Stevie Mallan comes up trumps again for Hibs as coach admits 'difficult' cup run

Hibs always believed that their superior class would tell in the end and while they would have preferred an earlier vindication of that faith against Forfar, Easter Road assistant manager John Potter was not surprised when Stevie Mallan stepped up to lay on the 87th minute winner.

“It was a difficult game but we had Stevie Mallan on the pitch and we know he can provide that wee bit of quality,” said manager Jack Ross’ right hand man, after the midfielder flighted in a perfect set-piece delivery which David Gray rose to meet and finally vanquish their League One opponents 1-0 under the lights at Station Park.

"If we can get the movement right then we know he can provide that quality in those situations, and we can score goals and that proved to be the difference.

“We hung in there and that wee bit of quality won us the game.”

Stevie Mallan has been hailed for his last-gasp show of quality in Betfred Cup win. Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group

It was a valuable contribution from Gray and Mallan, as the Premiership rounded off their initial tranche of Betfred Cup group games with a maximum nine points to top their group.

Mallan had been the talisman in the first game, against Brora Rangers, grabbing two early goals for the Leith side to build on and while he made everyone wait for his killer contribution in Forfar, it gave the hosts little time to respond and ensured all three points for Hibs, who now turn their attentions back to league duty with a Premiership trip to Dngwall to face Ross County this Saturday.

“It’s been difficult,” admitted Potter, who is delighted that more key men will be back in the fold for that one after fulfilling international duties, while others should be available after treatment on niggling injuries.

“We were down on numbers, but before the game, we said that those were the types of games we need to go out and win. We are on a good winning run and sometimes it doesn’t matter how you win them, sometimes you just have to hang in there and a little bit of quality will come and hopefully we can win it and that’s what happened in the end.”

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