Hibernian came from a goal behind to claim a deserved three points in a 2-1 win over Ross County.
A Paul Hanlon own goal gave County the lead in the first quarter-of-an-hour but a quick response from Anthony Stokes and a goal late on from Oli Shaw gave the Easter Road club the victory.
It was no less than they merited, given they put County under huge pressure for great swathes of the game and only dogged defensive work, plus several smart stops by Scott Fox, prevented Hibs running away with it.
The Staggies made three changes from the side that lost 3-2 to Hamilton Accies a week ago. Andrew Davies, Ross Draper and Billy Mckay were drafted into the starting line-up, with Jamie Lindsay, Jamie O’Brien and the suspended Michael Gardyne out. Hibernian made two changes from the 4-1 defeat at Aberdeen, with Oli Shaw and Anthony Stokes replacing Marvin Bartley and Simon Murray.
It was only Mckay’s third start since his summer arrival from Wigan, with the former Caley Thistle striker named in the first 11 for the first time since the 2-1 win over Hamilton Accies in October.
Hibernian had the better of the opening 10 minutes, with Martin Boyle gaining great freedom down the right flank. He flashed a low cross into the County penalty area that evaded everyone in the middle, before Stokes drilled the ball back goalwards for Fox to tip over.
Mckay was relying on support from Craig Curran and Chris Eagles in the wide areas as he looked to seize his chance with a goal. He harried Efe Ambrose into an error but was unable to get much purchase on his shot, as the Nigerian defender tried to wrestle him back.
But the 14th minute did bring the opener for the visitors, who were seeking their first win since beating Motherwell 3-2 on November 4. Jason Naismith’s fizzing diagonal ball found Eagles in space and he drove into the box, delivering a ball across the face of goal. Under pressure from Curran, Paul Hanlon deflected the ball into his own net.
The lead lasted six minutes as Boyle again found freedom to cross from the right, with Stokes this time meeting it with a powerful header that kissed the inside of the post on its way in.
Drawing level gave the Hibees a lift and they could well have gone in front on 27 minutes as Brandon Barker set off on a solo mission from his own half, slaloming past a couple of Staggies players. He had the opportunity to lay in Stokes for a simpler chance but chose to go himself, drawing a low block out of Fox at his near post.
Hibs’ midfield was bypassing County’s too easily with Chris Routis often left by himself to screen his defence. The hosts continued to press through Stokes, taking a pass from Lewis Stevenson and angling a shot past Fox’s far post.
Stokes remained Hibs’ biggest threat and wasted a glorious opportunity to double his tally five minutes before the break. An arching pass from Dylan McGeouch picked out Stokes drifting off Marcus Fraser but instead of lifting the ball over Fox, who had advanced slightly off his line, he waited an extra few seconds, only to blaze the ball high into the stand.
County had clung on at times in the first half in the face of waves of Hibernian pressure and the second half threatened to be a repeat, with Boyle played in by Ambrose, evading a challenge from Fraser and hammering a shot into the side netting.
Full-back Jason Naismith was the Staggies’ key man from a defensive perspective, twice throwing in key blocks to deny John McGinn and Stokes close to the hour mark.
The 67th minute presented Neil Lennon’s side with an even better opportunity as a wonderful cross-field ball from Stokes picked out Boyle racing in behind. He had an unfavourable angle but Fox still did well to spread himself and keep the shot out.
Pressure on the County goal was now incessant and Fox again came to the rescue, springing up to turn a Stokes cross-shot over the bar as it threatened to loop in.
County eventually cracked and it was the Hibees’ front two that combined, with Stokes’ near-post cross turned in by Shaw on the slide to put the home side in front with 14 minutes remaining.
There was little to shout about going forward for the Staggies, with Mckay seeing a goal ruled out for a clear offside after Curran did well to divert the ball across goal in the closing stages, as Hibs held on for a deserved three points.
