Hibs moved to joint top of the Championship this afternoon following a 1-0 win over Alloa Athletic at the Indodrill Stadium, coupled with rivals Rangers drawing 1-1 with Livingston.
The results mean that both clubs now have 37 points although Rangers have a game in hand.
Head Coach Alan Stubbs made two changes to the starting XI that beat Livingston 2-1 at Easter Road on Tuesday night with Dominique Malonga returning from international duty replacing Martin Boyle and Marvin Bartley taking over from Liam Henderson who missed the game due to illness.
Andy McNeil who won the CIS League Cup with Hibs in 2007 started in goal for the Wasps who had former English Premier League player Michael Chopra in their starting line up.
Hibs dominated the early stages although it took until the 17th minute before they created any clear cut chances. John McGinn did well to make space for himself but his goal bound strike from the edge of the box was deflected for a corner.
Hibs then had a penalty appeal denied when James Keatings was then brought down on the edge of the penalty box but referee Barry Cook decided that the challenge was outside. Keatings took the resultant free kick but his effort went over the bar.
The visitors should have taken the lead in the 25th minute when Lewis Stevenson’s pass found McGinn inside the penalty box. The midfielder did well to find Jason Cummings but the youngster mishit his shot and the ball landed at the feet of Malonga who looked certain to score but a last gasp tackle from an Alloa defender saw his effort deflected onto the junction of the post and bar.
Six minutes later McNeil produced a superb save from a McGinn strike which flew through a forest of yellow and black socks en route to the goal.
McNeil was replaced by David Crawford at half time and the substitute keeper produced a sensational save tipping a 20 yard effort from Liam Fontaine over the bar.
Hibs eventually took the lead on the hour mark when McGinn rolled the ball into the path of Cummings who ran between the Alloa defenders, drew the keeper and buried the ball into the bottom corner of the net to the delight of the travelling support.
Farid El Alagui replaced Malonga and moments later Cummings almost made it 2-0 with a long range right foot shot but the ball flew inches wide.
Crawford produced a good save from a David Gray header then required treatment for a head knock but recovered to save a header from Cummings after a cross from Fraser Fyvie.
Dylan McGeouch replaced Keatings with 15 minutes remaining then Gray went close during a stramash inside the six yard box.
El Alagui then did well to rob Dougie Hill and as he was heading toward goal Hill brought him down to earn a second yellow card.
El Alagui had the ball in the net in the closing stages however his effort was ruled offside and Hibs held on to secure a deserved three points.
Alloa Athletic: McNeil, Hynd, Hamilton Reintham, Hill, Doyle Holmes, O’Brien, Duffy, Chopra, Crawford. Subs: McAusland, Paun, McManus, Flannigan, Hetherington, Williams, Crawford
Hibs: Oxley, Gray, Fontaine, McGregor, Stevenson, Bartley, McGinn, Fyvie, Keatings, Cummings, Malonga Subs Reguero, Eckersley, Forster, McGeouch, Boyle, Feruz, El Alagui
Referee Barry Cook
Attendance 1952
Photo by John Preece
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.
