Sublime Hibs leave Lennon feeling fine
HIBERNIAN crushed Queen of the South at Easter Road to move three points clear at the top of the Championship.
In a commanding performance brimming with style and purpose, goals from Brian Graham, an own goal from Chris Higgins, David Gray and Martin Boyle sealed an emphatic victory for Neil Lennon’s side.
‘In my time as a manager, at any club, this was one of the best performances I’ve seen from a team — against any opposition,’ said a delighted Lennon.
‘It could have been double the final scoreline. We looked powerful and the quality of our football was superb.
‘I don’t think there would be many teams in the country, bar maybe the really top ones, who could have lived with us in this kind of form.’
Despite Lennon admitting in midweek that McGinn requires surgery on a niggling injury to his left ankle, the Hibs midfielder played through the pain barrier yesterday and was at his dynamic best.
‘If John’s not 100-per-cent fit, then I would love to see him when he is,’ added Lennon. ‘He set the tone for everything we did. He was brilliant.’
It was McGinn’s powerful running that helped create the opening goal on eight minutes. After his progress had come to a clattering conclusion courtesy of a robust intervention from Jake Pickard, the subsequent free-kick from Andrew Shinnie was poorly dealt with by the Queens defence.
The ball broke for Darren McGregor, whose shot was blocked on the line by Grant Anderson. But Graham pounced to thump the rebound high into the net from close range.
Queens, who are without a league victory since mid-September, were very poor — but they did almost equalise on the half-hour mark when Mark Millar’s free-kick hit the post.
That was as close as they came to restoring parity and Hibs duly doubled their advantage on 42 minutes.
Shinnie’s corner found its way to McGinn at the back post and he drove a netbound left-footed shot towards goal. The ball deflected off Queens defender Higgins, but it would be unfair to deny McGinn the goal as it looked to be heading in regardless.
Hibs skipper Gray then made it 3-0 on 52 minutes, poking home from close range after Queens had made a mess of clearing McGinn’s corner.
The scoreline could have been anything Hibs wanted it to be from this point. The only small mercy for Queens was that they only conceded just the one more goal, Boyle finally hitting the target to thump a powerful shot past Lee Robinson on 64 minutes.
It was a perfect afternoon for Hibs, whose next match is a trip to face second-placed Dundee United at Tannadice on Friday, December 2.
Queens caretaker boss Jim Thomson said: ‘We made far too many individual mistakes. You can’t do that and get away with it at a place like Easter Road.’