Hibernian moved into the Quarter Finals of the Active Nation Scottish Cup this afternoon with a convincing win over Montrose at Easter Road. A double from Colin Nish plus goals from Derek Riordan, Abdessalam Benjelloun and debutant Alan Gow was enough to see off the plucky Third Division side, who earned a consolation goal by Chris Hegarty. Former Hibernian goalkeeper Andrew McNeil returned to face his former side and was responsible for keeping the score at a respectable level.

With Sol Bamba given leave by manager John Hughes following his African Cup of Nations exertions, Paul Hanlon returned to the side to partner Chris Hogg in the centre of defence. New signing Alan Gow had to settle for a place among the substitutes where he was joined by Merouane Zemmama who was returning from injury. The home side got the action underway and there was certainly a sense of purpose about Hibernian as they laid siege to the Montrose goal in the opening exchanges. Inside the first minute Hibernian had won their first corner kick when Rankin's free kick was deflected wide, before former Easter Road goalkeeper McNeil had to produce a great save to keep out a shot from Miller after Stokes had slipped the ball through to the Irishman.

Montrose had a great opportunity to stun their Scottish Premier League when Murray attempted to shepherd the ball out of play only for Davidson to keep it in and hook it to Gemmell. The Montrose striker didn't appear to expect the ball to reach him and when presented with a great opportunity he got the ball stuck between his feet before miscuing his shot. Hibernian however took that warning on board and opened the scoring in only 4 minutes when McNeil produced another great save to keep out a shot on the turn by Riordan, however Colin Nish was the quickest to react and the big striker made no mistake from close range for his fourth goal of the season.

It could have been 2-0 just seconds after the restart when Montrose surrendered possession and Hibernian worked the ball back to Riordan on the edge of the penalty area. The striker did well to get beyond Milligan and cut inside onto his right foot - but he was left frustrated after McNeil produced a fine save to push the ball over the crossbar for another corner kick to John Hughes' men. After only 9 minutes Montrose were forced into a change when Maitland limped from the field to be replaced by Tomana. Hibernian continued to dominate and they had further chances when Stokes hooked a Riordan corner kick over the top and Murray also had a drive that finished off target.

Anthony Stokes thought he had a good shout for a penalty kick when the striker went down following a challenge from goalkeeper McNeil, but referee Muir only awarded a goal kick to the visitors. Most of Hibernian's chances appeared to be falling for Colin Nish and the Hibernian striker would twice go close before scoring his second of the afternoon. First he curled a left foot drive just wide from Stokes' cut back before McNeil thwarted him with a fine save from the striker's looping header. But the front man was not to be denied and he scored his second goal on 24 minutes - Murray took the free kick quickly to Rankin and his cross to the back post was stabbed into the net by Colin Nish from only a couple of yards out.

Montrose had a decent chance not long after when a cross from the right was headed down by Crighton for Gemmell but the ball was just out of the reach of the striker, allowing Smith to push the ball to safety. At the other end Stokes unselfishly played in Riordan when he had a chance to shoot himself but his strike partner was off target on this occasion. A long-range free kick from Gemmell proved too powerful for Smith to hold and when the ball spun straight to Campbell the Hibernian supporters feared the worst, however the Montrose defender was unable to divert the ball back on target and headed wide from close range.

Former Hibernian goalkeeper McNeil was having a great game and he did superbly to get down quickly and push a dangerous looking Riordan free kick around his post for a corner kick. The shot-stopper then produced a stunning one handed save to keep out a Riordan curler that appeared destined for the top corner. A minute before the half time break and Stokes headed wide from a near post free kick by Riordan but there was to be no more scoring in the closing minutes. John Hughes will have been pleased with the performance from his side and had it not been for some terrific goalkeeping from McNeil, the margin of Hibernian's lead would have been far greater.

Half Time: Hibernian 2 Montrose 0

Both sides returned unchanged for second half as Montrose started brightly, forcing a corner kick however they were unable to put Smith under pressure on this occasion. Wotherspoon was unlucky not find the net on 46 minutes when his shot from the right almost caught out McNeil at his near post - the goalkeeper adjusting well and get a strong left hand to the ball to save. Montrose were enjoying their best spell of the game so far and they had two efforts on goal in quick succession. First Hegarty fired over from the edge of the box after Millgan had cut the ball back to him, and a Nicholas shot deflected off team-mate Gemmell into the path of Davidson -but the midfielder's first time effort was just off target.

Derek Riordan should have made more of the chance presented to him soon after when he was played into the left hand side of the penalty area. With the goal opening up and Nish in a good position in the middle, the striker appeared to get caught in two minds and in the end his effort was neither a cross not shot. Fleming picked up a booking for kicking the ball away when Stokes attempted a quick free kick and the Montrose man was promptly replaced by Sinclair. Hibernian too made a change with Zemmama replacing McBride on 62 minutes before Nish should have claimed his hat-trick following a lay off by Stokes, but the first half goal scorer's shot was wild and well off target.

A rasping drive from Zemmama was kept out by McNeil but the rebound was straight to Murray who slipped it to the unmarked Nish, the striker had the goal at his mercy but lacked conviction in his finish and his tame effort was stopped by the grounded goalkeeper. The best goal of the afternoon arrived on 69 minutes when Derek Riordan gathered in midfield, with the defence opening up in front of him he pushed forward before unleashing a stunning drive from distance into the top left hand corner of the net. John Hughes then made a double change when Nish and Stokes were withdrawn and replaced by Benjelloun and debutant Alan Gow - both were to have a say in the final score.

Wotherspoon was denied by McNeil at his near post before putting the rebound over the crossbar, then on 73 minutes Montrose pulled a goal back when Chris Hegarty scored with a powerful low drive from distance and sparked scenes of wild celebrations behind Smith's goal - with the goal scorer himself cautioned for his celebration. Four minutes later however Hibernian had restored their three goal lead when Abdessalam Benjelloun headed a cross from Zemmama into the net from close range for his third goal of the season. Alan Gow went close to a goal on his Hibernian debut when he slammed a left foot effort into the side netting after a pass from Benjelloun, before Hegarty almost made the home side pay for not putting up a wall from his free kick that finished inches wide of Smith left hand post. Andy McNeil was certainly a busy man this afternoon and he was again called into action when he pulled off a great save from a Riordan drive that had taken a deflection off Benjelloun.

Boyle replaced Nicholas for Montrose late on - just before Alan Gow sealed his Hibernian debut with a stunning late goal, taking possession of the ball from Murray wide on the left he came inside, evaded a couple of tackles before slipping the ball beyond McNeil and into the far corner of the net. That stunning effort from Gow rounded off a good afternoon for John Hughes and his men as Hibernian avoided a potential banana skin and comfortably moved into the Quarter Finals of the Active Nation Scottish Cup.

Hibernian: Smith, Wotherspoon, Murray, Hogg, Hanlon, McBride, Rankin, Miller, Nish, Riordan, Stokes. Subs: Stack, Gow, Zemmama, Benjelloun, Stevenson.

Montrose: McNeil, Milligan, McNally, Hegarty, Campbell, Crighton, Maitland, Davidson, Nicholas, Gemmell, Fleming. Subs: Coutts, Nicol, Sinclair, Tomana, Boyle.

Report: Richard Payne