HARDENED HIBS
Lennon’s troops shake off the ‘boy band’ tag to dig out victory
ASKED for his views on the myriad Hibs teams he’d faced down the years upon being appointed manager last year, Neil Lennon’s retort required no further explanation.
‘Boy bands,’ he answered succinctly. Even the hard of understanding caught his drift. Too many one-game wonders. Too many fancy haircuts and flash cars. A lack of mental fortitude and consistency.
This was classic banana skin territory for the men from Leith. In years gone by, a pulsating victory over Dundee United under the lights would have been followed by a slip-up against a lesser team at a lesser venue.
Little wonder the Northern Irishman punched the air after Kris Commons’ sweet strike had allowed his side to extend their lead at the top of the Championship to six points. This was the kind of grind that wins titles. A test too many in green and white would have failed in years past. Dumbarton were dogged, well-drilled and determined to add Hibs to their list of scalps. All they lacked was some cutting edge.
In Lewis Vaughan, Stevie Aitken had the best player on the field. On loan from Raith Rovers until the summer, he did everything bar find a way past Hibs keeper Ross Laidlaw, who has also temporarily moved away from Kirkcaldy.
The telling moment of the match came when the diminutive 21-year-old hurdled a string of tackles to go clear on goal. Laidlaw’s sprawl at his feet was timed to perfection.
‘He was desperate to score,’ Laidlaw smiled. ‘He was at Raith at the same time as me last season after he did his cruciate, so I spent a lot of time with him.’
To a man, the Sons would have been proud of their unstinting efforts but aggrieved that they didn’t eke out the point they probably deserved.
There would have been no need for the fingernails of the travelling hordes to have been bitten to the quick had their side taken one of a number of half-chances.
Commons’ controlled half-volley on 14 minutes ought to have been the cue for others to follow suit but Martin Boyle and Chris Humphrey seemed intent on putting their manager through the wringer.
‘You know when you go to Dumbarton they are going to put crosses in, so I was pleased to keep the clean sheet,’ Laidlaw reflected.
‘The three points were the most important thing. Dumbarton have beaten Dundee United and Falkirk here, so they’re a hard team to beat.
‘It was massive that United drew. The gaffer said that sometimes you aren’t going to go out and play pretty football, you need to come to these places and just grind out a result. So to come in and hear that United had dropped points again gives us momentum.
‘There’s still a long way to go, but it’s massive to come here and get the points. Sometimes it isn’t about the performance, it’s just about getting the points and that was the case today.’
Dumbarton will play worse and win games this season. There was much to admire about Aitken’s side beyond the diligence and organisation that usually comes with part-time teams these days. A willingness to go toe-to-toe with sides like Hibernian was both admirable and hugely effective.
Indeed, that commitment to playing the game in a style that would shame many a Premiership side was key to securing the services of an eye-catching talent such as Vaughan for the remainder of the campaign.
‘The manager has been brilliant since I’ve come in,’ said the 21-year-old.
‘I think he’s a great manager. You can see how well he’s done here. I could see him going to a bigger club in the future.’
The same might be said of Vaughan. Blessed with quick feet and an eye for a pass, the Edinburgh-born midfielder is relishing putting the horrors of a serious knee injury behind him.
‘I was out for a long time last season and I just want to score goals and have fun. I certainly did that today,’ he added.
‘The injury was one of the worst things I’ve done in my life.
‘At times you do think: “What’s the point?” but it’s worth it for days like that when big clubs come to a wee place like this.’ DUMBARTON (4-5-1): Martin 6; Smith 6, Barr 6, Buchanan 6, Harvie 6; Thomson 6 (Nade 69), Carswell 6 (Lang 86), Docherty 6, Vaughan 8, Stirling 6; Fleming 6. Subs not used: Brown, McCallum. Booked: Smith. HIBERNIAN (4-2-3-1): Laidlaw 7; Gray 7, McGregor 7, Fontaine 7, Stevenson 7; Fyvie 6, Bartley 6; Humphrey 5 (McGinn 69), Commons 7 (Forster 79), Boyle 5; Cummings 7 (Holt 69). Subs not used: Marciano, Keatings, Shinnie, Graham. Booked: Gray, Bartley. Referee: Nick Walsh. Attendance: 2,000. Man of the match: Lewis Vaughan.