Visitors come down like a Ton of bricks
GREENOCK MORTON’S last visit to Easter Road proved the catalyst for a collapse which ultimately condemned Hibernian to a third consecutive season in the Ladbrokes Championship.
Six months on and the same fixture should serve as a potent statement of intent.
The hosts turned in a clinical showing against their visitors, with Andrew Shinnie, Grant Holt and Brian Graham all opening their accounts in Hibs colours.
In a day of firsts, there was one moment of predictability, with Jason Cummings netting his customary goal to make it six in five appearances for the in-demand attacker.
It could not have been further from Morton’s previous outing in Leith, when they registered a 3-0 victory which sent Hibs into a dismal tailspin, winning just one of their next seven league matches.
This, however, is already looking like a very different side under Neil Lennon.
“It was very good, a superb performance,” lauded Lennon. “I’ve said before, that has been coming.
“I’m happy – and it take a lot to make me happy! We had four goals, with four different goalscorers, against a team who were unbeaten coming here and defensively very solid.
“I wouldn’t say we are the finished article by any means but I’ve no complaints or criticisms after that.”
The win took Lennon’s side above Raith Rovers at the top but the Fifers showed great resilience to hold on to second spot by overcoming a two-goal deficit to force a 2-2 draw against Dundee United at Tannadice.
A strike from distance by Willo Flood gave the home side the lead and Cammie Smith doubled the advantage from the spot midway through the first half after Declan McManus fouled Flood.
Jordan Thompson pulled a goal back for Raith before half-time with a superb volley. Rovers completed the comeback when Kevin McHattie scored a brilliant equaliser.
Derek Lyle scored his 100th career goal for Queen of the South to give his team a 1-0 win over Dunfermline at East End Park.
Lyle must have thought it was not going to be his afternoon when his early free-kick struck both posts and came out. But he scored what proved to be the winner with his fifth of the season shortly before the break. Pars finished with 10 men when Jason Talbot was sent off for a wild challenge.
Falkirk secured their first league win but huffed and puffed before Lee Miller scrambled the winning goal with four minutes left at home to Dumbarton.
At Somerset Park, Tom Walsh struck for St Mirren with a minute left to deny Ayr their opening league win. His header gave St Mirren a point after the hosts had led through a 14th-minute Jamie Adams header.