A young Hibs XI produced a five-star performance this evening to defeat Raith Rovers in Lewis Vaughan’s Testimonial match.
Lewis Stevenson, Jair Tavares, Rueben McAllister, Paul Hanlon and Josh McDonald were all on target for the Hibees on a bitterly cold evening in Kirkcaldy.
Raith notched a consolation effort towards the end through a terrific run and finish from Callum Smith.
Nick Montgomery went with a starting XI that was a mixture of youth and experience in Kirkcaldy as Development and First Teamers lined-up together.
The game may have been a friendly on paper however it was played with a competitive edge throughout.
We went with a 4-3-3 formation as Murray Johnson started in goals; Jacob Blaney, Will Fish, Hanlon and Stevenson made up the defensive line.
In midfield we started with Robbie Hamilton, McAllister and Malik Zaid, whilst Jair, Dean Cleland and Eliezer Mayenda were in attack.
The hosts were the first to threaten when Dylan Easton fired wide with a speculative effort in the opening moments.
We went close to an early goal ourselves in the 5th minute when Jair won possession wide left, he fed it inside to Zaid who played a first-time ball in behind to Cleland; with only Kevin Dabrowski to beat, he slipped it past the diving goalkeeper and unfortunately wide of the far post as well.
Both teams were attacking at will at it was Raith’s turn next with Easton trying another shot from the edge of the box that had Johnson scrambling across his goal-line before it drifted just wide of the far post.
Former Hibs keeper Dabrowski was alert to the danger in the 11th minute when he raced from his goal to save with his feet as Cleland attempted to round him following a through ball from Jair.
The hosts watered the park before the match and it may have played a part in Fish slipping as he attempted to collect a pass from Blaney. That allowed Easton to race through and try to find the far corner of the net, only for Johnson to thwart him with a fine save high to his left.
Chances were coming thick and fast with man of the moment, Vaughan, next to threaten as his powerful strike appeared goal-bound before being deflected onto the crossbar by skipper Hanlon.
Callam Hannah and Vaughan each went close for the home side before the deadlock was finally broken at the other end on 34 minutes.
Mayenda did well to get beyond Callum Hannah before his low cross found Kirkcaldy-born Stevenson 16 yards out and he finished with aplomb, striking a wonderful low finish into the far corner of the net.
Both sides had further chances before the break with Jair dragging a shot wide from the edge of the Raith box before Hannah’s dipping effort was deflected just wide of the far post by Cleland.
During the interval we made a double change with Harry Wright replacing Fish and Owen Calder coming on for Zaid.
Blaney moved inside one to partner Hanlon at the heart of our defence with Wright slotting into right back.
We doubled our lead inside the opening minute of the second half when McAllister’s looping cross from the right was glanced beyond Andrew McNeil by the head of Jair.
The Portuguese could have grabbed himself a quick-fire brace had McNeil not got down smartly to push his powerful low drive round the post just moments later.
We increased our lead on 55 minutes when McAllister curled a stunning freekick beyond McNeil from the edge of the box after Mayenda had been brought down as he raced through on goal.
It would be McAllister’s last action this evening as he was replaced by Jay McGarva before play resumed.
Raith then had a spate of opportunities with Scott McGill, Jack Hamilton and Vaughan all denied by Johnson – the last of those saw the home support playfully booing the home goalkeeper.
It was 4-0 on 62 minutes as Hanlon powerfully headed home Jair’s corner kick at the near post.
Rovers pulled one back 11 minutes later when Smith drove down the left before cutting inside and firing a right foot finish beyond Johnson.
Just two minutes later we restored our four-goal lead when Mayenda’s shot from Wright’s cross was blocked and substitute McDonald pounced on the rebound to slam it home from close range.
Both sides rang the changes thereafter with Hibs putting on youngsters and Raith opting for… well, experience as management duo Ian Murray and Colin Cameron took to the field for the closing stages.
Raith Rovers: Dabrowski (McNeil 35’), Watson (Murray 83’), Vaughan (Cameron 82’), Smith (Nicholson 75’), Corr (Matthews 72’), Hamilton (Rudden 60’), Byrne (Arnott 72’), Easton (Connolly 46’), McGill, Hannah (Brown 60’), Masson. Substitutes not used: Connolly, Stanton, Thomson, Turner, Murray.
Hibernian: Johnson (Owens 81’), Blaney (Smith 72’), Hanlon (Bulloch 81’), Fish (Wright 46’), Mayenda, Hamilton (McDonald 72’), Cleland (McGrath 67’), Jair, McAllister (McGarva 56’), Stevenson (Bruce 81’), Zaid (Calder 46‘). Substitutes not used: Calder, Smith.
Referee: Daniel Graves.
