Hibs 2-0 Alloa: Doidge and James claim second half goals to earn Hibs Betfred Cup victory

Hibs kid Josh Campbell slides in to win the ball off Alloa's Alan Trouten

The Capital side made heavy weather of a match against Peter Grant's side, the nerves eased by Doidge's 69th minute header before James thundered in a second with five minutes left to play, both players claiming their first competitive goals in a green and white shirt.

As expected, Hibs did virtually all the first half pressing, keeping Alloa pinned down in their own half for much of the opening 45 minutes but struggling to break down the part-time Championship outfit's resolute defence.

Doidge and Daryl Horgan both got glimpses of Neil Parry's goal but their low efforts were competently dealt with by the Wasps goalkeeper at his near post.

As time wore on Alloa became bolder and the home fans more impatient and they made their displeasure known as Liam Dick fired in a cross which Alan Trouten sent flying wide of Ofir Marciano's goal.

No-one would have been surprised to see Hibs boss Paul Heckingbottom make two changes after the interval, Scott Allan and Fraser Murray replacing Flo Kamberi and Josh Campbell in an effort to improve what had been a completely underwhelming display from his side.

A low shot from Allan was pushed round the post by Parry to lift the spirits of the home fans at least for a moment but this was a game which was simply drifting along at a pedestrian pace although Parry was forced to push away a Doidge header as Hibs looked to lift the tempo.

The home support were finally able to breath a little easier as Doidge beat Parry in a race to a through ball, the striker just managing to lift it over the goalkeeper for his first competitive goal in a green and white shirt.

Parry hurt himself in the process, requiring a lengthy spell of treatment before he was led from the pitch, his head bandaged, to be replaced by Chris Henry.

Hibs almost added a second when Horgan's cutback found Murray but the midfielder's shot was headed off the line by Scott Taggart.

Hibs: Marciano, Whittaker, McGregor, Hanlon, James, Boyle (Shaw 85), Mallan, Campbell (F Murray 46), Horgan, Kamberi (Allan 46), Doidge.

Substitutes not used: Maxwell, Jackson, B Stirling, Doig.

Alloa: Parry (Henry 72), Robertson, Graham, Taggart, Dick, Cawley, Hetherington, Flannigan, Brown, Trouten (Buchanan 63), O'Hara.

Substitutes not used: A Stirling, O'Donnell, Aloulou, Gillespie, C Murray,

Referee: Kevin Clancy.