Martin Boyle reveals when he knew he'd make Hibs return and revels in rare type of goal

Martin Boyle’s return to the Hibs line-up was certainly a timely one after the Easter Road hero netted his side’s first two goals to send them on the road to another European adventure.

The Australian international has been out of action for just over nine months after it was discovered he’d been playing for a considerable time, as potentially long as seven years, according to the player, with a torn ACL.

Hibs are undoubtedly a weaker side without the 30-year-old in the line-up and it should feel like something of a missed opportunity that they weren’t able to guarantee themselves, at least, a place in the Europa Conference League group stages at the end of the last campaign. After all, they only finished five points behind Aberdeen, who will take that consolation prize should they fail in their Europa League play-off bid, and Hibs were without their best player for most of the campaign.

They still have the opportunity to reach the promise land and that dream moved closer to reality following the events of Thursday night. Not only did Hibs banish the humbling loss in the first leg to Andorran side Inter Club d'Escaldes with a comprehensive 6-1 triumph, they also learned they will be facing Luzern after the underdogs defeated pre-tie favourites Djurgardens of Sweden 3-2 on aggregate following a 2-1 first-leg away win.

Martin Boyle takes the ball past Inter goalkeeper Adria Munoz to put Hibs 1-0 up at Easter Road. Picture: SNS

Hibs rank ahead of the Swiss side in the Uefa club coefficient table, while they’ll also take encouragement from their opponents losing to St Johnstone across two legs in the mid-2010s. There’s very much an opportunity for Hibs to get to the play-off round, and once there they are only 180 minutes away from making it to the promised land of the group stages.

In the meantime, there is the no-small matter of the opening game of the cinch Premiership season as St Mirren come to visit Easter Road. It’s just one game in a 38-match marathon, but keeping the momentum and confidence going after Thursday will be key as Hibs seek to set a pace in the battle for third spot. European dreams will have to be pushed to the back of the mind for now.

“It will be exciting,” said Boyle. “It’s positive tonight. Last week was disappointing but we have put that to bed. It’s nice to qualify and we’ll dust ourselves down. We’ve gelled well nicely and we’ll go again Sunday.

“I know it’s a cliche, but we need to think about that first and then we’ll look at Luzern and see what they’re about. The main focus is on Sunday and we’ll look to that.”

Martin Boyle rejoices in a rare headed goal after putting Hibs 2-0 up on Thursday evening. Picture: SNS

Boyle was only supposed to play 45 minutes on Thursday but ended up getting an extra nine after convincing his boss to let him chase a hat-trick. After such a long time out, and having missed pre-season, the club are understandably cautious about how they handled his return. Manager Lee Johnson admitted after the game that the selection was a case of “needs must” following the first leg defeat. Whether he views the visit of Stephen Robinson’s men on Sunday in the same terms remains to be seen as he weighs up the risk of starting Boyle twice in the space of three days.

"Yeah it was perfect,” Boyle said of his two goals scored within 22 minutes of his return. “He should have taken me off after that! But no, it was the match minutes that were the most important for me. I'm still trying to get up to tip-top speed but it was the perfect start.

“There were rumours I was going to start. The managerial team speak to the physios and they have a discussion. But I only found out on the night.

“Obviously I had to do the tests on Tuesday and got a thumbs up, which was good. It was just the jumping I had to work on and I scored a header so the sports science guys will be buzzing. It was little things we had to tweak and and work on. I’ve been working hard in the gym doing extra sessions. It has paid off.

“You've always got to be ready and to prepare well, like I normally do. Thankfully I was able to start and make an impact.

“It was nice to get the buzz back. I played 45 minutes at the weekend [against Blackpool in a friendly] and it was a good run out. It was supposed to be 45 again but I had a word with the gaffer trying to push for that hat-trick! But it was nice to get minutes. I haven’t had much during pre-season.

"In terms of the injury it is in the back of my mind. I don’t think about it. And if I keep performing like tonight and getting goals then happy days."

Boyle, if he stays fit, will score goals for Hibs this upcoming campaign, but there likely won’t be too many similar to his second against Inter Club d'Escaldes. For the second time in the match the former Montrose ace was found by an excellent ball from Joe Newell. The first was a through pass from Newell to race onto, at which point he won the battle with the goalkeeper and tapped it into an empty net – fairly standard fare. The second was a header – a rarity in Martin Boyle cannon.

"I don't think you'll see much more to be honest,” he said when asked if that would be the first of many headed goals this season. “I tried to duck out of the way, Doidgey [Christian Doidge] was shouting for it! It just slapped off my head and lucky it went in.”