Josh Mulligan, step forward. You provided one of the few pieces of real quality in an eminently forgettable Premier Sports Cup clash between Hibs and Livingston at the Home of the Set Fare Arena.
The 22-year-old picked up the ball on the left just outside the Livi box and smashed the ball into the net. A superb strike from the versatile player who only joined Hibs in the close season.
He decided not to renew his contract with his home town club and moved south to the Capital. He now looks like a quality capture by Hibs boss David Gray who described the performance of his men as “very professional”.
They now move forward to a mouth-watering, quarter-final tie at Ibrox against Rangers but first they continue their European odyssey with a midweek home clash with Legia Warszawa on Thursday (20.00) in the Europa Conference League, play-off, first-leg.
For the visit to West Lothian, the Easter Road side made six changes from the squad which accounted for Partizan Belgrade on aggregate on a heady night last week, resting standout striker, Kieron Bowie.
If that was a bruising, energy-sapping battle, it went into extra time, then this was round two, a highly-physical clash with the West Lothian club. It will have left scars.
Bodies landed on the deck regularly, leading to staccato play. The game lacking any fluency and cried out for somebody to take charge of the ball and start distributing passes around the newly-laid, artificial pitch.
Nobody, sadly, put their head above the parapet, unfortunately, for the 4, 696 fans at the sun-kissed arena where the thermometer registered over 20c.
Sadly, this was not, in my humble opinion, a good advert for Scottish football.
Grey felt his men had control of the game. They had, but there were precious few occasions when Livingston goalkeeper, Jerome Prior, was really tested.
Busy Josh Campbell did fire a vicious left-foot shot from the left of the box which Prior dealt with at full stretch in the first period, but robust challenges prevented constructive play with Mo Sylla and Campbell clashing on several occasions in midfield battles.
Finally, the deadlock was broken and as the clock ticked tediously towards the break, Tongolese striker, Thibault Llidje, struck. The 24-year-old, who Gray said he is being “patient” with Klidje, who previously played for Bordeaux and Luzern.
He emerged from a ruck of players near The Lions goal line to celebrate. Martin Boyle assisted.
The break came as a welcome relief, and the same pattern emerged at the re-start. Crunching tackles, little constructive play, shots being blocked, including one from substitute Nicky Cadden.
Livingston huffed and puffed, but failed to blow Hibs’ house down.
However, they began to get their act together, forcing Hibs back into their own half as they mounted a late charge.
Scotland defender Grant Hanley was prominent, using his positional sense and his head on several occasions to snuff out dangerous moves, and Kanayo Megwa had been a strong presence throughout.
Chances were at a premium for the home side, with debutant goalkeeper, Raphael Sallinger, having a comfortable afternoon between the Hibs posts.
If looked as if Klidje’s strike would separate the teams as the final whistle loomed when Hibs broke and Mulligan took centre stage with three minutes of regular time remaining. It was a goal to savour, and the Hibs fans certainly did, singing “That’s the way I like it”.
Livi did have a late chance but Zak Rudden failed to find the net after a free-kick from substitute Connor McLennan and Hibs countered quickly and could, possibly should, have added to their tally had they made more of a four-on-two break from inside their own half.
Sportingly, Livingston manager, David Martindale, conceded that Hibs deserved to progress, but added: “We played some good football.”
Of course, Livingston were promoted from the play-offs last season, and he did concede that the West Lothian club had not faced a club from the top six in the William Hill Premiership for some time.
He said: “There is a difference between the top six and the bottom six (in the Premiership).” He’s right, there is, on this evidence, but Livingston will learn from this. They will have to learn fast as it is Celtic Park for them next Saturday (15.00) on William Hill Premiership business.
