Danny’s on Swan for Hibs
Captain David Gray made his long-awaited injury comeback as Danny Swanson inspired Hibs to a 2- 0 friendly victory against Linlithgow Rose.
The 30-year- old hasn’t played since suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during a match against Willem II in January, as part of the Hibees’ winter training camp in the Algarve.
However, he showed no signs of rustiness as he climbed from the bench yesterday to play a crucial role against the Rosey Posey.
Gray teed up the opening goal for fellow second-half sub Swanson after 52 minutes.
He slipped a neat pass to the playmaker who curled a clinical ef for t beyond Gar y Maley, Livingston’s back-up goalie last season who was turning out as a trialist for the Prestonfield club.
As the sun beat down, Swanson was the man who really shone.
He bagged a brace in the dying embers when he met a slick Oli Shaw cut-back to fizz a low drive into the net from 18 yards.
Hibs head coach Neil Lennon beat a hast y retreat in the aftermath of the victory, failing to speak to the assembled media and leaving questions regarding the club’s reported interest in Preston winger Daryl Horgan unanswered.
Instead, it was left to Linlithgow boss Mark Bradley to lavish praise on his players.
He revealed that Lennon’s swift exit was nothing compared to former East Fife and Alloa defender John Ovenstone, another Rose trialist, who had to be replaced on the hour-mark so he could start his shift as a fireman.
He said: “John played for us before, I signed him, but he hasn’t kicked a ball for nine months!
“We had to take him off because he had to get to his work! He’s a fireman and he had to get himself to Glenrothes for the start of his shift. So we didn’t have much choice with that substitution, but it’s great that he turned up.
“It was a makeshift team we had out there - we had to call in some favours from former players but it was a great occasion and we got a lot out of it.”
As Hibs step up preparations for their Europa League clash against NSI Runavik at Easter Road on July 12, there can be little doubt that they deserved to emerge from their maiden pre-season outing with a comfortable victory. striker admitted: “It was a big decision to make this step.
“I’ll be honest, it was attractive to just keep playing and it’s something I was going back and forwards on.
“You do it for 22 years ... wake in the morning, go to training, do what you’re told, do the session, get changed, go home. “You’re a soldier. “Now I have to make that step with a staff, decide what to do, when to do it and how it’s going to happen. It’s a big step.
“It was all part of the scary aspect of making the step and not just being a player.
“It would have been the easy call, the safer call.
“But I’ve not jumped into it lightly. I’ve spoken to a lot of people – most of whom have told me I can’t do it!
“I didn’t make the decision based on proving them wrong but for every 25 people saying I couldn’t, there was maybe