A quality goal from Kevin Nisbet was enough to secure a valuable three points for Hibs and end St Mirren’s 11-game unbeaten run at Easter Road last night but the victory came at a cost with Ofir Marciano and Kyle Magennis picking up knocks and Christian Doidge being shown a red card.
Head Coach Jack Ross retained the same starting XI and substitute bench that drew 1-1 with Dundee United on Saturday. Stevie Mallan, Jamie Murphy, Sean Mackie and Scott Allan all missed out.
St Mirren started brightly knocking the ball about confidently deploying a high press without troubling Marciano to any great extent.
Hibs created the first chance in the 8th minute when Doidge’s flick found Paul McGinn on the right but his low cross evaded everyone.
Nine minutes later, Hibs took the lead after Joe Newell found Martin Boyle on the right. He cut inside but was crowded out before sliding the ball into the path of Nisbet who, with very little backlift, curled a sublime strike into the top corner of the net.
Ryan Porteous then surged forward and played a one-two with Nisbet but his shot was well saved by Jack Alnwick.
The visitors looked dangerous on the break and Jamie McGrath headed just over although Marciano appeared to have the ball covered.
In the 29th minute Connor McCarthy slipped then deliberately brought down Doidge but inexplicably the referee did not produce a yellow card.
Kyle Magennis was next to try his luck from the edge of the area but his shot was too high then Boyle capitalised on some poor defending to win the ball in midfield but his 25-yard strike was well held by Alnwick.
In the 38th minute Boyle got on the end of a quickly taken free-kick but his low cross was cleared for a corner with Porteous waiting to pounce.
Just before the break Lewis Stevenson was booked for a foul on Dylan Connolly on the half-way line.
Drey Wright replaced Magennis at half-time and Hibs started on the front foot. A superb cross from Nisbet was missed by the Saints’ defenders but Doidge was unable to control the ball and the danger was cleared.
St Mirren missed a great chance to level the score in the 50th minute when Cameron MacPherson’s cross was headed wide by Ilke Durmus from six yards out.
Brandon Mason was fortunate not to be booked for a deliberate foul on Boyle as play raged from end to end.
Marciano suffered a tight calf and was replaced by Dillon Barnes then moments later Mason was finally booked for deliberately pulling Boyle back as he was running clean through on goal.
MacPherson tested Barnes with a long range effort which the on-loan keeper did well to push round the post.
Barnes was called into action again moments later after substitute Jonathan Obika broke clear and attempted to lob him but he easily saved the strikers effort.
Newell produced a piece of magic, beating several defenders before Alnwick saved his close range effort.
With 10-minutes remaining Hibs were denied a blatant penalty when Mason clearly bundled over Boyle inside the area but the referee waved play on.
Jamie Gullan replaced goal-scorer Nisbet in the 81st minute then a minute later Mason was finally shown a red card for once again chopping down Boyle.
Doidge was then shown a yellow card for pulling back Obika then moments later he was shown a second yellow following a tussle with Ethan Erhahon.
Five minutes were added and Alex Gogic replaced Melker Hallberg as St Mirren continued to press forward in search of an equaliser but the Hibs defenders held on for the win and the clean sheet.
Elsewhere Aberdeen drew with Motherwell so Hibs moved back into third in the table.
Hibs now travel to Ibrox to face league leaders Rangers on Boxing Day.
Hibs: Marciano, P. McGinn, Hanlon, Porteous, Stevenson, Hallberg, Magennis, Newell, Boyle, Doidge, Nisbet. Subs: Barnes, Gray, McGregor, Doig, Gogic, S.McGinn, Bradley, Wright, Gullan
St Mirren: Alnwick, Tait, Mason, Shaughnessy, McCarthy, MacPherson, McGrath, Connolly, Fraser, Erwin, Erhahon. Subs: Lyness, Finlayson, Foley, Flynn, Durmus, McAllister, Dennis, Morias.
Referee Steven Kirkland
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.
