Jonnyboy
06-05-2023, 09:20 PM
For the third game in a row, Lee Johnson went with an unchanged starting eleven and it was good to see Rocky Bushiri fit again and on the bench. Both sides knew that a win was vital to keep hopes alive of attaining a league position that brought with it European competition next season and the visitors certainly arrived in good form, but it was Hibs that dominated proceedings in the first half before a more even second forty five.
Referee Matthew MacDermid, whom I understand was the VAR official at Ross County when David Marshall was bundled into the net as the home side equalised, was soon in action as Tanser committed the first foul of the game on Egan-Riley only for Joe Newell to repay the Saints man a minute later. The visitors were a goal down after just four minutes when Fraser failed to control the ball from a throw in and Youan dispossessed him before racing in on goal and placing the ball past Carson and into the net. It was the best possible start to the game and had the home fans in good voice as they celebrated.
Hibs were dominating the ball and playing some exciting football as St Mirren struggled to get a foothold although they did have a chance around ten minutes in when O’Hara hooked an effort over the bar. Nisbet was causing Gallagher all sorts of problems with the defender resorting to fouling tactics on more than one occasion. One such foul allowed Nisbet a shot on goal, but the free kick was saved low to his left by Carson.
Cadden was sticking to his wide right position and his clever play set Nisbet up with a chance, but the Hibs man was off target on that occasion. St Mirren were playing a high line and that allowed Nisbet to break free and find Doyle-Hayes around the edge of the box, but the midfielder took too long on the ball and was crowded out. It seemed only a matter of time before Hibs increased their lead and in around twenty five minutes, they did just that. Tanser conceded a corner under pressure and Newell swung in a cross that reached Fish at the far post and the big defender sent a strong header goalwards which Carson touched but could not keep out.
On the half hour mark, Doyle-Hayes and O’Hara competed for a dropping ball and clashed heads meaning both needed lengthy treatment. O’Hara recovered but Doyle-Hayes had to be replaced by Josh Campbell, the departing midfielder bleeding from the head knock. On the restart, Stevenson sent a ball in behind the St. Mirren defence and as Gallagher tried his best to control the ball, he was eased off it by Nisbet who brought out a fine save from Carson. The keeper was busy again soon after when Campbell got on the end of good build up play by Newell and Cadden, but the resultant shot was held by the keeper.
With half time fast approaching, a rare foray forward by St Mirren ender with Strain firing in a vicious drive that Marshall saved before the marauding Nisbet won the ball out wide, fired in a perfect ball towards Cadden but the midfielder failed to make good contact with the goal gaping. Youan took the ball at the back post and tried to squeeze it home, but Carson had recovered and knocked the ball wide for a corner. In an effort to reduce the deficit, Curtis Main flicked an effort towards goal from close range, but it was blocked and cleared. As the first half came to a close, I felt that Hibs could and should have had four goals in the bag and if they had done so, nobody could have said they didn’t deserve it.
At the break, Stephen Robinson replaced the struggling Gallagher and went to a back three with ex-Hibee Alex Gogic in the middle of that three. Straight away there was a marked change in their play as the visitors had a better grip of the midfield area and I wondered if Lee Johnson might react to that by changing shape or personnel but that didn’t happen and so Hibs’ dominance was no more. Having said that, ten minutes in, Nisbet did well to win the ball and create space to pick out Cadden wide on the right. Cadden’s return pass was first class but uncharacteristically, Nisbet fired wildly over the bar from close range. Soon after, Baccus was booked for a foul on Youan as the Hibs striker tried to break free of his marker.
The visitors passed up a golden chance to open their account on the hour mark when Kiltie cushioned a header down to Main, but the striker tamely lifted the ball into the arms of Marshall from inside the six yard box. At the other end, a Cadden cross picked out Youan, but the headed attempt was both weak and wide of the target. A couple of minutes later, poor defending in the centre allowed Grieve the space to bear down on goal and the St Mirren striker took full advantage although it was unclear to me whether Marshall might have done better in saving what was a pretty weak effort.
St Mirren had their tails up now and started pressing forward at every opportunity as they seemed to favour high balls into the Hibs box, but that tactic was foiled by the dominance of Will Fish in particular in ariel duels. An Egan-Riley cross picked out Youan but once again the header was weak and off target. With twenty minutes left, Nisbet cleverly headed the ball to Cadden who raced in from the right. Nisbet was looking for a return pass but there was no way through and Cadden was forced to shoot, the effort blocked and diverted for a corner. Five minutes later, Campbell sent Nisbet through, but his shot drifted wide of the post and was quickly followed by one of those annoyingly late offside flags.
