Brace just a bonus now that Boyle is back playing

ON the long, lonely and oftenfrustrating road back to fitness, this was precisely the sort of daydream that kept Martin Boyle dedicated to the cause.

Bagging his first two edinburgh derby goals, both absolute beauties, in a famous victory in enemy territory? takes some beating, right enough.

Boyle, who suffered back-to-back long-term injuries in the second half of last season and then early in the current campaign, admitted that he had been picturing just the sort of scenes he got to live yesterday.

‘Absolutely,’ he said. ‘I remember being injured and watching Daryl horgan do it (in the 2-1 win at tynecastle in April).

‘And you’re sitting in the stands thinking that’s an unbelievable moment.

‘this will live with me for a long time. Obviously, I have had a few chances (to score in the derby) before — and maybe I could have a scored a few. But thankfully it all came together today.’

After successive losses to Celtic and Rangers, hibernian needed a boost yesterday. And Boyle was quick to credit his team-mates — particularly target man Christian Doidge — for an improved all-round performance.

‘We have come off the back of two really tough games against two top sides who are challenging each other,’ said the Australian international, who opened the scoring in the sixth minute from a tweaked starting position up front.

‘We got off to a really good start with the early goal and the defence was brilliant, our midfield was really battling.

‘I was causing a nuisance in behind and Doidgy was running about, like he does, being a pest and winning his aerial battles — and it all clicked today.’

hibs boss Jack Ross was pleased that his two major selection decisions, recalling Darren McGregor for the suspended Ryan Porteous and playing versatile winger Boyle through the middle as a striker, paid off.

‘Martin has been really good since I came into the job,’ said Ross (pictured). ‘I was fortunate that it coincided with his return to full fitness. We have used him in different roles and today was the first time we have used him through the middle.

‘We thought that would suit what we would come up against. People talk about him being quick and offering that threat, which he does, but he’s also a good footballer and he’s a terrific finisher — and I think he showed that with his two goals.

‘If you look at the number of times he got caught offside, I didn’t mind it — because I wanted him on the shoulder, playing in behind.

‘It’s different to what we’ve done in recent weeks. But you saw the threat he carries with the two goals. Wherever he plays, he’s a threat.

‘Picking Darren was another big decision for us. the two decisions were where to play Martin and whether we could bring Darren back in, with him having not played since the first game of the season.

‘But I think he thrives on these occasions. And, looking at what we would face and the threat posed by the opposition, we thought he would be right for it — and he didn’t disappoint. ‘From minute one, he was really, really good. It means a lot to him, naturally. ‘But he enjoyed every minute of that.’