A Josh Campbell double secured all three points for Hibs against champions elect Celtic after a pulsating and sometimes controversial 98 minutes at Easter Road this afternoon.
But although Campbell will grab the headlines, every Hibs player contributed to a memorable victory culminated with a chorus of ‘Sunshine on Leith’ from their delighted supporters.
Hibs head coach Gray made three changes to the team that drew with St Mirren last weekend.
Lewis Miller, Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Kieron Bowie all started in place of Chris Cadden, Kwon and Dwight Gayle
Marvin Ekpiteta and Joe Newell were named in the matchday squad after returning from injury.
Celtic head coach Brendan Rodgers also made three changes to the team that drew with Bayern Munich in midweek with Greg Taylor, Luke McCowan and Adam Idah replacing Jeffrey Schlupp, Reo Hatate and Filipe Jota.
Hibs started off on the front foot and took the lead in the second minute when Bowie won possession and found Moriah-Welsh who in turn found Nectar Triantis.
The midfielder strode forward and with Nicky Cadden shouting for the pass on the wing, he instead found Josh Campbell unmarked and the youngster fired a tremendous strike into the bottom corner of the net.
Moments later Warren O’Hora got on the end of a Cadden corner but his effort flew just wide.
Bowie then tested Schmeichel with a powerful half-volley but the Celtic keeper did well to save the effort.
At the other end Taylor fired a long-range effort over the bar then O’Hora did well to block a shot from Daizen Maeda.
Taylor was shown a yellow card for a foul on Bowie.
McCowan then set up Alistair Johnston with a superb pass but Jordan Smith produced a tremendous block.
Arne Engels then tested Smith with a long range free-kick but the Hibs keeper was up to the task.
Referee Steven McLean earned the ire of the Hibs fans by missing a blatant pull on Martin Boyle.
In added time Johnstone tried his luck from distance but the effort flew just wide of the post.
But moments later Hibs added a second when Campbell headed home a Boyle cross. The assistant’s flag went up but after a VAR check the goal was given to the delight of the home supporters.
Brendan Rodgers imade a triple change at half-time with Reo Hatate, Jota and Jeffrey Schlupp replacing Idah, Taylor and McCowan.
Johnstone was booked for a foul on Bowie.
Schmeichel then did well to save from a Miller header.
On the hour mark Bowie was replaced by Kuharevich and he left the field to a standing ovasion.
In the 68th minute Celtic pulled one back when a mis-hit from Hatate strike ballooned up in the air .
Smith tried to collect, hesitated on his line and Maeda to get a toe on the ball and send it home.
Hibs were then denied what looked like a clear penalty when Kuharevich’s shirt was clearly pulled by a defender before he was bundled over.
At the other end Jota broke clear, dribbled along the byeline and skipped past Smith but Bushiri cleared off the line.
That was the last act from Bushiri, and he was substituted along with Martin Boyle and the pair were replaced by Marvin Ekpiteta and Junior Hoilett are on for Hibs.
Then in the 83rd minute it looked as though Celtic had drawn level when Maeda fired a Johnstone cross into the net however after a lengthy VAR check it was shown that the ball had gone out of play before the cross.
From then it was all hands on deck from Hibs and the players held on despite eight minutes of added time.
At the final whistle, three sides of Easter Road sang ‘Sunshine on Leith’ as the players acknowledged their support.
Hibs: Smith, Miller, O’Hora, Bushiri, Iredale, N. Cadden, Moriah-Welsh, Triantis, Campbell, Bowie, Boyle. Subs: Bursik, Ekpiteta, Newell, C. Cadden, Obita, Hoilett, Gayle, Molotnikov, Kuharevich.
Celtic : Schmeichel, Johnston, Carter-Vickers, Trusty, Taylor, McGregor, McCowan, Engels, Kühn, Idah, Maeda. Subs: Sinisalo, Scales, Jota, Yang, Schlupp, Kenny, Hatate, Ralston, Bonnar.
Attendance 18,357
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.
