Lennon delighted with Hibs’ retu rn to top fligh t

HIBS aren’t yet up there with Celtic yet, but Neil Lennon quoted his old Parkhead boss Martin O’Neill after watching his side return to the top flight with a victory.

He said: “As my old manager used to say, we were astonishingly brilliant.

“We are looking like a big club again.

“We made a really poor start. You can get a little bit drowsy with the atmosphere and all the pomp beforehand. The reaction from the team was fantastic and I thought we dominated the game.

“We’ve beaten a very good team, so I’ve got to be thrilled with that.”

It looked like the Hibees might be suffering first-day jitters when they went behind early on.

A bumper crowd acclaiming the unfurling of the Championship title flag seemed to leave the home players a little stunned. Thistle capitalised on the lethargy and took the lead.

It was nicely created and finished – a precise pass by Lawless and a clever turn and shot from Erskine.

Then John McGinn took the game by the scruff of the neck.

Thistle couldn’t cope with his running power and although his intended pass didn’t get delivered cleanly, the ball ricocheted into the path of Martin Boyle.

He fired the ball past Cerny to put Hibs on level terms.

Steven Whittaker, back at Easter Road after a ten-year absence, got the goal that put his side on the road to victory.

A flick with the outside of his right foot sent the ball spinning into the net.

There was a feeling Simon Murray might have got a touch but Whittaker was claiming it.

Murray – a strong-running focal point for Neil Lennon’s men – scored from the penalty spot after Boyle was tripped by Booth just after the break.

If Whittaker had any doubts about returning to Hibs, then scoring in front of a crowd in excess of 17,000 will have dispelled them immediately. He said: “We have a few lads still looking for match sharpness, so hopefully we’re going to get stronger.

“The crowd were fantastic and it was great we were able to give them something to enjoy.

“Being an Edinburgh boy, I always thought it would be nice to come back some day. I might be 33 now but I’m still looking to play every week.

“There’s been a good feeling in the club over the last couple of seasons and we’re looking to keep that momentum.

“Hibs have a great support and we have the foundations to be one of the biggest clubs in Scotland.”

Rangers manager boss Pedro Caixinha watched from the stand and must have been impressed by the Hibs team his men will face at Ibrox on Saturday.

Thistle had a couple of brief flurries later in the match but they were very much the supporting act.

Firhill boss Alan Archibald was far from happy. He said: “I’m disappointed with the reaction after we lost the first goal.

“Our decision-making and passing was really slack and invited unnecessary pressure.

“We need to get signings in immediately and have space for two forward-thinking players.”