Hibs’ second wind just the ticket for Doidge
Striker happy to smash in lucky strike before break
CHRISTIAN Doidge admitted Hibs took their time to get going against Queen of the South last night – but his opener came at the right time.
The visitors earned what, on paper, looked like a comfortable 3-1 victory against their Championship opponents but Doidge acknowledged they were lucky to score just before the break to give themselves the impetus to pick up the tempo after the restart and go on to seal their place in the next round of the Scottish Cup.
“It was a game of two halves,” he told BBC Scotland after the final whistle. “The wind was really strong in the first-half and it was hard to get out, but the goal before half-time really helped us. The boys done well to create a lot of chances.
“It was the right time to score, it wasn’t really our half. But to nick a goal before half-time was great for the team and gave us a platform to win the game.”
It was an entertaining first-45 with prolific veteran Stephen Dobbie blowing a big chance inside the Hibs box when he skewed an effort well over the bar when a more composed attempt would surely have yielded the opener.
Joe Newell had a strike cleared off the line by Willie Gibson before Queen’s goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson earned his wage with a fine stop to keep out Martin Boyle. The Australian hared down the line and into the box, lashing a low drive goalward only to see it parried by Ferguson and knocked clear.
When the goal did come for Hibs it was scrappy, but Doidge won’t have minded too much.
An in-swinging Boyle corner landed at the feet of Kevin Nisbet whose first-time effort bounced back off Alex Gogic before eventually finding the big striker. He slotted it into the bottom corner.
Rhys McCabe then curled a terrific free-kick which cannoned off the crossbar before the break but after the restart it was all Hibs again. Josh Doig had a drive at goal which flashed just wide while Jackson Irvine sent a header inches over.
Connor Shields was desperately close to adding to his impressive goal tally this season from a rare Queen’s break but his first-time half-volley was expertly tipped wide by Arsenal loanee Matt Macey. But it was unfortunate for the hosts when Hibs broke down the other end and Doidge doubled his tally with a slick finish one-on-one.
Boyle then tucked the ball home for Hibs’ third as they threatened to run riot. Nisbet played a clever through-ball into his path and his dinked finish nestled in the corner of the net.
Rangers loan youngster James Maxwell poked home a consolation after a lovely piece of skill to slip marker Paul Hanlon before Doidge was denied a hat-trick with a header cleared off the line.
Allan Johnston, the Queens boss, was disappointed not to have a penalty before Hibs’ second when Dobbie went down under a Newell challenge. He said: “From where we were there was contact. I’m not sure how much, he’s put him the wrong way with a bit of skill, and they’ve broke up the park and we’ve not defended well enough. But it’s a big moment.”