Hibernian 4 Dunfermline 0

Monday, 7th May 2012

Pars sunk in Leith. Boyle and Hardie in for Keddie and Cardle. Doherty (5) 1-0, Doyle (11) 2-0. O`Connor (15 pen.) 3-0. Hanlon (81) 4-0.

This was the big one that Dunfermline had to win or their relegation fate was settled.  Two matches left for both these teams but Hibs in 11th place started the game five points ahead of the Pars in 12th who also have the inferior goal difference. Jim Jefferies and his players were keen to win and put pressure on Hibs for their final game at Inverness.

Suspension meant the Pars were without Alex Keddie.  Paddy Boyle came in at left back with Austin McCann switching to central defence. Martin Hardie for Joe Cardle was the only other change from the side that drew at Inverness in midweek. Hibs were also affected by suspensions with Leigh Griffiths and David Wotherspoon missing for that reason. Eoin Doyle replaced Griffiths while George Francomb and Sean O`Hanlon dropped out making way for James McPake and Lewis Stevenson.

The stadium filled up to the tones of the Proclaimers and the optimistic Glory, Glory to the Hibees. The Pars support packed their section at the other end of the South Stand from usual and gave their team a rousing welcome. Andy Kirk and Kyle Hutton got the match underway and Hardie got the first shot on target albeit from 40 yards out but he did make Mark Brown save.

Hibs had a chance on two minutes when Doyle got round Boyle and Dowie deflected the shot back for Chris Smith to gather. The Pars came back at their hosts with Graham, McMillan and Kerr all making positive moves. Inside the fifth minute a free kick led to the opening goal. It was a weak decision against Jordan McMillan for his challenge on Stevenson but the ball was floated in by Tom Soares for McPake to head on and Matt DOHERTY directed the ball in off the left post. 1-0.

It was not the kind of start the Pars needed but the team went forward again with Graham doing well to beat off Doherty but his cross was a little too high for Hardie.  Hibs came back though and scored again with their next attack. Doherty exposed the left side of the Fifers defence with both Boyle and Dowie failing to stop the cross from the byeline leaving DOYLE with the simplest of chances to head in his first SPL goal from close quarters. 2-0.

Worse was to follow within four minutes. Referee Euan Norris pointed to the penalty spot after McCann tugged Paul Hanlon off the ball.  A yellow card for the Pars captain and a chance for the dayglo boot of Gary O`CONNOR to stroke the ball past Smith.

On 20 minutes Kerr threaded a really good ball into the path of McMillan and his shot on the angle was blocked by Brown`s legs. Dunfermline did not look as though they were going to lie down but Boyle`s cross from the left was way too strong. Play was comfortably deep inside the Hibs half for a lengthy spell but creating chances was not a forte as the green shirts spread themselves across the park.

In 29 minutes McMillan had another good chance running in to meet a better Boyle cross but Brown again got in the way. Kerr picked out Hardie on the right but McPake intercepted the well placed cross to deny Kirk. Hutton was playing a major role as playmaker and despite the scoreline it was Dunfermline who were playing the better football!  There was an appeal for a penalty when Stevenson appeared to handle the ball in the box but that wasn`t to be.

Graham went flying down the left in 37 minutes but McPake got back to slide in and prevent a shot. Stevenson countered and got in a low shot that Smith held. The clock was heading towards half time and still Dunfermline pushed up and still Hibs mopped up. Hibs had only won once at home in the SPL this season but they were well on their way to making that two as Euan Norris brought the first half to an end. Woeful defending and the return of individual defensive errors looked to have sealed the Pars fate.

Half time: Hibernian 3 Dunfermline 0

Dunfermline`s SPL obituary had probably been penned before this game but the file would have been opened at the break ready for a cut and paste. Forty five minutes stood between the Pars and First Division football as Jim Jefferies was forced into making a change for the restart, Joe Cardle coming on for Austin McCann. Hibs too made a change with George Francomb, on loan from Norwich City, subbing Pa Saikou Kujabi.

First chance of the second half fell to O`Connor but he pulled that across the face of Smith`s goal. Dunfermline forced a 52nd minute corner but Brown fisted away Cardle`s inswinger. Two minutes later Doherty passed off a great chance from Soares free kick from the left.

Kirk made a neat flick to play Graham in on goal but McPake made another timely tackle to thwart the Pars. A corner ensued but Dowie`s attempt was turned behind for another. Andy Barrowman then replaced Andy Kirk and he was the target of a Cardle cross right away but was inches too short. Liam Buchanan then came on for Kyle Hutton before Hardie had a good effort from a 35 yard free kick in 70th minute and it appeared Brown`s left hand post helped keep the ball out.

Doyle had missed a sitter when Osbourne sent an inviting ball in from the right. The Irishman then met Soares corner to head on target only to see Mason head the ball off the line at the right post. With ten minutes to go the Easter Road stands were chanting "We are staying up" and one only had to wonder why it took them so long to find that one.

The fans were given even more to cheer about when Hibs were given a fourth goal for HANLON`s shot that crashed off the bar nine minutes from time. All the video evidence in the world would not be able to prove the ball crossed the line and so it was just as well the goal did not matter.

Despite recent changes in fortune, the great Pars escape was not be. In fact it looked impossible right from the fifth minute of this game and so the Pars duly return to the First Division after one season in the top flight. No glamour games next season but matches against Falkirk, Raith Rovers, Cowdenbeath and Dundee on Saturdays at three o`clock do not look too dark a prospect.

