Conner Duthie comes back to haunt Hibs Development Squad

Former Hibee Conner Duthie was on target as the Hibs Development Squad suffered a disappointing 1-0 home defeat by Dunfermline at Ainslie Park.

The hosts were looking to make it back-to-back victories following last week’s 3-1 win at Dundee United and started the game at a decent tempo.

However, it was the visitors who created the first chance of the match after just four minutes. A long ball forward from Jordan Orru evaded the Hibs defence but James Thomas blazed his shot over the bar.

Hibs’ first real opening came on nine minutes when Jordan Sinclair’s corner was met by the head of Kevin Waugh at the back post but his effort was saved by Cammy Gill.

Dunfermline were denied the opener midway through the first half when Gill’s long clearance found Duthie, who lifted the ball over Sean Brennan and into the net, but the linesman’s flag cut his celebrations short.

Hibs came close to breaking the deadlock at the start of the second half when Waugh met Sinclair’s corner again, but his header drifted just wide of the target.

The deadlock was finally broken 20 minutes from time when Cammy McLair’s deep corner was sent back into the danger area and Duthie’s acrobatic volley crept past Brennan into the right-hand corner.

Hibs almost secured a late equaliser on 87 minutes when Ben Stirling rose high to meet another Sinclair corner but his header was blocked just short of the line.

Hibs Development Coach Joe McBride said: “I thought we had little spells in the game where we played all right, but there was no cutting edge to our play.

“Last week, we were on the front foot, showed aggression and created chances. We didn’t do any of that today.”

Hibs: Brennan; Donaldson, Porteous, Waugh (Campbell 63), Dunsmore; Murray (Smith 50), Stirling, Sinclair; Peters (Gullan 56), Shaw, Watson.