player inside the box he
was CLEARLY offside.
Freddy Arpinon was the class act on the
park and only match fitness must be keeping him out off the first team
squad. Zittelli never feared to have a dig at goal but the big
disappointments for me were Paco Luna and Lyndon Andrews. The latter has
been told to look elsewhere for his first team football but Paco continues
to be unimpressive, although he certainly looks as though he could be a
good acquisition with a bit more dig in his game. |
