Hibs 3, Ross County 2: Daryl Horgan the hero in cup fightback
Michael Gardyne had given Ross County the lead, the midfielder pouncing on Efe Ambrose’s headed clearance to fire in a shot which, although it didn’t carry a huge amount of power, took a wicked deflection as it went through a ruck of players to leave goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw helpless.
But captain David Gray had Hibs level within five minutes, stealing in at the back post to nod home Horgan’s pinpoint cross to claim his third goal of the season.
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Hide AdHibs, though, were behind again on 64 minutes when Ambrose was adjudged to have toppled McManus inside his own penalty area, leaving Josh Mullin to hammer home County’s second goal from the spot.
However, the Hibees hauled themselves back into the game within six minutes, Stevie Mallan taking advantage as County stepped off to fire a terrific shot beyond County goalkeeper Scott Fox from 25 yards.
And Horgan became the hero in stoppage time as he cut in from the right to curl a fantastic shot beyond Fox to win the match for Hibs and secure a clash with the Dons on September 25/26.
Hibs: Laidlaw; Gray, Ambrose, Porteous, Stevenson; S Martin (Whittaker 46); Boyle, Mallan, Hyndman (Maclaren 64), Horgan; Shaw. Subs not used: Dabrowski, Hanlon, Slivka, Maclaren, Swanson, Agyepong.
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Hide AdRoss County: Fox; Fraser (Demetriou 73), Morris, Watson, Kelly; Mullin, Lindsay, Draper (Cowie 55), Vigurs, Gardyne; McManus (Graham 84). Subs not used: Munro, McKay, Keillor-Dunn, Dingwall.
Referee: Kevin Clancy.
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