Dundee went down to a disappointing 4-0 defeat away to Hibs this afternoon. The Dark Blues were second best throughout against their in-form hosts. Rocky Bushiri gave Hibs a deserved half time lead. Hibs then ran away with the game in the last quarter with three goals from substitutes. Kieran Bowie scored twice, either side of Dwight Gayle’s goal.
The Dark Blues named an unchanged starting eleven, and the same set of nine substitutes, following last week’s win over St Mirren.
Hibs kicked off and created a chance in the first minute. Junior Hoilett touched Lewis Miller’s low cross to Mykola Kuharevich, who wastefully sent his effort well over the bar. The ease with which Hibs found space to cross proved ominous.
Dundee took six minutes to cross the half-way line as Hibs dominated the early stages. At last the Dark Blues did launch an attack and won a free kick 40 yards out. The Hibs defence expected a high ball and a low pass gave Simon Murray a shooting opportunity from a tight angle but Jordan Smith saved.
That was the only time the Dark Blues threatened in an uncomfortable first half. There was a 10 minute spell in which play was concentrated in the home half, but even then Hibs passed up a wonderful chance. At the end of a fast break from a Dundee corner Junior Hoilett sent Kuharevich clear and he cracked a shot off the post. The rebound was too fast for Martin Boyle who couldn’t react quickly enough to turn the ball into the open goal.
Dundee had been riding their luck and were made to pay when they lost concentration at a corner. Boyle’s speedy inswinging delivery was volleyed into the roof of the net from close range by Rocky BUSHIRI.
Hibs remained firmly on top for the rest of the half. They were a whisker away from a second goal when Chris Cadden got away from Ziyad Larkeche on the Dee left and his low ball through the goalmouth somehow evaded Boyle.
The Dark Blues had to improve significantly after half time if they were to have any hope of saving the game. Sadly it didn’t happen. One change was made at the interval, although there could easily have been more. Imari Samuels came on as a straight replacement for Larkeche at left back.
The opening 15 minutes of the second half offered some improvement, but nowhere near enough to give Hibs any real problems. Dundee got forward regularly, but without any end product. The midfield was largely ineffectual, with the exception of Josh Mulligan who unsettled Hibs a couple of times with driving runs. The forwards were barely visible and had nothing to work with.
Midway through the half there was an awkward mix-up between Joe Shaughnessy and Trevor Carson. The captain’s backheader went over the keeper but bounced wide. That was the end of Dundee’s good fortune as Hibs went on to run away with the game.
After 68 minutes Miller drifted from his right centre back position over to the left wing where Jordan Obita found him yards from any Dee. Miller’s cutback was swept high into the net by substitute Kieran BOWIE.
Further goals always looked more likely from Hibs than the Dark Blues, and it was no surprise when the third arrived 10 minutes later. Mo Sylla missed his challenge on the 18 yard line and Dwight GAYLE sent a precise low shot inside Carson’s left hand post.
The fourth goal came after 84 minutes when Dundee tried to come out of defence. The move broke down and Nicky Cadden was all on his own to cross for BOWIE to score with a diving header.
This was a poor performance by the Dark Blues at a time when they can ill afford it. The familiar defensive failings were obvious, and there was no pace, aggression or goal threat from the Dee in attack. There wasn’t a single good, dangerous cross into the Hibs penalty area. The passing was too slow, and too often inaccurate, and Hibs coped with Dundee’s attacks with little difficulty.
In contrast Hibs played with the confidence you would expect from a team in such fine form. They passed with speed, quick, ambition, and accuracy. Hibs repeatedly found space in good positions out wide and the crosses were usually dangerous. The Dark Blues can’t have any complaints about the outcome. They were well beaten today.
Hibernian 3-4-1-2
Smith
Mille, Bushiri, Iredale
Chris Cadden (Nicky Cadden 79), Levitt (Moriah-Welsh 73), Triantis, Obita
Hoilett (Campbell 64)
Boyle (Boyle 74), Kuharevich (Bowie 64)
Unusued subs: Bursik (gk), Ekpiteta, Manneh, O’Hora.
Goals: Bushiri (26), Bowie (68, 84), Gayle (78).
Booked: Levitt (foul on Adewumi).
Dundee FC 4-3-3
Carson
McGhee (Ingram 69), Shaughnessy (c), Clark Robertson, Larkeche (Samuels at half time)
Mulligan, Sylla, Finlay Robertson
Tiffoney (Palmer-Houlden 60), Murray, Adewumi (Reilly 79)
Unused subs: McCracken (gk), Koumetio, Garza, Portales, Donnelly.
Booked: Shaughnessy (foul on Hoilett).
Referee: Chris Graham. Assistants: Graeme Stewart, Graham McNeillie. VAR: Kevin Clancy. Assistant VAR: Andrew McWilliam.
Attendance: 17,926.
Report: James Christie.
