Hibs 2-1 Dundee: Gritty Hibs clock up a fourth successive win

Hibs had to battle all the way for victory over basement outfit Dundee despite taking the lead after only 63 seconds.
Martin Boyle is mobbed by his jubilant team-mates after opening the scoring after just 63 seconds against Dundee at Easter RoadMartin Boyle is mobbed by his jubilant team-mates after opening the scoring after just 63 seconds against Dundee at Easter Road
Martin Boyle is mobbed by his jubilant team-mates after opening the scoring after just 63 seconds against Dundee at Easter Road

Martin Boyle made it three in as many matches as he raced clear before unleashing a low right foot shot which zipped into the far corner of goalkeeper Elliot Parish's net.

Marcus Haber hauled the Tayside club level but Simon Murray claimed his third goal in four matches to clinch a hard-fought win for the Capital outfit.

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Having notched that early goal, Boyle's pace was again evident minutes later as he raced forward only to see his shot blocked by a last-ditch tackle by Kevin Holt.

But for all their early domination Hibs found themselves back on level terms in the 21st minute, Roarie Deacon holding off Lewis Stevenson before delivering a cross which found the head of Haber. He directed the ball down back in the direction it had come from and despite Paul Hanlon's desperate attempt to clear the ball spun off him and high into the net for the first goal the Capital side had conceded in four matches.

After that effervescent start it had all gone a bit flat for Hibs, the Premiership's basement outfit clearly gaining confidence from Haber's goal and they suffered another blow in the 33rd minute when Dylan McGeouch went down injured, the midfielder eventually being replaced by Anthony Stokes, returning after a three game absence with an ankle injury.

Boss Neil Lennon was to make two further changes after the interval, teenager Ryan Porteous replacing club captain David Gray at right back while Lithuanian internationalist Vykintas Slivka took over from Brandon Barker.

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And Hibs had Ofir Marciano to thank for keeping them on level terms four minutes into the second half, the goalkeeper throwing himself low to his right to somehow keep out Faissal El Bakhtaoui's netbound shot.

Stokes had the ball in the net from Paul Hanlon's pass but was ruled offside before a game, which had been poorly handled by referee John Beaton, exploded in a midfield melee with players from both sides becoming embroiled and Dundee's Jack Hendry hit the floor, The upshot was a yellow card each for Porteous and Stokes.

The importance of Marciano's save became all too evident as Hibs nosed ahead again in the 63rd minute. Stokes floating a beautiful ball in for Simon Murray to side-foot home for his 13th goal of the season.

Hanlon almost grabbed a third goal for Hibs three minutes from time, latching onto Stokes' clever reverse pass only to see his shot whistled across the face of goal and miss the back post by inches.

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Hibs: Marciano, Gray, Ambrose, Hanlon, Stevenson, Bartley, Boyle, McGeouch (Stokes 35), McGinn, Barker, S Murray.

Substitutes not used: Laidlaw, Matulevicius, Shaw, F Murray.

Dundee: Parish, Kerr (Curran 73), Hendry, Meedkings, Holt, Deacon (O'Hara 61), Kamara, McGowan (Leitch-Smith 79), Spence, Haber, El Bakhtaoui.

Substitutes not used: Ferrie, Moussa, Wolters, Waddell.

Referee: John Beaton