Hibs returned to winning ways with a hard-fought 3-0 victory over Falkirk at Easter Road, seeing off a spirited second-half fightback from the Bairns to bag three precious Scottish Premiership points. And David Gray had his dynamic duo of Martin Boyle and Kieron Bowie to thank for his team putting the visitors to the sword.
Socceroos star Boyle won AND converted a penalty late in the first half. Scotland World Cup hopeful Kieron Bowie then bagged a superb double, his glorious opener just before half-time putting Hibs on their way to victory – and a real striker’s finish with just over 10 minutes remaining killing the contest stone dead.
Hibs had been made to work for their win. And this wasn’t as easy as it looked. But Gray’s men were well worth the victory for a performance with plenty to admire.
The energy and aggression of Hibs made life almost unbearable for the visitors in the opening 20 minutes, with Josh Mulligan seemingly on a one-man mission to unsettle Falkirk. They just couldn’t get away from the all-action midfielder and, with the home side stepping up all over the park, the Bairns found it difficult even to escape their own half.
Football being entirely illogical, of course, it made sense that the visitors probably forced the best opening in those early exchanges, Rafa Sallinger diving full length to get one hand on a Brad Spencer shot. The keeper recovered just in time to see the rebound from Ethan Williams hit the side netting from a tight angle.
Hibs kept probing at the Falkirk defence, however. And there was no real shock when a Miguel Chaiwa burst down the left created another opening, Mulligan capitalising with a slipped pass that allowed Boyle to dart into the box, where he was brought down from behind by Filip Lissah.
After the obligatory VAR check, Boyle hammered the ball down the middle of the goal from the penalty spot, leaving a diving Scott Bain regretting his decision to go early. It didn’t take long for Hibs to double their lead.
Be honest, now. Were you one of those fans cursing Bowie for not letting the ball run through to Chris Cadden on the overlap? From his position on the right edge of the box, the Scotland striker certainly didn’t appear to have much on.
But his left-footed curler showcased the big man’s ability to make something out of very little, the ball arcing away and beyond a despairing Bain to settle in the far top corner. Sumptuous.
Energised by the introduction of half-time substitutes and roared on by one of the angrier away supports in Scottish football, Falkirk came roaring out of the blocks at the start of the second half. Rafa Sallinger had to look sharp, certainly, to prevent Ethan Ross from getting his team back in the game with a thumping strike 10 minutes after the break – and there was no shortage of deliveries into the Hibs box.
Ross thought he’d made it 2-1 not long after, only for VAR to disallow his effort for offside. But Hibs had been warned against the danger of playing a high line against a team with pace.
The game was effectively settled when Bowie bagged his second just over 10 minutes from time, steaming into convert a low cross from impact substitute Josh Campbell. The striker was applauded off the park when substituted not long after, as fans rose to acknowledge the importance of the big man up top.
