Hibs debrief: McGregor rolls back the years and Cadden allays fears

One viewpoint is that a “free-hit” type of match against the league-leaders was the ideal tonic to Saturday’s dismal defeat at Hampden; the other is that Hibs fell short in another big game.

There wasn't an awful lot between the two teams and if Christian Doidge or Jackson Irvine had done better with chances in the first half before Alfredo Morelos netted the winner early in the second half, the game may have panned out differently.

Hell of an echo in here, isn’t there?

Jack Ross wanted a reaction after Saturday and he got one but the same old problems continue to haunt Hibs.

Player of the match

Darren McGregor, by a country mile. The man is 36 in just over six months but rolled back the years to put in a commanding performance at the back. On this showing, he should remain in the team until injury, suspension, or old age rules him out. Honourable mention to Chris Cadden who, after a largely forgettable performance at Hampden, put in an energetic 90 minutes on both flanks and looks like a shrewd acquisition.

Defining moment

Ryan Porteous actually had a fairly decent game, which may have been down to the presence of McGregor alongside him, but his lapse in concentration may well have cost Hibs a point. His attributes are clear to see but he needs to make sure he's getting the basics right, too.

Referee watch

Kevin Clancy might have sent off Alfredo Morelos for his stamp on Porteous but apparently felt the incident was no more than a "tangle of legs”. It certainly looked more intentional than a similar incident between McGregor and Glen Kamara, which resulted in the Hibs captain being cautioned.

Benefit of hindsight

On paper, starting Alex Gogic in this match was a sensible decision for a variety of reasons. In reality, Ross might have started a more attack-minded midfielder and increased Hibs’ chances of taking something from the game, with the Cypriot an option from the bench if needed late on to protect a lead.

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