Former Hibs star pinpoints two key moments in Dunfermline cup shock while questioning David Gray tactics
The ex Hibs and Rangers man believes his old team were wasteful at East End Park.
After Hibs were on the wrong end of a Scottish Cup upset against Dunfermline Athletic, Kevin Thomson thinks he knows where it all went wrong in Fife.
The Leith side’s fourth round tie at East End Park always had a banana-skin feel about it against Scottish Championship opposition, but given the form of David Gray’s side on the league front, they were still undoubtedly favourites. However, a scrappy last minute own goal from Miguel Chaiwa gave Neil Lennon’s Pars a weekend to remember.
It was a disappointing end for Gray, nearly a decade on from his own heroics as a player in the 2016 final, but Hibs had enough chances to win the game. Kieron Bowie had a one-on-one in the first half with Deniz Mehmet, who was equal to his shot. Meanwhile, his strike partner Thibault Klidje had a second half header from close range that was also saved by The Pars stopper.
‘Two big moments’ swung it for Pars
Former Hibs midfielder, Thomson believes Dunfermline deserved to progress and that Gray’s men simply weren’t able to take their chance on the day. Speaking on BBC Sportsound’s Scottish Football Podcast alongside journalist Scott McDermott, he also questioned some of the manager’s tactics.
Thomson said: “there were two big moments in the game for Hibs that were at 0-0 at the time. When Kieran Bowie goes through with the goalkeeper, he should put the ball in the back of the net and then the game could have been different for Hibs. Then Klidje has a wonderful chance from a brilliant ball in. I think it's Cadden that chips it in at the back post, right in the middle of the sticks, then Kildje heads it straight at Mehmet, it could have put them 1-0 up.
“But I have to say, when you think of the disparity between Hibs and Dunfermline, albeit there's not a lot of places between them, Championship to Premiership, Dunfermline never looked like a Championship team. The back three were terrific, they created chances, they started the second half with real impetus and took the game to Hibs.”
‘I don’t think the changes helped Hibs’
Thomson was impressed by a tenacious Athletic performance in front of their home fans, who will now face Kelty Hearts in the fifth round as yesterday’s draw conjured up a local derby. Although former Hibee didn’t think Gray’s late substitutions helped their chances of victory.
He continued: “Hibs got a wee bit of a curveball off the fact that Dunfermline probably never got their goal and then it never really killed them. Then Hibs grew into the game a wee bit. I don't think the changes helped Hibs, I thought with Kieran Bowie going off, they lost a real physical edge, Martin Boyle and also Klidje through the middle just never really worked.
“Dunfermline, as you know, when you learn and you get these teams fired up, they're hard to beat, they're robust, they rode their luck at times, but I have to say they were marvellous winners at the end, albeit, they got a wee bit of luck with Kieran Ngwenya heading it onto the back of Chaiwa and it ending up in the back of the net. But wonderful scenes, brilliant club Dunfermline, huge crowd, great advert for Scottish football.”