DOIDGE BACK IN GROOVE AS HIBS CRUISE IT
QOS 1 Maxwell 80 HIBERNIAN 3 Doidge 42, 67, Boyle 70
HIBERNIAN striker Christian Doidge has rediscovered his goalscoring touch at the perfect time with his double ensuring there would be no Scottish Cup shock at Palmerston.
The Easter Road side are striving to end the campaign on a high by securing third place in the Premiership and getting their hands on the Scottish Cup.
And they moved a step closer to the latter as victory over Queen of the South sealed their passage into the last 16 of the competition and an away day at Stranraer.
Doidge ended a 15-game scoring drought when he found the back of the net in Hibs’ previous outing against Livingston — and he followed that up by hitting the opener just before the interval and completing his brace in the second half.
Martin Boyle scored the third before James Maxwell earned a consolation for Queens with a wonderful solo goal.
Home boss Allan Johnston went with the same starting line-up that secured the club’s first win at Tynecastle for 58 years just recently.
Hibs made one change to the side which drew 1-1 with Livingston prior to the international break, with goalkeeper Matt Macey coming in for his third outing of the campaign instead of Ofir Marciano, who only arrived back from international duty with Israel on Saturday.
Hibs carved out an early chance as Doidge rolled a cutback into the path of Joe Newell. The midfielder didn’t break stride as he unleashed a powerful drive, which was blocked by Willie Gibson on his 550th professional appearance.
Queens then asked some questions of the Hibs defence as a Rhys Breen flick-on from a long throw by Rhys McCabe fell for Stephen Dobbie at the far post.
However, the striker was off target as he blazed a shot over.
Then Connor Shields darted down the left to latch on to a Dobbie flick, but, as he moved into the penalty area Paul Hanlon got across to snuff out the danger. Shields’ shot came off the Hibs captain and looped harmlessly into Macey’s arms.
Home keeper Rohan Ferguson pulled off an outstanding save to deny Boyle the opener. The lightning-quick Hibs star was played in on goal by a clever Jackson Irvine through ball, but Ferguson showed great reflexes to get a hand to the winger’s powerful shot and got a slice of luck as it spun round the post.
Boyle was a threat again shortly afterwards. His low cross was cleared, but only as far as new Scotland cap Kevin Nisbet, whose shot on the volley went just wide.
Three minutes before the interval, though, the visitors made the breakthrough.
Ferguson came for the ball but was unable to get anything on Boyle’s inswinging corner and Gibson’s header landed at Nisbet’s feet. The striker’s shot struck his team-mate Alex Gogic but broke into the path of Doidge, who stabbed the ball home from close range.
McCabe then came close to an equaliser as his curling free-kick from 25-yards struck the outside of the post.
Hibs pushed for a second after the half-time break with Nisbet and Boyle both trying their luck from distance without success.
From a Newell corner, Irvine’s flicked header was blocked by Gibson and, when the ball fell for Josh Doig on the edge of the area, his well-struck shot went just wide.
Irvine was next to have a go as he bustled his way to the edge of the penalty area only for his shot to be pushed over by Ferguson.
Queens were then denied an equaliser by a wonderful save from Macey. Dobbie played a glorious ball over the top of the Hibs defence for Shields. His first-time shot from the edge of the area had Macey at full stretch and he turned it round the post.
The home side then had an appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Willie Collum when Dobbie tumbled under pressure from Newell.
And Queens could only watch in despair as Hibs broke up the park to score their second through Doidge. Newell played in the Welshman, who timed his run to perfection and calmly slotted past Ferguson in the 67th minute.
Three minutes later, any chance of a Scottish Cup upset was over as Nisbet played in Boyle and the winger made no mistake with his deftly flicked finish.
Queens kept pushing and Maxwell, on loan from Rangers, scored the goal of the night as he surged forward, leaving Hibs players trailing in his wake, nutmegged Hanlon and then slotted past Macey.
Doidge came close to a hat-trick when hitting the post with a header late on.
QUEEN OF THE SOUTH (5-3-2): Ferguson 6; Gibson 6, Obileye 7, Buchanan 7, Breen 6, Maxwell 7; Joseph 5 (Jones 56), McCabe 7, Dickson 6; Shields 6 (Mebude 76), Dobbie 6 (McKee 76). Subs not used: Leighfield, Fitzpatrick, Goss, McGrory, East, McMahon. Booked: None.
HIBERNIAN: (3-2-3-2): Macey 7; McGinn 6, Porteous 6, Hanlon 6; Gogic 7, Newell 8; Boyle 8 (Cadden 78), Irvine 7 (Magennis 75), Doig 6; Doidge 8 (Wright 86), Nisbet 6.
Subs not used: Dadrowski, Gray, Stevenson, Hallberg, McGregor, Bradley.
Booked: Hanlon. Man of the match: Joe Newell. Referee: Willie Collum.