Hibs moved to the top of Betfred Cup Group C with a comfortable 3-0 victory over Arbroath at Easter Road tonight.
Head Coach Paul Heckingbottom made six changes to the starting XI that beat Alloa Athletic on Saturday, giving home debuts to Chris Maxwell, Adam Jackson, Joe Newell and new signing Josh Vela.
Hibs started brightly and opened the scoring in the second minute ith a superb goal.
Maxwell spotted Scott Allan running into space and found him with a long throw. Alan held the ball up under pressure before reminding Hibs’ fans what they have been missing bysending a sublime through ball into the path of Florian Kamberi.
The Swiss striker (pictured) cut in from the left and calmly curled the ball into the far corner beyond Darren Jamieson.
Hibs continued to press forward and both Stevie Mallan and Martin Boyle both tested Jamieson, before Adam Jackson headed over from a Newell corner.
Hibs eventually doubled their advantage just before the break when Martin Boyle was fouled after crossing from the right.
Referee Bobby Madden waited to see whether Kamberi’s overhead kick was on target and when the ball flew over the bar, he pointed to the spot.
Allan calmly dispatched the ball into the net after sending Jamieson the wrong way.
Hibs continued to dominate in the second half and twice Mallan went close, first half with an ambitious chip that went over the bar and then with a powerful 40-yard strike which Jamieson tipped round the post.
The visitors tried in vain to get back into the game but the Hibs defence held firm.
Fraser Murray replaced Vela who left the field to a standing ovation then later brought on Daryl Horgan and Oli Shaw in place of Joe Newell and Boyle.
Shaw had the ball in the net moments later but his close range strike was ruled offside.
Hibs wrapped things up in the 86th minute when Murray found Horgan on the right with an angled pass then got on the end of the Irishman’s cross to knock the ball into the net from close range.
Hibs now move two points clear of Arbroath and three clear of elgin City whom they face on Friday, knowing that victory guarantees top spot.
Hibs: Maxwell, James, Jackson, Hanlon, Mackie, Vela (Murray, 59), Mallan, Allan, Boyle (Horgan, 78), Kamberi, Newell (Shaw, 78). Unused substitutes: Marciano, Whittaker, Doidge, McGregor.
Arbroath: Jamieson, Thomson, Hamilton, O’Brien, Whatley (Kader, 60), Gold, McKenna, Doris (Swankie, 60), Linn (Stewart, 45), Wilson, Murphy. Unused substitutes: Gaston, Little, Spence.
Referee: Madden.
Attendance: 4,769
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.
