Hibs XI boasting old heads and young legs overpower Championship title contenders

Raith no match for visitors in Lewis Vaughan testimonial

Lewis Stevenson is congratulated by his team-mates after opening the scoring with a screamer.

A Hibs XI containing a sprinkling of established first teamers proved too strong for Championship title hopefuls Raith Rovers in a testimonial match for home hero Lewis Vaughn at Stark’s Park. Nick Montgomery’s men – and boys – ran out comfortable 5-1 winners in a contest that gave young prospects and old-timers a worthwhile run out.

On top of goals for Lewis Stevenson, club captain Paul Hanlon and Jair Tavares, not to mention an assist for on-loan Sunderland teenager Eliezer Mayenda, first-choice centre-half Will Fish got another 45 minutes under his belt. Reuben McAllister, on loan at Kelty Hearts, and substitute Josh McDonald also got themselves on the scoresheet in a game watched by virtually the entire senior squad.

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After an opening half hour played in short bursts of excitement, with Hibs goalie Murray Johnson making a couple of excellent saves – both from man of the hour Vaughan – and claiming a dangerous cross, the deadlock was broken by one of the less likely goal threats on the park. As Stevenson ran onto Mayenda’s low cut-back from the right, few could have predicted that he’d connect so perfectly with the outside of his left boot, sending his low shot curling past Kevin Dabrowski and just inside the keeper’s left-hand post.

Montgomery made a couple of changes at half-time, giving Fish a breather and moving Jacob Blaney in from right back to the centre of defence – and bringing on Harry Wright for Malik Zaid, giving Tavares the chanced to join Dean Cleland up top. Within moments, Wright’s cross was headed beyond Raith substitute keeper Andrew McNeil by Tavares.

McAllister’s free-kick to make it 3-0 was a curling beauty, while Hanlon’s close-range header made it four with just over an hour gone. Callum Smith got one back for the hosts inside the closing 20 minutes as Monty emptied his bench - but McDonald made it 5-1 soon after.