GOLD REEKIE Hibees hit Accies for six to stay hot on the heels of their Edinburgh rivals at the top
Their city rivals have hogged most of the limelight so far.
But H ibs mig ht jus t grab some for t hems e l v e s after they crept up on Hearts at the top of the Premiership. Until now, all the talk has been about the Tynecastle side and their unbeaten league charge this season. Some people, including Rangers boss Steven Gerrard, even reckon the Jambos are credible title challengers.
But what about Neil Lennon's Easter Road outfit?
After this thumping win over Hamilton Accies – it was in the bag by half- time – they are now just two points off their Edinburgh neighbours.
And thanks to a Stevie Mallan double and goals from Martin Boyle, Emerson Hyndman, Florian Kamberi and Matt Kilgallon's OG, they now find themselves four clear of Celtic and six ahead of Gers.
The Hibees have gone under the radar but that might be about to change for Lennon's men.
They were solid at the back, industrious and creative in the midfield and ruthless up front to give their rivals at the top food for thought.
But delighted gaffer Lennon had some sympathy for opposite number Martin Canning.
He said: “A result like that has been coming. We've been dominating games and creating lots of chances.
“It's very pleasing that the players have been rewarded for what has been a really good run of form. “And there's more to come. I could analyse certain things – at times we were a bit sloppy and picked the wrong pass - but being critical would be nit-picking. “I just hope all the boys come back after the break f it and ready because we'll be tested a lot more now. I feel for Martin because I've been there with Celtic.
“I remember in Barcelona we were 3- 0 down at half-time and I told Charlie Mulgrew to go on and stop the bleeding. But it was 4- 0 after 46 minutes!
“Martin has done an amazing job, he's got results they really shouldn't be getting. It was just unfortunate for them to be facing us in that form today.”
Canning will look back on Rakish Bingham's early chance as a pivotal moment.
A rare piece of slack defending by Hibs allowed the Englishman space in the box but keeper Adam Bogdan denied him the opener.
From then on, there was only going to be one winner.
A huge part of Hibs' success last term was the mix in their midfield with Dylan McGeouch, John McGinn and Scott Allan.
With all three off the premises, Lennon has somehow managed to re-create it with new signings in his engine room.
Mike Milligan doesn't have the passing ability of McGeouch but he is more defensively disciplined and adept at breaking up opposition play.
Mallan might lack the energy and tenacity of a McGinn – but his range of passing and goal return has given Hibs a new dimension. And in Bournemouth loanee Hyndman, Lennon has found a creative force similar to Allan who can open up defences.
That blend was crucial again yesterday as they gradual ly picked Accies apart.
Boyle, on a high after his call up to the Australia national team, broke the deadlock by stabbing a shot in to the top corner after a Hyndman effort was blocked.
He should have bagged a second just a minute later but he fizzed one wide after Kamberi's tee-up.
After Bingham's miss, Accies went into their shell and invited Hibs on to them.
Mallan made them pay with a curler from 20 yards which nestled in the top corner after Gary Woods got a hand to it.
Before the break, the game was put to bed by Hyndman.
Hamilton struggled to pick him up all afternoon and, after ghosting into the box, he converted a Boyle cut-back for Hibs' third.
Canning tried a change of shape in the second half in a bid to match up to Hibs but the Easter Road side were too good.
Kamberi should have made it four after carving out a chance for himself but keeper Woods thwarted him.
Unfortunately for Accies, he was picking the ball out of the net again with 20 minutes to go.
Mallan made it nine already for the season with yet another peach – keeping up his record of scoring every one of his goals from outside the box.
Sub Daryl Horgan almost made it f ive when Kilgallon cleared off the line but Kamberi made no mistake when he was sent clear by the Irishman.
Accies' humi liation was complete at the death when the big Swiss striker's effort was put into his own net by hapless defender Kilgallon.