Jonnyboy
28-02-2020, 10:42 PM
There’s something about games played under floodlights and when your team wins 5-2 that simply adds to the magic. To their credit, ICT didn’t come to defend in depth but ultimately the wide open style of their play cost them dear in a match when penalty decisions grabbed the headlines.
With Slivka dropped to the bench, Jack Ross drafted in Steven Whittaker in an otherwise unchanged starting eleven as Hibs lined up again with a back three. The opening ten minutes were packed with incident as in that time referee Nick Walsh produced his yellow card four times and Martin Boyle was involved in all four incidents. Three of the cards went to ICT players who found the only way to combat the pace of Boyle was to hack him down. The fourth went to Boyle himself, adjudged by the referee to be guilty of simulation in the penalty box. I wasn’t sure there was contact, my mate was and I heard John Robertson saying post-match that he thought it was a penalty. Had Walsh awarded the kick he would surely have had to send goalkeeper Mark Ridgers off too.
The visitors had started brightly enough and in the opening minutes had a half chance but Jordan White couldn’t get enough on his header with Marciano saving easily. At the other end we had the penalty not given but very soon thereafter McNulty tumbled in the box and Nick Walsh pointed to the spot. I have to be honest and say that looked even less of a penalty than the Boyle one. With penalty misses on the last two attempts, skipper Paul Hanlon took responsibility although McNulty tried very hard to wrestle the ball from him. Hanlon’s strike was not great and Ridgers saved, following up with another in denying Hanlon from the rebound.
Slackness from Docherty and Allan on our wide left allowed Caley to break away and witnessed Tom Walsh bearing down on goal. Marciano raced out and somehow got a touch on the Caley man’s effort, deflecting the ball on to the post. One minute later, Hibs took the lead. Boyle had been chopped down again and when Scott Allan delivered the free kick into the box, Doidge flicked it towards goal whereupon Jackson showed the deftest of touches in lifting the ball over Ridgers and into the net.
That was pretty much it for the first half although Hibs did try to extend their lead and were foiled by some excellent goalkeeping from Ridgers. During the break I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with a former dot net poster who went under the username of Nailrod. I thoroughly enjoyed the chat but soon turned my attention back to on field matters.
Caley started the second half well enough with a Keatings effort that didn’t trouble Marciano but next came yet another controversial penalty claim. A Caley man tumbled in the box but the referee ignored the claims and Hibs raced down the park with Boyle feeding McNulty who squared the ball to Allan and Scotty calmly stroked the ball home to double the lead. I saw that penalty incident on the TV in the concourse after the game and Hibs were lucky to survive the claims in my opinion.
Hibs relaxed a bit now but twenty minutes from the end, fine play from Boyle and McGinn saw the ball reach Docherty who fired home at an angle from about twelve yards. At 3-0 we looked home and hosed but just a couple of minutes later, slack defensive play allowed Tremarco to hand his side a lifeline as his shot deflected in off Stevenson. Sixty seconds later all hopes of a Caley comeback were extinguished when referee Nick Walsh gave McKay a straight red card for a quite appalling tackle on Doidge.
Goal number four was a beauty as Docherty strode into the box, reached the line, turned back inside and rolled the ball into the path of Omeonga who calmly side footed a cracker into the top corner. Not known for his goal scoring he certainly showed class in that finish and there was more class to come as another move down the left saw a ball inside to Gullan and Hammer took it first time on his left foot, guiding it beyond the reach of Ridgers and into the far corner of the net. It was Jamie’s first goal for the first team and he finished it with the kind of skill usually only seen from top strikers it was that good. McNulty must surely have thought he’d added another but Ridgers pulled off a fantastic save at point blank range.
Four goals ahead and looking to widen that margin, Hibs were caught out at the back and that allowed Todorov to sneak a goal in the dying embers of the game.
The players
Marciano – Rocky’s first half save was crucial as had that gone in it would have levelled the tie at 1-1. I have to say that in general Rocky’s distribution was decent but I have question marks about the goals conceded.
McGinn – I’ve said it before and have no issue with repeating myself here. McGinn is a quality addition in that right sided role whether in a back three or four. He never looks flustered, is always available for a pass and tonight he played a telling and positive part in the third goal.
Jackson – In the early parts of the game I felt Adam was having trouble in the shape of Caley’s big bustling striker Jordan White. As the game wore on however, he got to grips with him and negated his threat such that White was subbed with half an hour left. Adam’s finish for the opening goal was sublime.
Hanlon – Paul was solid tonight and seems to have formed a good defensive partnership with Jackson. As usual his reading of the game is one of his strengths but he’ll be annoyed with himself for not converting the penalty.