A Scott Tanser cross landed nicely for Ryan Strain, but the recipient fired his shot well over the bar. Soon after, Stevenson set up Campbell, but Josh couldn’t beat the block on his effort as Gogic conceded a corner. There were tired legs out there on both sides and an angry Lewis Stevenson as the referee booked him for taking too long at a throw in. To be fair, Lewis and his team mates were not rushing to take anything hastily by that stage. Next in the book was Joe Newell for a foul on Fraser and I for one was not surprised as Joe had committed a whole bunch of fouls throughout the game.
With the clock ticking down, St Mirren were throwing everything at Hibs but finding that the home defence was standing firm under the pressure. Dunne, Tanser and Jamieson were all thwarted before Hibs attempted to take the sting out of the game by making a double substitution with Cadden and Youan going off to be replaced by Miller and Hoppe. Still the visitors pushed but their final effort at gaining an equaliser was undone when Marshall made a comfortable save from a Jamieson shot.
First half, we were excellent. Second half not so much but credit has to go to Hibs for denying St Mirren any clear cut chances at goal. On to Pittodrie next so let’s hope they take their first half form north with them.
The players
Marshall – For all St Mirren’s second half possession, Marsh had little to do. I’d like to see the Saints goal again as I’m not sure if I’m doing him a disservice.
Egan-Riley – Looks very composed and is not afraid of a tackle.
Fish – A colossus in defence and a handy positioning to get the second goal. My man of the match.
Hanlon – Aside from the odd wayward pass, he was fine.
Stevenson – Mr. dependable was at his best, again, today.
Jeggo – Not always the best when it comes to distribution, he was very good at plugging gaps that may have appeared as they attacked.
Cadden – Lung bursting runs and handy linkups with Nisbet and Youan.
Doyle-Hayes – Was having a fine game until that horrendous head knock forced him off.
Newell – All over the park again but still annoying the life out of me for many of his pointless fouls.
Youan – Took his goal really well and had a decent, if sometimes frustrating, outing.
Nisbet – Had Gallagher on toast and led the line really well but missed a couple of decent chances to score.
Campbell – I thought there were glimpses of his good form returning.
Miller – Helped bolster the defence at the end.
Hoppe – Not on long enough to do anything of note.
Lee Johnson – Will have been happy with the first forty five but not so much the second.
Referee – Matthew MacDermid got a few things wrong but nothing drastic.
Referee Matthew MacDermid, whom I understand was the VAR official at Ross County when David Marshall was bundled into the net as the home side equalised, was soon in action as Tanser committed the first foul of the game on Egan-Riley only for Joe Newell to repay the Saints man a minute later. The visitors were a goal down after just four minutes when Fraser failed to control the ball from a throw in and Youan dispossessed him before racing in on goal and placing the ball past Carson and into the net. It was the best possible start to the game and had the home fans in good voice as they celebrated.
Hibs were dominating the ball and playing some exciting football as St Mirren struggled to get a foothold although they did have a chance around ten minutes in when O’Hara hooked an effort over the bar. Nisbet was causing Gallagher all sorts of problems with the defender resorting to fouling tactics on more than one occasion. One such foul allowed Nisbet a shot on goal, but the free kick was saved low to his left by Carson.
Cadden was sticking to his wide right position and his clever play set Nisbet up with a chance, but the Hibs man was off target on that occasion. St Mirren were playing a high line and that allowed Nisbet to break free and find Doyle-Hayes around the edge of the box, but the midfielder took too long on the ball and was crowded out. It seemed only a matter of time before Hibs increased their lead and in around twenty five minutes, they did just that. Tanser conceded a corner under pressure and Newell swung in a cross that reached Fish at the far post and the big defender sent a strong header goalwards which Carson touched but could not keep out.
On the half hour mark, Doyle-Hayes and O’Hara competed for a dropping ball and clashed heads meaning both needed lengthy treatment. O’Hara recovered but Doyle-Hayes had to be replaced by Josh Campbell, the departing midfielder bleeding from the head knock. On the restart, Stevenson sent a ball in behind the St. Mirren defence and as Gallagher tried his best to control the ball, he was eased off it by Nisbet who brought out a fine save from Carson. The keeper was busy again soon after when Campbell got on the end of good build up play by Newell and Cadden, but the resultant shot was held by the keeper.
