Nisbet shines as Hibs edge Accies
THEY needed a response. You might even say they had a point to prove. And, against a Hamilton team at the wrong end of the Premiership table, Hibs delivered. Sort of.
Bouncing back from Sunday’s 3-0 loss to Celtic in Glasgow with a gritty 3-2 win, the Easter Road side conspired to make heavy weather of a game they had controlled for long spells. For most of this contest, they dominated just about every phase of play.
A Kevin Nisbet double and close-range header from Paul Hanlon should have seen them record a one-sided victory.
Yet, at 2-0 up, Ofir Marciano was required to save a Marius Ogkmpoe penalty.
And, even when 3-0 ahead, they couldn’t shake Accies off. When Ross Callachan put the second penalty of the game past the Hibs keeper with 15 minutes remaining, there was jut a flutter of unrest in the Hibs ranks.
An own goal by Ryan Porteous just over five minutes from the end of regulation time made the concluding stages far more nervous than they needed to be.
And so what might have been a 3-0 or 3-1 stroll turned into a five-goal thriller. Surprising just about everyone involved.
Hibs should have won this at a canter, having punished debut keeper Kyle Gourlay — only thrown into the starting line-up as a result of Ryan Fulton’s positive Covid test — with extreme prejudice.
The 22- year- old was badly exposed for the home team’s first and second goals.
And the former Dundee academy kid, who spent last season on loan at Elgin City, was given little protection by an Accies defence stretched to breaking point almost every time the home side got the ball.
Gourlay was pressed into action from the first whistle, the pick of his early stops a spectacular reaction save from Hanlon, who had awkwardly turned a Joe Newell in-swinging corner towards goal.
Hibs, having bombarded Accies in the opening ten minutes, would have been worth the lead even at that stage.
Martin Boyle had gone down claiming a penalty under the challenge of Shaun Want with barely 60 seconds on the clock.
And, but for a brilliant block by Hakeem Odoffin, the Australian international might have opened the scoring moments later.
The inevitable breakthrough came with just 19 minutes on the clock, the die cast the moment Odoffin hauled down a breaking Boyle just outside the 18-yard box.
Nisbet’s right-footed free-kick didn’t appear to go around the Hamilton wall, the striker simply hammering his effort towards the goalkeeper’s side of the goal. From that range, his effort simply had too much power for Gourlay.
Hibs were now hitting Accies from all angles, the sight of centrehalf Hanlon popping up on the left wing to play give-and-go passes a sign of their dominance. A second goal surely had to come.
When Newell played in a left-footed cross from the right with just over ten minutes of the first half remaining, Nisbet did not squander the chance.
Rising in front of his marker, he sent a glancing header in off the bar via the not overly strong hand of Gourlay.
The keeper made some amends 60 s econds l ater, s t opping Christian Doidge in a one-on-one.
Hibs continued to threaten after the break, with the introduction of Melker Hallberg for the injured Newell not doing much to interrupt their rhythm.
Accies also made a change at half-time, Brian Rice looking to Ogkmpoe — on for the ineffectual Andrew Winter — to inject a bit of life into his attack.
The substitute did just that with barely ten minutes of the second half gone, playing an excellent one- two with Templeton and driving into the box.
Paul McGinn clattered the striker from behind, desperately trying to prevent a shot, and left Bobby Madden with no choice but to award a penalty.
Ogkmpoe hit his penalty well, if not with total conviction. It was never going to be enough to beat Marciano, who dived to his left and pushed the low effort away.
Nisbet was close to completing his hat-trick just after the hour mark, Gourlay making a solid save with his leg.
But he was beaten with ease moments later, Hanlon leaping to head home f rom close range after a Hallberg free-kick had been nodded into the danger area by the dominant Doidge.
That was that, right? Not quite. First Munro was taken down inside the box, giving Callachan his chance from the spot.
Then Porteous somehow sent a looping header beyond Marciano.
Hibs held on to their lead but it should have been so much easier.
HIBERNIAN (4-4-2): Marciano; McGinn, Porteous, Hanlon, Stevenson; Boyle, Gogic, Newell (Hallberg 45), Murphy (Wright 77); Nisbet (Mallan 85), Doidge. Subs not used: Barnes, Gray, Gullan, McGregor, Doig, Shanley. Booked: McGinn. HAMILTON (4-4-1-1): Gourlay; Hodson, Odoffin, Want (Munro 15), McMann; Hamilton, Collar, Martin (Owalabi 64), Callachan; Templeton (C Smith 73); Winter (Ogkmpoe 45). Subs not used: Scully, Stirling, Trafford, Mimnaugh, Moyo.
Booked: Odoffin, Callachan. Referee: Bobby Madden. Man of the match: Kevin Nisbet.