BART DIMSON
Jags OG has Lenny in Springfield of dreams
up after a fallout, was inches from getting on the end of it. But it was the Jags who went closest to breaking the deadlock with Blair Spittal ’s free- kick heading for the bottom corner until Marciano did brilliantly to get down and scramble it clear. The Hibs keeper was again the saviour moments later when Chris Erskine was clean through after a one-two with Spittal only to be denied by the big Israeli. Ref Craig Thomson faced a similar spot-kick shout to the controversial one he awarded Celtic’s Scott Sinclair in last Sunday’s Betfred Cup Final. This time Murray fell under Niall Keown’s challenge but Thomson rightly waved away the visitors’ claims. Lennon gathered his players in a huddle when they emerged for the second half a nd ju s t three minutes later they were hugging in celebration at an opener laced with luck.
Stokes hit a free-kick into the wall and the rebound fell to Lewis Stevenson who floated a ball into the box where Barton’s header crept inside the post as wrongfooted Cerny slipped.
Lennon said: “They may have responded more to what I said in the dressing room.
“We were on top for the last 20 minutes of the first half.
“But you don’t win games on possession and territory. We looked a bit tentative in front of goal and it was not good enough.
“We needed the goal but that’s now two great performances away from home so I’m delighted.”
Thistle threw on Kris Doolan on the hour as they chased an equaliser and the sub almost grabbed it when Storey picked him out but Marciano saved brilliantly with his feet. Spittal then went close on a couple of occasions but Hibs held out. It wasn’t a classic and that was summed up by the fact it took an own goal to settle the game with the unfortunate Adam Barton’s header the difference.