Boyle – Nowadays it’s rare to see a mud covered strip given the surfaces we play on but the rain soaked pitch tonight was muddy in places and Boyle was covered in that mud from head to toe. Of course the reason for that was that he was hacked down mercilessly but despite the attention shown to him he was still a constant threat and despite the fact he didn’t play the full ninety he is by far and away my man of the match tonight.
Whittaker – Once again Whitty was drafted in to fulfil a specific role and I thought that apart from one occasion when he dallied on the ball too long he had a fine seventy minutes.
Docherty – Greg has been a revelation since he arrived and although I felt he was quieter tonight he still bagged a goal and finished the game well.
Allan – Scotty works his socks off and although he couldn’t always produce the killer pass he did do that a few times and he took his goal very well having run fifty yards to get into position to do so.
Stevenson – Lewis was fine tonight. In fact I’m tempted to say better than fine but I know that kind of talk doesn’t sit well with some posters. Still, it’s only my opinion!
Doidge – Didn’t get on the scoresheet but was involved in a couple of the goals in terms of build up. His contribution in terms of defending in his own box is certainly worthy of note too.
McNulty – Once again I find myself disappointed and a bit frustrated with Marc’s contribution. I just feel he disappears at times in the game but to be fair, credit is due to him for winning the penalty and for setting up Scotty for his goal.
Omeonga – Steph got twenty minutes and made his mark with a wonderful goal having been set up by Docherty. His non stop style of play didn’t allow the Caley midfield a moments rest and personally, I’d start him instead of Slivka or Whitty for the Derby.
Gullan – That was a quality finish for the fifth goal and I think Jamie will be delighted with his contribution, as I’m sure we all are.
Horgan – Daryl wasn’t on the pitch long but during his brief cameo he provided two quite fantastic crosses into the box that deserved to be attacked more than they were.
Referee – Nick Walsh was quick and decisive in the use of the yellow cards and the one deserved red.
Jack Ross – I heard his after match interview and agree with him that it’s a great achievement to ensure a trip to Hampden but we must now focus on Tuesday night. He didn’t say it but I will. This will not be an easy game. I’ve watched poorer Hearts teams than the current one give us a hard time and Tuesday will be no different.
The fans – Proof provided if indeed proof were even needed that the singing section, who occupied a corner of the FF Lower in the second half, should somehow be accommodated with the minimum possible disturbance. The literally HUGE change in the atmosphere in the second half was magnificent.
With Slivka dropped to the bench, Jack Ross drafted in Steven Whittaker in an otherwise unchanged starting eleven as Hibs lined up again with a back three. The opening ten minutes were packed with incident as in that time referee Nick Walsh produced his yellow card four times and Martin Boyle was involved in all four incidents. Three of the cards went to ICT players who found the only way to combat the pace of Boyle was to hack him down. The fourth went to Boyle himself, adjudged by the referee to be guilty of simulation in the penalty box. I wasn’t sure there was contact, my mate was and I heard John Robertson saying post-match that he thought it was a penalty. Had Walsh awarded the kick he would surely have had to send goalkeeper Mark Ridgers off too.
The visitors had started brightly enough and in the opening minutes had a half chance but Jordan White couldn’t get enough on his header with Marciano saving easily. At the other end we had the penalty not given but very soon thereafter McNulty tumbled in the box and Nick Walsh pointed to the spot. I have to be honest and say that looked even less of a penalty than the Boyle one. With penalty misses on the last two attempts, skipper Paul Hanlon took responsibility although McNulty tried very hard to wrestle the ball from him. Hanlon’s strike was not great and Ridgers saved, following up with another in denying Hanlon from the rebound.
Slackness from Docherty and Allan on our wide left allowed Caley to break away and witnessed Tom Walsh bearing down on goal. Marciano raced out and somehow got a touch on the Caley man’s effort, deflecting the ball on to the post. One minute later, Hibs took the lead. Boyle had been chopped down again and when Scott Allan delivered the free kick into the box, Doidge flicked it towards goal whereupon Jackson showed the deftest of touches in lifting the ball over Ridgers and into the net.
That was pretty much it for the first half although Hibs did try to extend their lead and were foiled by some excellent goalkeeping from Ridgers. During the break I had the pleasure of meeting and chatting with a former dot net poster who went under the username of Nailrod. I thoroughly enjoyed the chat but soon turned my attention back to on field matters.
Caley started the second half well enough with a Keatings effort that didn’t trouble Marciano but next came yet another controversial penalty claim. A Caley man tumbled in the box but the referee ignored the claims and Hibs raced down the park with Boyle feeding McNulty who squared the ball to Allan and Scotty calmly stroked the ball home to double the lead. I saw that penalty incident on the TV in the concourse after the game and Hibs were lucky to survive the claims in my opinion.
