Hibs lost their third successive game tonight, going down 1-0 to Queen of the South at Palmerston Park thanks to a late goal from on-loan Rangers midfielder Andy Murdoch.
With Falkirk drawing at St Mirren, Hibs retained second place in the Championship however only by one point.
Head Coach Alan Stubbs made four changes to the starting XI that lost to Dumbarton on Saturday. Skipper David Gray returned in place of Niklas Gunnarsson, Liam Fontaine took over from the injured Paul Hanlon, Martin Boyle replaced Dan Carmichael and Anthony Stokes returned from an illness to replace James Keatings up front.
Queen of the South also made four changes to their starting line up.
The last time these clubs met, the match ended with a mass brawl amongst the players and tempers were still strained as Jake Pickard picked up an early booking for a late challenge on John McGinn whilst Marvin Bartley was also shown a yellow card for complaining then moments later Liam Henderson was cautioned for diving.
Hibs appeared to have difficulty adapting to the artificial surface and Jason Cummings had a long range effort which flew two feet over the bar then Boyle was fouled on the edge of the area but McGinn’s free kick went inches over with the keeper Robbie Thomson stranded.
Stokes did well to set up Boyle but Thomson did well to hold his powerful strike in the 40th minute then Liam Russell was lucky to escape a booking for a bad challenge on McGinn.
Just before the break McGinn forced a superb save from Thomson and the ball rebounded to Stokes but the on=loan Irishman fired the ball wide of the post.
Half time Queen of the South 0-0 Hibernian
Hibs continued to dominate possession without creating any clear cut chances then McGinn went close with a long range effort that had Thomson scrambling across his goal.
On the hour mark Kyle Hutton was booked for a bad tackle on Boyle then was lucky to escape a red card for his protests.
Stokes almost gave Hibs the lead moments later with a powerful shot low to the keeper’s left but Thomson did well to save.
With 20 minutes remaining James Keatings replaced Cummings as Hibs looked to find that elusive goal however it was the home side who took the lead against the run of play in the 78th minute when Andy Murdoch fired in a superb long range effort which left Mark Oxley helpless.
Chris Dagnall replaced Stokes as Hibs fought to get back into the game but the Doonhamers held on to secure the three points,
Hibs can forget about the Championship for a two and a half weeks as they face Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Sunday in the quarter final of the Scottish Cup then the following Sunday they face Ross County in the final of the Scottish League Cup.
Queen of the South: Thomson, Kidd, Dowie, Brownlie, Higgins, Conroy, Russell, Tapping, Hutton, Pickard, Marshall. subs: Miller, Jacobs, Murdoch, Atkinson, Hilson, Smith, Oliver.
Hibs: Oxley, Gray, McGregor, Fontaine, Stevenson, Bartley, McGinn, Henderson, Boyle, Cummings, Stokes. Subs: Virtannen, Gunnarsson, Thomson, Carmichael, Keatings, Dagnall, El Alagui
Referee Andrew Dallas
Attendance 2017
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.
