Hibs’ poor start to the season continued this afternoon with a 2-1 defeat to part timers Alloa Athletic which leaves them in an embarrassing eighth place, nine points behind leaders Hears after only four games.
Head Coach Alan Stubbs made three changes to the team that beat Dumbarton in midweek. Lewis Stevenson replaced Callum Booth, skipper Liam Craig took over from Scott Robertson and Jason Cummings replaced Danny Handling.
Hibs started brightly and opened the scoring when Sam Stanton sent a fine cross into the near post and Jason Cummings headed in from close range.
Alloa fought back and Edinburgh born Liam Buchanan went close and Mark Oxley did well to deny Kevin Cawley and Ryan McCord.
Just before the break, on form striker Farid El Alagui landed awkwardly on the artificial surface and had to leave the field on a stretcher. He was given a standing ovation from the travelling support and Paul Heffernan took his place.
Alloa continued where they left off in the second half and grabbed a deserved equaliser when Oxley saved from Daryll Meggatt and Hibs’ supporter Buchanan swept in the rebound.
Alan Stubbs then made two changes, bringing on Alex Harris and Danny Handling for Matt Kennedy and Jason Cummings as Hibs looked to grab the three points.
New signing Liam Fontaine, Jordon Forster and Scott Allan all spurned chances to score, but with five minutes remaining Fontaine gave away a free kick on the edge of the box which substitute Iain Flannigan curled over the wall into the top corner of the net to secure the three points.
Alloa Athletic: McDowall, Doyle, Gordon, Meggatt, Docherty, Simmons (Flannigan 84′), Buchanan (Hetherington 90′), Holmes, McCord, Cawley, Spence. Substitutes not used: Couser, Marr, Tiffoney, Ferns, Asghar.
Hibernian: Oxley, Gray, Fontaine, Forster, El Alagui ( Heffernan 40′), Craig, Stanton, Stevenson, Allan, Kennedy (Handling 65′), Cummings (Harris 65′). Substitutes not used: Perntreau, Robertson, Hanlon, Booth.
Referee: Stephen Finnie.
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
