Hibs return from wet and windy Paisley with three points

Hibs emerged from a wet and windy Paisley with all three points after a hard-fought encounter with St Mirren last night.

Jack Ross retained the same starting XI that beat Motherwell
on Saturday.

The hosts started well and dominated possession before Hibs
opened the scoring against the run of play.

Former Buddie Jason Naismith sent in a dangerous cross to the
back post which was met by Christian Doidge and his header deflected off the
head of Gary MacKenzie into the net for his fifth goal in three games.

The Saints fought back however and were the better team for
the remainder of the first half without creating any clear-cut chances.

Shortly after the restart Hibs goalkeeper Chris Maxwell was
booked for blocking a run from Kyle Magennis then Lewis Stevenson joined him in
the book for clumsily challenge on Ryan Flynn.

Martin Boyle replaced Florian Kamberi who appeared to be
suffering from a back injury as he walked gingerly off the park.

St Mirren had a penalty claim when Sam Foley went down in
the box after a nudge in the back from Boyle but referee Alan Newlands waved
play on.

Daryl Horgan replaced Joe Newell then another former Saint
Stevie Mallan came on for Scott Allan as Hibs tried to get onto the front foot.

Danny Mullen’s long-range struck the post and the ball fell
to Jonathan Obika who knocked it past the post.

Hibs wrapped things up in the closing minutes following a
counter-attack when MacKenzie brought down Boyle inside the penalty area and Mallan
sent the keeper the wrong way with the resultant spot-kick to the delight of
the large travelling support.

The visitors could have made it 3-0 when Boyle broke clear
but his pass to Doidge was intercepted.

Junior Morias scored a deserved late consolation goal but
Hibs emerged with the three points which moved the club to three points behind
fifth place Kilmarnock who visit Easter Road on Saturday.

After the game Ross told BBC Scotland: “St Mirren
pushed and pushed and we did a lot of things to try to stem that and it was
only late on with the introduction of Martin Boyle that we were able to stretch
them.

“Winning the penalty was a key moment. This was a huge
game for us as it puts us in a decent position to push on.”

St Mirren: Hladky, McGinn, MacKenzie, McLoughlin, Waters,
Magennis, Foley, McGinn, Flynn, Durmus, Obika. Subs: McAllister, Mullen,
Morias, Cooke, Djorkaeff, MacPherson, Lyness.

Hibs: Maxwell, Naismith, Stevenson, Hanlon, Porteous,
Hallberg, Slivka, Newell, Allan, Kamberi, Doidge. Subs: Marciano, Horgan,
Boyle, Mallan, James, Jackson, Shaw.

Referee Alan Newlands

Attendance 5,377