Hibernian .F.C. Match Reports
Clydesdale Bank Premier League
Hibernian 2 St Mirren 1
Saturday 15 August 2009

John Hughes made three changes from the side that held Premiership Bolton Wanderers to a 0-0 draw last weekend at the Reebok Stadium. Out went Van Zanten, Stevenson and the suspended Murray to be replaced by McCann, Hanlon and Wotherspoon. There was a surprise appearance on the bench by Benjelloun who was joined there by recent signing Graham Stack.

Patrick Cregg and Colin Nish got the action underway for the new season in the bright summer sunshine and it took barely a minute before the game was halted to allow treatment for Dorman after the St Mirren player collided with goalkeeper Ma-Kalambay. Hibernian were first to threaten when Cregg's deep cross found full-back Hanlon arriving late into the penalty area, the defender connecting cleanly with his header but found it blocked by Ross.

On the counter attack the visitors came close to carving the home defence open when Higdon knocked the ball down to Brady and he in turn slipped inside to Mehmet, the striker cut inside Hanlon but found his low drive comfortably held by Ma-Kalambay. Moments later Mehmet had another chance - this time heading over from Ross' cross.

Higdon picked up a yellow card on 12 minutes after bringing down Bamba from behind before Wotherspoon sent over a delicious cross from the right that caught out goalkeeper Gallacher - however it proved to be just beyond the reach of Nish. On 14 minutes Thomson was shown a straight red card by referee Muir after a two-footed lunge on Cregg. The decision incensed the visitors, so much so that Ross was cautioned for taking his protestation too far - and the St Mirren management team also earned a word of caution from the match official.

The visitors to their credit pulled together and you would have been hard pushed to have noticed their numerical disadvantage as the summer sunshine gave way to pouring rain. The crime-count continued to rise when Colin Nish picked up a foolish yellow card on 32 minutes for kicking the ball away after play had been stopped. Chances were proving difficult to find for both teams but Hibernian did have one as half time loomed. Derek Riordan won a free kick down close to the main stand touchline and from the set piece Hanlon headed back across goal and just wide.

A diving header from Colin Nish had St Mirren goalkeeper Gallacher scrambling back across goal before the visitors stunned Easter Road by breaking the deadlock. The goal owed as much to poor defending as it did to clinical finishing from the visitors. The trouble started from an over-hit back pass from Hogg that Ma-Kalambay failed to deal with, the ball bouncing over the goalkeeper's foot and heading into the net at the back post. Ma-Kalambay managed to recover the situation but his clearance was poor and straight to Ross, who immediately crossed the ball into the middle. Ma-Kalambay used his huge frame to push the ball away from Mehmet but only succeed in gifting the ball to McGinn who finished in style.

The joy of opening the scoring was to prove short lived for Gus MacPherson's men as Hibernian hit back immediately. Rankin looked to have lost possession but dived in to slide the ball across goal where David Wotherspoon was on hand to slot home from close range for his first senior goal. For the remainder of the half Hibernian held the upper hand and twice went close. First Riordan brought out a decent save from Gallacher with a low drive across goal before Rankin hung a deep cross towards the back post for Nish who rose above Mair but could only head wide.

A pulsating first half then with John Hughes perhaps the happier of the two managers at the interval, but if Hibernian were going to take full points from this match they would have to put St Mirren goalkeeper Gallacher under greater pressure and make their numerical advantage count.

Half Time: Hibernian 1 St Mirren 1

There were no changes during the interval as St Mirren got the action underway for the second half, and it was 10 v 10 for the opening minutes as Hibernian started one man short because Rankin was receiving treatment.

Hibernian had finished the first half the stronger of the two teams and they started the second in the same manner. Riordan cut inside from the touchline to angle a right foot drive towards goal that was watched closely by Gallacher before the home team went agonisingly close to taking the lead. A corner kick from Riordan was met by the head of Bamba before being flicked on by Nish who was left a frustrated onlooker as the ball struck the crossbar. Central defender Bamba was clearly itching to get involved in some attacking play and he charged forward from the back before shooting from distance - unfortunately the ball took a big deflection to rob it of it's power and allowed Gallacher an easy save.

It seemed that St Mirren were sitting too deep on the edge of their penalty area at times as Hibernian put the visitors defence under tremendous strain. Referee Muir incensed the Hibernian players and supporters when he cautioned Hanlon on 66 minutes after a clash of heads between the player and his opponent Ross. Gallacher did well to parry a powerful shot from Hanlon away before Rankin was close with a dipping shot from the edge of the penalty area. On 68 minutes Benjelloun replaced McCann and he received a tremendous welcome from the supporters on his first appearance back at Easter Road.

St Mirren too made a change as Higdon was taken off and replaced by Brighton. Rankin once more tested Gallacher with a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area as Hibernian pushed hard for an opening. Hanlon was replaced by Galbraith for the final 14 minutes as John Hughes introduced another attacking option to the play. It took a stunning save from Gallacher to prevent McBride opening his Hibernian account in some style. The midfielder unleashed a powerful right footed drive that looked destined to find the top left hand corner of the net only for the former Scotland goalkeeper to push it off target with his fingertips.

Hibernian kept up their incessant pressure and went close once again when Riordan got in behind Ross on the left and his cut back was stabbed agonisingly wide by Benjelloun. Hibernian were not to be denied however and they finally broke through the stubborn St Mirren defence on 81 minutes. Riordan played a corner kick short to Galbraith and his cross in to the near post was bulleted into the net by the diving Benjelloun. The Hibernian forward had sealed his return to the club in some style and immediately set off to celebrate with John Hughes.

St Mirren changed Dargo for McGinn but it made no change to the flow of the game which still stemmed towards the visitors goal. Paul Gallacher came to St Mirren's rescue for the umpteenth time when he threw himself to his left to push away an angled drive from Riordan. In the final minute of normal time Benjelloun had a glorious chance to seal the points but his shot towards the back post was deflected wide by Mair. At the other end it took a last gasp tackle from Bamba to stop Dargo racing in on goal after Hogg had failed to clear a long ball forward.

Galbraith picked up a yellow card in time added on for a late challenge on Ross which allowed the visitors to throw bodies forward for the set piece. In the end Ross' delivery was poor and Hibernian held on to claim a deserved victory.

Hibernian: Ma-Kalambay, McCann, Hogg, Bamba, Hanlon, Cregg, McBride, Riordan, Nish, Rankin, Wotherspoon. Subs: Stack, Benjelloun, Galbraith, McCormack, Byrne, Thicot, Stevenson.

St Mirren: Gallacher, Ross, McGinn, Mair, Potter, Dorman, Mehmet, Thomson, Higdon, Brady, Barron. Subs: Howard, Robb, Brighton, Dargo, Innes, Quinn, Faulds.

Referee: Alan Muir.

Attendance: 12,313