5 THINGS WE LEARNED LAST NIGHT

1 IT is easy to forget that Hibs are still a newly-promoted team. Yet Neil Lennon’s men are poised to throw a spanner in the works and catch an Aberdeen side whose form has started to falter. After last night’s victory, Hibs now sit just one point behind the Dons, who travel to face Partick Thistle this afternoon. Lennon’s side can also boast a 12-point lead over Hearts, which rather makes a mockery of Craig Levein’s ‘natural order’ comments. 2 SCOTLAND have hardly been short of goalkeepers over recent years, but the form of Jon McLaughlin is surely deserving of recognition. Alex McLeish was at Easter Road last night and McLaughlin certainly did himself no harm, with a fine save to deny Jamie Maclaren in the second half being his standout contribution. Will Scotland boss McLeish select the Hearts No 1 when he names his first squad on Monday? 3 HE is never going to be everyone’s cup of tea due to his touchline antics, but the facts remains that Lennon is a heck of a manager. Tactically astute, he left his normal 4-4-2 in favour of a 3-5-2 last night which allowed Hibs to boss the middle of the park. 4 FOR all the progress that Hearts have made, there is a danger their season could yet fizzle out due to a crippling injury list. Arnaud Djoum won’t kick another ball this season due to a snapped Achilles. Jamie Brandon is another long-term casualty. The young full-back has ruptured his cruciate and will be lucky to play again this calendar year. Since joining on loan from Manchester United, Demetri Mitchell looked a tidy operator at left-back, only for his campaign to be ended due to a knee injury. Harry Cochrane now looks to be the latest addition to the treatment room, after the 16-year-old departed early with what appeared to be a pulled hamstring. 5 HE doesn’t get the headlines of a John McGinn or a Scott Allan, but there is a reason why Martin Boyle is so popular with Hibs fans. Boyle’s pace is an invaluable weapon. And it doesn’t seem to matter where he plays, with his versatility allowing Lennon to deploy him as a striker, a winger, or, in last night’s case, as a right wing-back.