Hibs cruised past Clydebank to secure a place in the 5th round of the Scottish Gas Men’s Scottish Cup at Easter Road this afternoon.
Hibs head coach David Gray made five changes to the starting XI that beat Motherwell last weekend. Lewis Miller returned at right-wing back, with Rudi Molotnikov starting on the left flank.
Hyeokkyu Kwon returned in the middle of midfield, alongside Junior Hoilett and Mykola Kuharevich made his first start since early December.
Kieron Bowie started on the bench alongside youngster Lewis Gillie.
Before this and every Scottish Cup game there was a minute’s applause for the great Denis Law, Scotland’s joint record-scorer, the only Scottish player to win the Ballon d’Or prize, who passed away yesterday.
Clydebank brought a huge travelling support that filled the bottom section of the away end and they greeted their heroes with a tremendous roar.
But they were silenced after only two minutes when Junior Hoilett got on the end of a long ball and picked out out Martin Boyle, who turned in his cross at the near post.
Moments later Molotnikov almost doubled Hibs lead but his effort flew well over the bar.
Despite dominating proceedings Hibs were unable to add to their lead before the half time whistle sounded.
But the Easter Road men started the second half on the front foot and Molotnikov made it 2-0 shortly after the restart when he knocked home Boyle’s cross.
Moments later the youngster had a header cleared off the line as Hibs pressed for more goals.
And one arrived on the hour mark when Boyle fired home after a mistake in the visitors defence.
Gray then started to ring the changes with Dylan Levitt being replaced by Luke Amos and Boyle by Bowie who entered the fray to huge cheers from the home fans.
Then with 18 minutes remaining 16-year-old Gillie replaced Kwon to make his first team debut.
Moments later Bowie almost made it a scoring return but his header flew just wide.
Miller and Hoilett then forced Bankies keeper Andrew Leishman into two strong saves in quick succession as Hibs looked to add to their tally but it was not to be.
Hibs: Smith, O’Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, Miller, Kwon, Levitt, Hoilett, Molotnikov, Boyle, Kuharevich.
Substitutes: Bursik, C Cadden, Amos, Bowie, Triantis, Campbell, Gayle, Gillie.
Clydebank: Leishman, Hodge, Grant, Syme, McHugh, Cairns, Gallacher, Low, Mulcahy, Little, Truesdale.
Substitutes: Keaney, MacKenzie, Darroch, McGowan, Gibb, McGonigle, Samson, McKernan.
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.