HIBERNIAN: Mark Brown. Matt Doherty, Paul Hanlon, James McPake, Pa Saikou Kujabi (George Francomb HT). Tom Soares, Jorge Claros, Lewis Stevenson, Isaiah Osbourne. Eoin Doyle (Ivan Sproule 83), Garry O`Connor (Roy O`Donovan 69).
SUBS NOT USED: Ian Murray, Sean O`Hanlon, Richie Towell, Paul Grant (GK),
SCORERS: Doherty (5), Doyle (11), O`Connor (15), Hanlon (81)

DUNFERMLINE: Chris Smith. Jordan McMillan, Andy Dowie, Austin McCann (c) (Joe Cardle HT), Paddy Boyle. David Graham, Gary Mason, Mark Kerr, Kyle Hutton (Liam Buchanan 69), Martin Hardie. Andy Kirk (Andy Barrowman 61).
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Willis, Steven McDougall, Kerr Young, Bernardo Fernandez (GK)
YELLOW CARD: McCann (14), McMillan (58), Hardie (67).

REFEREE: Euan Norris
WEATHER: Wet 7°C
ATTENDANCE 15281

NEXT MATCH: (home) SPL v Kilmarnock
Saturday 12th May 2012, kick off 3.00pm

ATTENDANCE: 15281 (1233 Pars)


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Preview Hibernian

Friday, 4th May 2012

This one is the ultimate must win and anything else will mean relegation for J

Dunfermline`s trip to Easter Road on Monday night is for the biggest match of their season.  With Hibs extending their points advantage over the Fifers to five points in midweek, this one is the ultimate must win and anything else will mean relegation for Jim Jefferies team

Premier League v Hibernian (Away)
Pld	W	D	L	F	A
23	4	5	14	21	42

The Pars win on 5th November was their first win at Easter Road since December 2003.  Their Premier League record at Easter Road holds only four Pars wins to the Hibees 14, with three of those wins all coming in a row between 2002 and 2003.

Milestones Hibernian (Away)
Last League Victory	05/05/12	1-0	SPL
Last League Defeat	30/12/06	0-2	SPL
Best League Victory	11/09/02	4-1	SPL
Worst League Defeat	25/02/56	1-7	Div One*
*Pre league reconstruction

This is the 102nd league meeting between the clubs with the Edinburgh club having 45 victories to the Pars 22 and the Hibees have won only one of the last four league fixtures between the clubs.

Last Twelve League Matches v Hibernian
Date	H/A	F-A	Scorers
14/01/12	H	2-3	[1-0] Kirk; [1-1] Griffiths; [1-2] O`Connor; [2-2] Buchanan; [2-3] Griffiths.
05/05/12	A	1-0	[1-0] McCann
17/09/11	H	2-2	[0-1] Sproule, [0-2] O`Connor, [1-2] R Thomson, [2-2] Hanlon (og)
07/04/07	H	1-0	[1-0] McGuire
30/12/06	A	0-2	[0-1] Killen, [0-2] Killen (pen)
23/10/06	H	0-4	[0-1] Sproule, [0-2] Killen, [0-3] Benjoullen, [0-4] Killen
21/01/06	A	1-3	[0-1] Riordan, [1-1] Donnelly, [1-2] Riordan, [1-3] Fletcher
26/10/05	H	1-2	[0-1] O`Connor, [0-2] O`Connor, [1-2] Mason
30/07/05	A	1-1	[1-0] Shields, [1-1] O`Connor
19/03/05	H	1-4	[1-0] Nicholson, [1-1] Riordan, [1-2] Fletcher, [1-3] Fletcher, [1-4] Riordan
18/12/04	A	1-2	[0-1] Glass, [1-1] Tod, [1-2] Riordan
02/10/04	H	1-1	[0-1] O`Connor, [1-1] Donnelly

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Hibs	Dunfermline
Current League Position
11	12
League Points
30	25
Goal Difference
-29	-37
Last 6-Match League Form
LWDLLW	DLLDWD
Home / Away Record
P18, W1, D7, L10	P19, W4, D3, L11

Hibs only home win in this season`s SPL was back in September when they defeated St Johnstone 3-2. A Hibs win would take them six points clear of the Pars and it would take a four goal margin to take Dunfermline above the Edinburgh side.

Recent Form - home / away
Hibs (home)				Dunfermline (away)
Kilmarnock	L	0-1		Inverness Caley	D	0-0
Motherwell	D	1-1		St Mirren	D	4-4
Dundee United	L	0-2		Dundee United	L	0-3
St Mirren	D	0-0		St Johnstone	L	1-3
Celtic	L	0-5		Celtic	L	0-2
Aberdeen	D	0-0		Aberdeen	L	0-1

Last Time Out

DUNFERMLINE (v Inverness Caley Thistle): Chris Smith; Jordan McMillan, Andy Dowie, Alex Keddie, Austin McCann (c); David Graham (Andy Barrowman 84), Gary Mason (Martin Hardie 67), Mark Kerr, Kyle Hutton, Joe Cardle; Andy Kirk (Liam Buchanan 84).
SUBS NOT USED: Paul Willis, Paddy Boyle, Ryan Thomson, Bernardo Fernandez (GK)

HIBS ( v Aberdeen): Mark Brown, George Francomb, Paul Hanlon, Sean O`Hanlon, Pa Saikou Kujabi, Matt Doherty, Tom Soares, Jorge Claros,  Isaiah Osbourne, Leigh Griffiths, Garry O`Connor
SUBS: Ivan Sproule, Ian Murray, David Wotherspoon, Roy O`Donovan, Paul Grant, David Stephens, Eoin Doyle.

Suspensions will mean the Pars will be without Alex Keddie and HIbs without Leigh Griffiths and David Wotherspoon.

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