Scotland international Ryan Porteous was the hero of the hour once again as his goal secured a 1-0 win against 10-man Motherwell at Easter Road to make it four wins in a row and move Hibs to third place in the table.
Before the match, ‘Le God’ Franck Sauzee returned to Easter Road and delivered the match ball to huge cheers from his adoring fans.
Hibs almost took an early lead when Martin Boyle was put through on the right by Josh Campbell but ‘Well keeper Liam Kelly easily saved.
Then Mykola Kukharevych put Elie Youan but his effort was touched by Kelly.
Just before half-time Joe Efford was brought down by Paul Hanlon who was given a yellow card but the free-kick was wasted.
After an evenly fought opening period, the second half bust into life just before the hour mark when Connor Shields was sent off for a last-man foul on Porteous.
Hibs’ boss Lee Johnson brought on Kyle Magennis and Lewis Stevenson for Nohan Kenneh and Marijan Cabraja.
Then in the 67th minute Porteous got on the end of a deflected cross and powered a superb header into the top corner of the net, clashing heads with a Motherwell defender in the process.
Porteous left the field briefly following a head injury assessment but returned immediately and within second had cleared the danger with another header.
Hibs found the net again courtesy of a Kukharevych tap in but Boyle was deemed offside in the run up.
Hibs withstood some late pressure in the five added minutes to secure the victory.
After the game Johnson said: : “It’s a great afternoon in terms of the points, we don’t have that feeling of euphoria or elation as we could have managed the last 10 minutes a little better.
“The team is still learning all the time, but we look really solid. Marsh [David Marshall] has only had one save to make.
“We always looked like a threat on the counter. I thought the first 15 minutes we started really well. Good tempo, good ball speed, good runners in behind.
“It is just that bit of quality or composure in the final third. If we can increase that, it’s the fire in the belly and the ice in the head.”
Hibs Marshall, Cadden, Porteous, Hanlon, Cabraja, Kenneh, Newell, Campbell, Boyle, Youan, Kuharevich.
Substitutes: Schofield, Magennis, Jair, Stevenson, Henderson, Melkersen, McKirdy, McGregor, Fish.
Motherwell: Kelly, McGinn, Solholm, Lamie, Penney, Goss, Slattery, Spittal, Efford, Shields, Van Veen.
Substitutes: Oxborough, O’Donnell, Mugabi, Maguire, McKinstry, Cornelius, Moult, Morris, Tierney.
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.
