Hibs moved into fifth place in the table with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Aberdeen at Easter Road this afternoon. 

The victory means that Hibs are currently only two points behind the Dons. 

David Gray kept faith with the same starting XI and bench from the side that drew with Ross County in Dingwall last weekend. 

The club are waiting for paperwork before being able to field new signing Alasana Manneh. 

Aberdeen’s Jimmy Thelin makes two changes to the side that lost 3-0 to St Mirren. 

On-loan Tottenham Hotspur centre-half Alfie Dorrington and midfielder Ante Palaversa were both in the starting line-up, with Sivert Heltne Nilsen dropping to the bench along with Slobodan Rubezic. 

After an evenly fought opening period, Hibs created the first chance when a cross from Nectar Triantes found Martin Boyle unmarked at the back post. His effort was blocked and fell to Nicky Cadden and his effort was deflected wide. 

Boyle took the resultant corner which found Josh Campbell who headed the ball across goal and Triantes knocked it into the net with a diving header. 

Aberdeen had a half chance to equalise when Pape Gueye got on the end of Jeppe Okkels cross but he could only glance the ball away from goal. VAR had a quick look but nothing was given. 

Hibs doubled their lead two minutes after the restart when Nicky Campbell headed home a Chris Cadden cross off the crossbar. The linesman’s flag went up but against Dwight Gayle who looked offside in the build up but after a lengthy VAR check the goal was given. 

Aberdeen made a triple change with former Hibs player Kevin Nisbet returning to Easter Road. Gray then replaced Gayle with Kieron Bowie. 

Bowie went down inside the area but after another VAR check no penalty was given. 

The Hibs fans then held their breath when referee Don Robertson was called to the VAR screen after the ball appeared to strike Rocky Bushiri’s arm but no penalty was given. 

Kwon and Lewis Miller replaced Chris Cadden and Dylan Levitt. 

Bowie then did well to set Boyle free but Ross Doohan did well to save his one on one effort. 

Triantes headed Nicky Cadden’s corner over the bar. 

The referee then annoyed the Hibs fans by ignoring a blatant foul on Bowie then penalising the striker when he won the ball back. 

Nicky Cadden and Boyle then made way for Jordan Obita and Junior Hoilett. 

Nisbet had a great chance to pull one back but fired over the bar from eight yards. 

Due to the VAR checks nine minutes were added on. 

Aberdeen enjoyed the majority of possession during that period but the Hibs defence held firm. 

Hibs: Smith, O’Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, C Cadden, N Cadden, Triantis, Levitt, Campbell, Boyle, Gayle. 

Substitutes: Bursik, Miller, Kwon, Bowie, Obita, Moriah-Welsh, Hoilett, Molotnikov, Kuharevich. 

Aberdeen: Doohan, Devlin, Tobers, Dorrington, Jensen, Shinnie, Palaversa, Clarkson, Okkels, Keskinen, Gueye. 

Substitutes: Ritchie, MacKenzie, Nisbet, Duk, Rubezic, Morris, Helte Nilsen, Boyd, Ambrose. 

Attendance 16,233 

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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.

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