Cummings treble just not enough
JASON CUMMINGS took full advantage of his SFA reprieve to net a maiden career hat-trick, but Hibernian still contrived to throw away two points against Falkirk at Easter Road.
A three-man SFA fast-track panel found the case against the player ‘not proven’ on Thursday after he was accused of aiming an offensive gesture at Hearts fans during last weekend’s derby draw at Tynecastle — a charge which would have seen him handed a one-match ban.
And how he took advantage of his eligibility, showing a wonderful instinctive streak by netting a first-half treble.
His first goal was a neat curling effort from just inside the box, his second was a close-range flick after Liam Fontaine directed a header towards goal and his 42-minute treble was completed when he converted a Martin Boyle cross.
Cummings’ vital statistics now read: six in four matches and 12 goals for the season.
‘It was very frustrating,’ admitted Hibs head coach Alan Stubbs. ‘At 3-1, we were in total command of the game but we have to defend set-pieces much better than we did.
‘If we were cut open then you can accept that more than a couple of hopeful balls into the box that we didn’t deal with.
‘That is the most disappointing thing.
‘We haven’t been beaten, but this certainly feels like a defeat.’
Stubbs’ anger was entirely justified.
But for a complete inability to defend a simple cross ball, Cummings’ treble would have been enough to ensure a routine three points.
John Baird’s first-half goal, which temporarily brought the score to 1-1, was a case in point, with one of Scottish football’s smallest strikers ghosting into the box completely unmarked to head past Mark Oxley.
Peter Grant forced a Craig Sibbald corner towards goal and Hibs skipper Liam Craig skewed the ball over his own line after 58 minutes to bring the visitors to within a goal of the Easter Road men.
And Grant, taking his tally for the season to three, was first to react to a deep Mark Kerr free-kick, controlling the ball at the far post and shooting past Oxley, who found himself badly out of position after coming for the initial cross.
‘The character shown to come back from 3-1 at Easter Road was fantastic,’ said Bairns boss Peter Houston. ‘But I’m frustrated we didn’t nick a win.’