With half time fast approaching, a rare foray forward by St Mirren ender with Strain firing in a vicious drive that Marshall saved before the marauding Nisbet won the ball out wide, fired in a perfect ball towards Cadden but the midfielder failed to make good contact with the goal gaping. Youan took the ball at the back post and tried to squeeze it home, but Carson had recovered and knocked the ball wide for a corner. In an effort to reduce the deficit, Curtis Main flicked an effort towards goal from close range, but it was blocked and cleared. As the first half came to a close, I felt that Hibs could and should have had four goals in the bag and if they had done so, nobody could have said they didn’t deserve it.
At the break, Stephen Robinson replaced the struggling Gallagher and went to a back three with ex-Hibee Alex Gogic in the middle of that three. Straight away there was a marked change in their play as the visitors had a better grip of the midfield area and I wondered if Lee Johnson might react to that by changing shape or personnel but that didn’t happen and so Hibs’ dominance was no more. Having said that, ten minutes in, Nisbet did well to win the ball and create space to pick out Cadden wide on the right. Cadden’s return pass was first class but uncharacteristically, Nisbet fired wildly over the bar from close range. Soon after, Baccus was booked for a foul on Youan as the Hibs striker tried to break free of his marker.
The visitors passed up a golden chance to open their account on the hour mark when Kiltie cushioned a header down to Main, but the striker tamely lifted the ball into the arms of Marshall from inside the six yard box. At the other end, a Cadden cross picked out Youan, but the headed attempt was both weak and wide of the target. A couple of minutes later, poor defending in the centre allowed Grieve the space to bear down on goal and the St Mirren striker took full advantage although it was unclear to me whether Marshall might have done better in saving what was a pretty weak effort.
St Mirren had their tails up now and started pressing forward at every opportunity as they seemed to favour high balls into the Hibs box, but that tactic was foiled by the dominance of Will Fish in particular in ariel duels. An Egan-Riley cross picked out Youan but once again the header was weak and off target. With twenty minutes left, Nisbet cleverly headed the ball to Cadden who raced in from the right. Nisbet was looking for a return pass but there was no way through and Cadden was forced to shoot, the effort blocked and diverted for a corner. Five minutes later, Campbell sent Nisbet through, but his shot drifted wide of the post and was quickly followed by one of those annoyingly late offside flags.
A Scott Tanser cross landed nicely for Ryan Strain, but the recipient fired his shot well over the bar. Soon after, Stevenson set up Campbell, but Josh couldn’t beat the block on his effort as Gogic conceded a corner. There were tired legs out there on both sides and an angry Lewis Stevenson as the referee booked him for taking too long at a throw in. To be fair, Lewis and his team mates were not rushing to take anything hastily by that stage. Next in the book was Joe Newell for a foul on Fraser and I for one was not surprised as Joe had committed a whole bunch of fouls throughout the game.
With the clock ticking down, St Mirren were throwing everything at Hibs but finding that the home defence was standing firm under the pressure. Dunne, Tanser and Jamieson were all thwarted before Hibs attempted to take the sting out of the game by making a double substitution with Cadden and Youan going off to be replaced by Miller and Hoppe. Still the visitors pushed but their final effort at gaining an equaliser was undone when Marshall made a comfortable save from a Jamieson shot.
First half, we were excellent. Second half not so much but credit has to go to Hibs for denying St Mirren any clear cut chances at goal. On to Pittodrie next so let’s hope they take their first half form north with them.
The players
Marshall – For all St Mirren’s second half possession, Marsh had little to do. I’d like to see the Saints goal again as I’m not sure if I’m doing him a disservice.
Egan-Riley – Looks very composed and is not afraid of a tackle.
Fish – A colossus in defence and a handy positioning to get the second goal. My man of the match.
Hanlon – Aside from the odd wayward pass, he was fine.
Stevenson – Mr. dependable was at his best, again, today.
Jeggo – Not always the best when it comes to distribution, he was very good at plugging gaps that may have appeared as they attacked.
Cadden – Lung bursting runs and handy linkups with Nisbet and Youan.
Doyle-Hayes – Was having a fine game until that horrendous head knock forced him off.
Newell – All over the park again but still annoying the life out of me for many of his pointless fouls.
Youan – Took his goal really well and had a decent, if sometimes frustrating, outing.
Nisbet – Had Gallagher on toast and led the line really well but missed a couple of decent chances to score.
Campbell – I thought there were glimpses of his good form returning.
Miller – Helped bolster the defence at the end.
Hoppe – Not on long enough to do anything of note.
Lee Johnson – Will have been happy with the first forty five but not so much the second.
Referee – Matthew MacDermid got a few things wrong but nothing drastic.