Kieron Bowie did his World Cup hopes some good with a goal and an assist in Hibs comfortable 2-0 home win over Dundee at Easter Road this afternoon
Hibs head coach David Gray kept faith in the starting XI that beat St Mirren last time out.
Club captain Joe Newell was among the home substitutes, having been out of action for almost 11 months. Fellow midfielder Dylan Levitt was also on the bench after recovering from appendix surgery.
Dundee skipper Simon Murray returned to lead the line, with midfielder Yan Dhanda restored and Clark Robertson back in defence after missing the home defeat to Rangers.
Ryan Astley, Emile Acquah and Billy Koumetio made way.
Grant Hanley earned a standing ovation for his role in Scotland’s midweek vistory over Denmark.
Hibs dominated from the start and Kieron Bowie should have opened the scoring with a free header which went over the bar.
But the Scotland international made up for his miss in the 30th minute after good work down the left by Nicky Cadden.
The winger’s low cross found Bowie who spun away from a couple of defenders at the near post and fired a powerful low strike into the far corner.
Hibs continued to press forward and Martin Boyle tried a first time from a Chris Cadden pass but his effort went wide.
After the restart Tony Yogane went down in the Hibs penalty box under pressure from Rocky Bushiri and was shown a yellow card for a dive.
Jamie McGrath’s curling shot then struck the crossbar before Hibs managed a deserved second.
On this occasion it was Bowie who laid the ball off to McGrath after good work from Josh Mulligan and the Republic of Ireland international calmly slotted the ball past Jon McCracken at the near post.
Despite Hibs overall dominance, the visitors always looked dangerous on the break.
Tony Yogane almost pulled one back when he met a scross from Cam Congreve at the back post but Raphel Sallinger pulled off a fantastic goal-line stop.
Sallinger then did well to deny Clark Robertson bundling in from a free-kick and Hibs held on for the victory.
After the final whistle Gray told BBC Scotland: “We could have had the game out of sight earlier. All in all, a really good day’s work.
“Credit to Dundee, they had a real go towards the end and the goalkeeper makes a big save, which allows us to see the game out pretty comfortably.
“I believe there’s a lot more to come from Kieron Bowie. He’s got a massive journey ahead of him. It’s not just goals that he brings to the team, there’s the unselfish work he does that goes unseen at times.”
Hibs: Sallinger, Bushiri, Hanley, Iredale, C Cadden, Barlaser, Mulligan, McGrath, N Cadden, Boyle, Bowie.
Substitutes: Smith, O’Hora, Levitt, Youan, Newell, Klidje, Obita, Hoillet, Megwa.
Dundee: McCracken, Wright, C Robertson, Graham, Samuels, Digby, Hamilton, Congreve, Dhanda, Yogane, Murray.
Substitutes: O’Hara, Astley, Koumetio, Acquah, F Robertson, Hay, Reilly, Westley, Jones.