Hibs relaxed a bit now but twenty minutes from the end, fine play from Boyle and McGinn saw the ball reach Docherty who fired home at an angle from about twelve yards. At 3-0 we looked home and hosed but just a couple of minutes later, slack defensive play allowed Tremarco to hand his side a lifeline as his shot deflected in off Stevenson. Sixty seconds later all hopes of a Caley comeback were extinguished when referee Nick Walsh gave McKay a straight red card for a quite appalling tackle on Doidge.
Goal number four was a beauty as Docherty strode into the box, reached the line, turned back inside and rolled the ball into the path of Omeonga who calmly side footed a cracker into the top corner. Not known for his goal scoring he certainly showed class in that finish and there was more class to come as another move down the left saw a ball inside to Gullan and Hammer took it first time on his left foot, guiding it beyond the reach of Ridgers and into the far corner of the net. It was Jamie’s first goal for the first team and he finished it with the kind of skill usually only seen from top strikers it was that good. McNulty must surely have thought he’d added another but Ridgers pulled off a fantastic save at point blank range.
Four goals ahead and looking to widen that margin, Hibs were caught out at the back and that allowed Todorov to sneak a goal in the dying embers of the game.
The players
Marciano – Rocky’s first half save was crucial as had that gone in it would have levelled the tie at 1-1. I have to say that in general Rocky’s distribution was decent but I have question marks about the goals conceded.
McGinn – I’ve said it before and have no issue with repeating myself here. McGinn is a quality addition in that right sided role whether in a back three or four. He never looks flustered, is always available for a pass and tonight he played a telling and positive part in the third goal.
Jackson – In the early parts of the game I felt Adam was having trouble in the shape of Caley’s big bustling striker Jordan White. As the game wore on however, he got to grips with him and negated his threat such that White was subbed with half an hour left. Adam’s finish for the opening goal was sublime.
Hanlon – Paul was solid tonight and seems to have formed a good defensive partnership with Jackson. As usual his reading of the game is one of his strengths but he’ll be annoyed with himself for not converting the penalty.
Boyle – Nowadays it’s rare to see a mud covered strip given the surfaces we play on but the rain soaked pitch tonight was muddy in places and Boyle was covered in that mud from head to toe. Of course the reason for that was that he was hacked down mercilessly but despite the attention shown to him he was still a constant threat and despite the fact he didn’t play the full ninety he is by far and away my man of the match tonight.
Whittaker – Once again Whitty was drafted in to fulfil a specific role and I thought that apart from one occasion when he dallied on the ball too long he had a fine seventy minutes.
Docherty – Greg has been a revelation since he arrived and although I felt he was quieter tonight he still bagged a goal and finished the game well.
Allan – Scotty works his socks off and although he couldn’t always produce the killer pass he did do that a few times and he took his goal very well having run fifty yards to get into position to do so.
Stevenson – Lewis was fine tonight. In fact I’m tempted to say better than fine but I know that kind of talk doesn’t sit well with some posters. Still, it’s only my opinion!
Doidge – Didn’t get on the scoresheet but was involved in a couple of the goals in terms of build up. His contribution in terms of defending in his own box is certainly worthy of note too.
McNulty – Once again I find myself disappointed and a bit frustrated with Marc’s contribution. I just feel he disappears at times in the game but to be fair, credit is due to him for winning the penalty and for setting up Scotty for his goal.
Omeonga – Steph got twenty minutes and made his mark with a wonderful goal having been set up by Docherty. His non stop style of play didn’t allow the Caley midfield a moments rest and personally, I’d start him instead of Slivka or Whitty for the Derby.
Gullan – That was a quality finish for the fifth goal and I think Jamie will be delighted with his contribution, as I’m sure we all are.
Horgan – Daryl wasn’t on the pitch long but during his brief cameo he provided two quite fantastic crosses into the box that deserved to be attacked more than they were.
Referee – Nick Walsh was quick and decisive in the use of the yellow cards and the one deserved red.
Jack Ross – I heard his after match interview and agree with him that it’s a great achievement to ensure a trip to Hampden but we must now focus on Tuesday night. He didn’t say it but I will. This will not be an easy game. I’ve watched poorer Hearts teams than the current one give us a hard time and Tuesday will be no different.
The fans – Proof provided if indeed proof were even needed that the singing section, who occupied a corner of the FF Lower in the second half, should somehow be accommodated with the minimum possible disturbance. The literally HUGE change in the atmosphere in the second half was magnificent.