Forfar were resolute and gutsy on their artificial surface at Station Park as Hibs huffed and puffed to a 1-0 victory, courtesy of Christian Doidge’s second half header, and the Hibees were made to work for their rewards as football returned for top tier sides following the winter break.
A missed penalty from Joe Newell in the first half was representative of a largely frustrating opening period for Hibs, and it took until the 69th minute before the all-important opener was found.
Doidge’s fifth goal of the 2023/24 campaign gave the travelling Hibees what was, in the end, a deserved win to get their Cup campaign underway this season.
The headline from Hibernian’s team news in Forfar was a first senior start for Academy star Rudi Molotnikov.

The 17 year-old made his First Team debut earlier in the season, coming off the bench against Aston Villa in the UEFA Europa Conference League Play-Offs, and has since made three cinch Premiership appearances from the bench.
A creative midfield player from Edinburgh, Molotnikov was used by Montgomery alongside Doidge in the Hibs attack.
It was one of three changes made by the Hibs Head Coach, with senior figures Jimmy Jeggo and Lewis Stevenson given a starting role at Station Park.
Hibs were without four senior international players, with Martin Boyle and Lewis Miller away with Australia in the Asian Cup while Rocky Bushiri and Jojo Wollacott travelled to Ivory Coast with their respective countries for AFCON. Chris Cadden, Jake Doyle-Hayes, Adam Le Fondre and Josh Campbell missed out through injury.
The hosts Forfar came into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory over Elgin City in cinch League 2. Hibs were backed by 3,000 fans who had made the two-hour trip north.

There was an early scare for Hibs as Forfar produced three huge chances in the opening minutes of the game.
Seb Ross popped up just inside the box to acrobatically strike a volley against the upright. After the ball was scrambled away and from the resulting corner, Stuart Morrison flashed a header agonisingly wide of David Marshall’s left-hand post.
Another header from a Forfar corner then required Doidge to clear off the goal line and the Hibees were spared early blushes.
Hibernian’s first chance came after a quarter of an hour as Rory Whittaker and Elie Youan exchanged passes, allowing the 16 year-old full-back to cross and find Jair Tavares – whose header was well blocked.
Moments later, Jair was the one providing the cross as he beat two defenders and invited Molotnikov to head at goal, but the youngster couldn’t get a solid contact with the ball and score.
Almost half an hour had gone when Hibs were offered a golden chance to take the lead, as referee Ross Hardie awarded a penalty to the away side.
Stevenson was fouled inside the area as he competed for a header and Newell stepped up to shoot from 12-yards. Forfar ‘keeper Marc McCallum – who was largely excellent - guessed the right way and got two strong hands to Newell’s penalty to keep the game scoreless.

Half-time: Forfar Athletic 0 Hibernian 0
The first chance of the second half fell to Youan, who got in-behind the home defence and played the ball across goal for a stretching Christian Doidge. The Welsh striker couldn’t get a touch to convert.
That was followed by a big opportunity for Seb Ross again at the other end, but he could only roll his shot beyond the far post after being played through on goal and one-on-one with Marshall.
Montgomery elected to bring Dylan Vente and Dylan Levitt from the bench and not long after, Hibs began to trouble the Forfar goal.
Doidge’s header was tipped around the post by McCallum, before the Forfar goalkeeper was called into action twice again – firstly by Doidge and then by Youan from close range.
The deadlock was finally broken on 69 minutes when Jair’s whipped free-kick from the left was met by the head of Doidge, beating the onrushing McCallum and nodding into an open net for 1-0. A reward for a much-better second half showing from Hibs and Doidge’s hard work throughout the game.

Full-time: Forfar Athletic 0 Hibernian 1
Forfar Athletic
XI: Marc McCallum, Roberto Nditi, Tomas Brindley, Matthew Allan, Stuart Morrison, Josh Skelly, Mark Whatley, Seb Ross, Adam Hutchinson, Finn Robson, Andrew Munro ©.
Subs: Craig Thomson, Callum Moore, Kieran Inglis, Tyler Mykyta, Darren Watson, Ryan Paterson, Rayan Mohammed, Zach Paris.
Hibernian
XI: David Marshall, Paul Hanlon ©, Will Fish, Elie Youan, Joe Newell, Jimmy Jeggo, Lewis Stevenson, Christian Doidge, Jair Tavares, Rudi Molotnikov, Rory Whittaker.
Subs: Murray Johnson, Dylan Levitt (57' Newell), Dylan Vente (57' Molotnikov), Jordan Obita (71' Whittaker), Harry McKirdy (84' Youan), Jacob Blaney, Josh Landers.
Referee: Ross Hardie