IT’S SEALED WITH A HUG
Duffy and Lennon call a truce after
THERE may have been a spate of handshakes, cuddles and apologies before and after kick-off, but this was not exactly an afternoon overflowing with kind hearts and bonhomie.
There was too much at stake for everything to be sweetness and light, too much of an edge on a day Hibs stumbled closer to the Championship title with their 13th draw this season — their third in four games — after Jason Cummings’ opener was cancelled out by a Lawrence Shankland penalty.
No punches were thrown, no leg-breaking tackles put in, no red cards for headbutts later to be rescinded. But as Hibs boss Neil Lennon admitted when combing over the debris from that unsightly brawl at Easter Road 11 days ago, he is not the type to back down and was hardly going to spend the afternoon out of sight and sitting on his hands.
Referee Bobby Madden left him furious, failing to award a firsthalf penalty at 0-0 for a clear Mark Russell handball when Lewis Stevenson had been punished for the same offence against Dunfermline last week.
At the final whistle, he made a bee-line for Madden and ignored a handshake from Andy Murdoch — for which, he later apologised in person to the former Rangers midfielder.
After making his point to Madden, he stomped back off. He had been the subject of attention from Morton goalkeeping coach David Wylie during the 90 minutes. Wylie waited on the touchline and extended his hand.
Lennon blanked him completely, attracting another mouthful.
In the meantime, Hibs directors had raised issues with their hosts over abuse they’d been receiving in the stand. It did not quite seem like everyone had agreed to let bygones be bygones.
For Lennon and his opposite number Jim Duffy, though, all that talk of square-goes and acting like 12-year-olds does appear to have been put to bed.
Duffy was certainly waiting for the Northern Irishman when he arrived in Greenock at 1.40pm.
The Morton boss stood on the park as Lennon walked along the Main Stand side of the pitch with players and staff, head bowed.
Duffy extended his hand, Lennon accepted it warmly and smiles were followed by a hug. When the dust had settled and Lennon’s criticism of Madden subsided, they got together again as the seagulls swooped around the empty stadium for another embrace and, this time, a lighthearted word.
John McGinn missed a golden chance 17 minutes in when he shot wide from close range after Brian Graham’s knockdown.
Nine minutes later, Lennon had to pop a piece of chewing gum in his mouth and bite down hard after Russell had been let off the hook for blocking a Martin Boyle cross with hands raised.
To suggest, then, that Lennon war of words
enjoyed his team’s opening goal is an understatement. To suggest Morton’s backroom staff didn’t is underplaying things a little, too.
Jamie Lindsay had been off the field for treatment. Morton couldn’t get him back on the field and when a Darren McGregor header straight back upfield bounced through, Cummings got in behind Tam O’Ware and shot across keeper Derek Gaston.
Lennon stood at the edge of his technical area, raised fist, roaring. The outpourings of anger were from the other dugout. Wylie moved towards Hibernian territory to say something, but, mercifully, the tension did not escalate.
McGregor’s tackle that led to Morton’s equalising penalty on 66 minutes turned a comfortable afternoon into something unnecessarily fraught.
Jamie McDonagh was just on the pitch, taking a pass from fellow substitute Shankland inside the area with his first touch and moving away from goal. He was going nowhere, really, but McGregor gave Madden no option but to point to the spot with a clumsy and needless tackle.
Shankland sent Ofir Marciano the wrong way. It should have sent up a thrilling finale. In truth, it didn’t. Hibs are a point closer to their goal. Morton, looking a little weary perhaps, are likely to have to settle for the play-offs.