An Elias Melkersen double secured a third successive Scottish Cup semi-final appearance for Hibs at Fir Park this afternoon against a Motherwell side reduced to 10-men for almost all of the game.
Matt Macey returned to the starting XI along with midfielder Joe Newell while Norwegian teenager Melkersen made his first start.
Christian Doidge dropped to the bench and Jake Doyle-Hayes and Rocky Bushiri missed out altogether. Garry O’Connor’s son Josh 17 was listed amongst the substitutes.
Skipper Paul Hanlon, Paul McGinn, Demetri Mitchell, Harry Clarke and Kyle Magennis are still injured along with striker Kevin Nisbet who is set for a long spell on the sidelines after a knee operation.
Hibs brought a massive support to the stadium and they witnessed probably the earliest sending off in the famous old tournament when Bevis Mugabe was rightly shown a red card for a reckless challenge on Josh Doig.
Jordan Roberts then should also have been sent off in the sixth minute for an equally reckless challenge on Drey Wright but Willie Collum decided a yellow card was sufficient.
Doig was then forced to leave the field with the injury picked up by Mugabe’s challenge and was replaced by Chris Mueller.
Well’ keeper then produced a fine save to deny Wright before Melkersen was shown a yellow card in the ninth minute for the use of an arm during a challenge.
Chris Cadden then did well to block a Kevin Van Veen effort and from the result two corners the hosts passed up two great chances to score.
Hibs then countered immediately and Sylvester Jasper did well down the right wing beating his marker then crossing into the danger area and Melkersen headed home at the front post to the delight of the travelling fans.
Hibs dominated possession then Jasper tried his luck from distance but was too high. The on-loan Fulham star then tested Kelly with superb cross from the left which the keeper did well to hold.
Hibs had a penalty claim for handball before Wright set up Lewis Stevenson but his shot was held by Kelly.
Hibs doubled their advantage in the 35th minute with the same combination that gave them the lead. Jasper long ball found Melkersen who controlled it on his chest and fired a fine left foot strike into the bottom corner of the net.
Liam Donnelly was lucky to escape punishment for a reckless challenge on Jasper then just before the break a Roberts shot deflected off the chest of Joseph Efford in went in off the post.
Shortly after the restart Scott Allan replaced the injured Euan Henderson. Wright then set up Mueller who spun and shot but Kelly saved easily.
A mistake in the Hibs defence saw Donnelly collect that ball in midfield but his powerful long range effort flew just wide.
Hibs seemed content to keep possession but ‘Well looked dangerous on the break.
With 15-minutes remaining Darren McGregor and Christian Doidge replaced Melkersen and Mueller then Doidge got his head to a Cadden cross but Kelly again managed to save comfortably.
Despite some late pressure from Motherwell Hibs held on to secure a deserved victory and a place in the semi-final.
Motherwell: Kelly, Mugabi, Solholm, Ojala, Lamie, McGinley, Donnelly, Cornelius, Efford, Roberts, Van Veen. Substitutes: Fox, O’Donnell, Carroll, Woolery, Shaw, Slattery, Amaluzor, Grimshaw, Tierney, Goss, Shields.
Hibs: Macey, Cadden, Porteous, Doig, Wright, Campbell, Newell, Stevenson, Henderson, Jasper, Melkersen. Substitutes: Dabrowski, Mitchell, Allan, McGregor, Doidge, Hauge, Mueller, Delferriere, Scott, O’Connor.
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.
