Dylan Vente scored his first Hibs hat-trick as the Hibees opened the new campaign with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Elgin City at Borough Briggs.
Martin Boyle and debutant Marvin Ekpiteta were also on target during a dominant and ruthless performance.
New Head Coach David Gray handed competitive debuts to new signings Josef Bursik, Warren O’Hora and Ekpiteta against our League 2 opponents.
He also gave promising youngster Rudi Molotnikov his second start for the Club as the 18 year-old lined-up alongside Josh Campbell and Joe Newell in a three-man midfield.
Elie Youan missed out through illness, while Hibs were also without Harry McKirdy and Jake Doyle-Hayes.
We were backed - as always – by a big support from Edinburgh and the travelling Hibees made themselves heard throughout.
The hosts were the first to threaten when a ball over the top almost released Brian Cameron, however Bursik was alert to the danger and raced out to save at his feet.
At the other end, there was a flurry of activity as Chris Cadden flashed a delivery across the face of goal before Newell stung the palms of Thomas McHale and Miller dragged a shot wide.
The deadlock was broken on eight minutes, and it came from a well-worked goal as Molotnikov’s pass sliced open the Elgin defence allowing Boyle to get in behind and from his cut back, Vente slotted it home from close range.
The Dutch forward would’ve been delighted to get off the mark for the new season as quickly as he did and he could’ve double his tally only moments later when he was picked out by Jordan Obita, however this time McHale denied him point-blank.
Having started so well it took a fine save from Bursik to keep us ahead after Dajon Golding got away from Ekpiteta inside the box only for his near post shot to be kept out by the goalkeeper.
We were soon back on the attack with Molotnikov peeling off the right flank, coming inside and letting fly with a left-footed shot that was over McHale’s crossbar.
As half-time approached we suffered a blow when Cadden let the pitch with a knock. He was replaced by Nathan Moriah-Welsh which meant a reshuffle as the substitute moved into a central role, Molotnikov pushed up and Boyle went out wide right.
Elgin must’ve thought they had weathered the storm and were beginning to assert themselves in our final third only to be hit on the counterattack with Vente heading in from close range following Obita’s cross.
We started the second half impressively and with real determination to put the game to bed.
Early on, Molotnikov burst down the left before switching the ball to Boyle on the right and the winger’s shot was deflected wide for a corner kick.
Our third goal of the afternoon came in the 50th minute when Molotnikov’s floated cross was headed in by Ekpiteta.
The defender expertly guiding his header beyond the stranded McHale for a debut goal.
Four minutes later it was 4-0 as Boyle produced a trademark finish bursting clear down the right, driving inside and firing low past McHale with a clinical strike. It was his 80th goal for the Club.
Boyle then popped up with his second assist of the afternoon when his corner was headed in by Vente at the back post. The Dutchman grabbing his first hat-trick for the Club by bravely getting in ahead of Jake Dolzankski to score.
That goal was the signal for Hibs gaffer Gray to start making changes with Luke Amos, Dylan Levitt, Kanayo Megwa and Jair Tavares all introduced in the moments that followed.
Megwa almost made an instant impression with a near post shot that was beaten away by McHale.
Despite the changes, we continued to press for more goals and certainly had chances to do so. Miller flashed a drive wide, Megwa was denied by a brave last-gasp block before a Boyle free-kick was spilled by McHale who then had to be react quickly to deny Ekpiteta from the rebound.
We continue our Premier Sports Cup campaign on Tuesday evening when Queen’s Park come to Easter Road.
