Hibs concluded their pre-season fixtures with a visit from Watford as the EFL Championship side edged us out in a five-goal game at Easter Road.
Josh Campbell opened the scoring early on before Imran Louza and Rocco Vata turned the game on its head before half-time.
Harry McKirdy then pulled us level shortly after the interval only for Amin Nabizada to grab the eventual winning goal for the visitors.
David Gray used the fixture as an extension of his squad’s training preparations and with that in mind he used a seperate XI in either half.
For the first 45 minutes, he went with Jordan Smith in goal; a back four of Kanayo Megwa, Marvin Ekpiteta, Warren O’Hora and Jordan Obita; a midfield trio of Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Joe Newell and Campbell; whilst our attack was led by Rudi Molotnikov, Martin Boyle and Dylan Vente.
There were four absentees this evening with Josef Bursik and Lewis Miller not risked, whilst Chris Cadden and Elie Youan missed out through injury.
Former Hibs hero, Ryan Porteous, was in the Watford starting XI as he returned to Easter Road for the first time since his departure from the Club in January 2023.
The boys were wearing our purple and green third strip, released earlier the same day, with many fans already kitted out in the stands in the new shirt.
We started as sharply as our new threads and managed to cut open the visitors in the opening moments when O’Hora’s dinked ball was nodded down by Boyle and Vente dragged a free shot wide from the edge of the Watford area.
We were doing most of the early attacking and broke the deadlock on 15 minutes when Boyle’s near post cross was turned in by Campbell from close range despite the efforts of goalkeeper Jonathan Bond.
Slowly Watford came into the match and an acrobatic finish from Porteous appeared to have levelled the match, only for the offside flag to deny him a goal on his return to Leith.
On 29 minutes, a curling effort from Louza flashed just wide following a promising attack from the visitors.
Not to be kept out, Louza was in the right place at the right time just seconds later to tap home from close range and level the contest.
Watford quickly turned the match around as Vata’s effort from the edge of our area took a big deflection off Vente to give Smith no chance in goal.
Megwa was the only player involved from the first half to start the second as Gray made a host of changes during the interval.
Second Half XI: Boruc; Megwa, Rocky, Harbottle; Whittaker, Delferrière, Levitt, Amos, Calder; McKirdy, Jair.
The visitors made just two changes as they introduced Mileta Rajovic and their new signing, Antonio Tikvic.
We started the second period on the front foot and Jair was almost through on goal only for a fantastic sliding challenge from Porteous to thwart him.
We drew level on 53 minutes when McKirdy showed a terrific poacher’s instinct to steal in on Porteous’ blind side and intercept the defender’s header back to Bond, rounding the goalkeeper and slotting into the empty net.
It was the forward’s first goal at Easter Road and was a just reward for his industrious running and willingness to chase a seemingly lost cause.
However, we would only be level for 15 minutes as Watford restored their advantage when Nabizada swept the ball in from close range following Michael Adu-Poku’s low delivery.
With eight minutes remaining, it took a terrific save from Max Boruc to deny James Morris’ piledriver from the edge of our area and prevent Watford from extending their lead.
Morris had another effort soon after. This time his powerful strike had the beating of Boruc only to whistle past the post.
A worthwhile run out this evening for David Gray’s squad and we now look forward to competitive action this weekend when Peterhead come calling in the Premier Sports Cup.
Hibernian: Smith (Boruc 46’), Ekpiteta (Rocky 46’), O’Hora (Harbottle 46’), Vente (McKirdy 46’), Boyle (Amos 46’), Newell (Delferriere 46’), Obita (Calder 46’), Moriah-Welsh (Levitt 46’), Megwa (McAllister 64’), Campbell (Jair 46’), Molotnikov (Whittaker 46’). Substitutes not used: Cleland, McGrath.
Watford: Bond, Ngakia (Clarridge 64’), Sierralta (Rajovic 46’), Porteous (Nabizada 64’), Pollock (Abbott 75’), Ince, Louza (Adu-Poku 64’), Vata (Forde 64’), Morris (Watkiss 86’), Baah (Tikvic 46’), Ramirez. Substitutes not used: Marriott, Adeyemo.
Referee: Nick Walsh.
Attendance: 8,659.
