13 Hibs goals since 1996 to rival Martin Boyle's screamer

Alan Stubbs described Martin Boyle's strike against Livingston as 'the goal of the season' and it's hard to argue, such was the quality of it. However, how does it rate among other screamers scored by Hibees in the past 20 years? We take a look down memory lane at 13 other Easter Road net-busters since 1996 that can rival Boyle's goal.
Chic Charnley celebrates with Jim Duffy after scoring from his own half against Alloa. Picture: TSPLChic Charnley celebrates with Jim Duffy after scoring from his own half against Alloa. Picture: TSPL
Chic Charnley celebrates with Jim Duffy after scoring from his own half against Alloa. Picture: TSPL

• CHIC CHARNLEY (v Alloa Athletic, August 9, 1997)

Anything David Beckham could do, Chic Charnley could do better. Almost a year after Beckham scored from the half-way line against Wimbledon for Manchester United, Charnley picked the ball up in a League Cup tie just inside his own half and hit a marvellous lob over Alloa goalkeeper Keith McCulloch. It was an outrageous bit of skill. The only tragedy is that the TV cameras weren’t there to capture the strike.

• PAT McGINLAY (v Kilmarnock, August 23, 1997)

It wasn’t quite as good as Charnley’s strike a few weeks beforehand, but Pat McGinlay didn’t want to be left out of the long-range strike club as he fired in a 45-yard lob over poor Kilmarnock keeper Dragoje Lekovic in a 4-0 hammering of the Ayrshire men.

• RUSSELL LATAPY (v Hearts, October 22, 2000)

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You could pick one or two goals from Hibs’ finest derby win of recent times, but the final strike was a delightful goal. With the Hearts defence in tatters, Russell Latapy picked the ball up, turned Grant Murray inside out, before playing a one-two with Mixu Paatelainen and thrashing the ball high beyond Jambos keeper Antti Niemi for Hibs’ sixth of the night.

• DEREK RIORDAN (v Hearts, February 15, 2004)

Riordan scored a fair number of belters at Easter Road over the years, but we reckon this one is the pick of them. Kevin Thomson found Riordan out on the left-flank and the forward cut in onto his right foot and sent a stunning 25-yard shot past the outstretched Hearts keeper Craig Gordon.

• DOMINIQUE MALONGA (v Aberdeen, September 23, 2015)

The mercurial Malonga could blow hot and cold, but when he was on form, he was a joy to watch. With Aberdeen pressing for an equaliser in this season’s League Cup tie, John McGinn played the ball to the Congolese striker on the half-way line. Malonga moved forward, holding off the attentions of Ash Taylor, before side-stepping Shay Logan and then calmly slotting beyond keeper Danny Ward. It was a goal that sent Easter Road wild.

• DAVID GRAY (v Rangers, December 27, 2014)

It’s not often a right-back scored a contender for goal of the season, but this one was right up there. Gray’s goal was the catalyst for a 4-0 thumping of the Gers. His strike, with the outside of his right foot from 22-yards out, flew past Steve Simonsen and into the top corner of the net. Gray won’t score a better one in his career.

• FRANCK SAUZEE (v Morton, April 24, 1999)

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The penultimate home game of Hibs’ title-winning season in the First Division was illuminated by a magnificent goal from the Frenchman. Russell Latapy, instead of swinging in a corner kick from the left-hand side, fired the ball out to the edge of the box, where an unmarked Sauzee volleyed the ball into the net. It had shades of Paul Scholes’ famous strike for Man Utd against Bradford in 2000. He must’ve been watching Sauzee the season before ...

• MICHAEL STEWART (v Aberdeen, January 18, 2007)

Another volley from outside the box – and it was so good, it made Stewart vomit and have to be taken off at half-time. Steven Whittaker’s corner on the stroke of half-time found Stewart on the edge of the box and he casually volleyed it beyond Jamie Langfield and into the top corner of the net. Surely the best goal of Stewart’s career.

• JOHN RANKIN (v Celtic, December 7, 2008)

Ah, the squiggler. No Hibs goal compilation would be complete without it. Artur Boruc, the Celtic keeper, must claim a starring role for his hapless attempt at saving Rankin’s 35-yard effort, although to be fair to the Polish goalie, the ball did wriggle around like an eel on amphetamine. The goal was so legendary, Hibs even released a memento T-shirt to mark the occasion.

• KEVIN HARPER (v Hearts, January 2, 1996)

One of the best derby winners scored by Hibs in recent times as they won 2-1. Kevin Harper’s goal, in truth, was fit to win any match. Darren Jackson flighted the ball into the box, Keith Wright cushioned a header into Harper’s path just inside the box and he volleyed the ball low past Gilles Rousset. He then celebrated in front of the Hearts fans, just to top it all off.

• DAVID ZITELLI (v AEK Athens, September 21, 2001)

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Hibs won this tie 3-2 but lost 4-3 on aggregate in one of the most memorable European nights at Easter Road in the past 20 years. The match is remembered for Paco Luna’s two goals (and his miss in normal time that would’ve won it for Hibs) but David Zitelli’s goal deep into extra-time was a wonder-goal. He took up possession on the right-flank, burrowed into the midfield and unleashed a stonker of a left-foot strike from 30-yards that dipped and swerved past Dionisis Chiotis. It counted for little, but what a goal it was.

• DIDIER AGATHE (v Dundee, August 12, 2000)

Agathe’s stay at Hibs was short and sweet, the highlight being this solo effort as he cut through the Dundee defence like a knife through butter before beating Rab Douglas with a cool finish. It’s just a shame Celtic cottoned on to the Réunion-born flyer and signed him before Hibs could tie him down on a long-term contract.

• MARK OXLEY (v Livingston, August 9, 2014)

Oxley became the first goalkeeper to score for Hibs since Andy Goram’s effort against Morton in 1988, when his long clearance evaded everybody and bounced over Darren Jamieson’s head in the Livingston goal. Despite numerous lumps forward from the Yorkshireman in the following 18 months, he’s not come close to repeating the trick.