HIBS — BETFRED LEAGUE CUP REPORT

MATCH REPORT

COVE RANGERS FC 1 HIBERNIAN FC 2

Betfred League Cup Saturday Oct 10th @ Balmoral Stadium

COMPETITIVE FOOTBALL RETURNS TO BALMORAL

Competitive football finally returned to an almost empty Balmoral Stadium when we narrowly lost out to Hibs in a thrilling opener to our Betfred League Cup Group B campaign.

The Edinburgh side, who are currently third in the Scottish Premiership, edged it 2-1 but it took an astonishing last minute save from their keeper Dillon Barnes to deny Jamie Semple the equaliser that could have sent the tie into the drama of a penalty shoot-out to claim an extra point.

Defender Daniel Higgins had fired us ahead in the first half with a stunning free-kick but Hibs responded with second half strikes by Jamie Gullan and Kevin Nisbet to edge the first ever meeting between the clubs.

Only the players, officials and media were allowed inside the ground to see our first competitive outing since March. But the Cove fans tuned in to the live screening on Premier TV - and the small group who watched from the public pathway overlooking Balmoral Stadium - will have been pleased with the way we pushed our fulltime opponents, who were playing their 12th competitive match of the season, all the way in our first meaningful game for 211 days.

We were forced to go without injured trio Fraser Fyvie - a former Hibee - Ryan Strachan and Seb Ross, but took the game to our visitors from the off. Strong running down the left from Adam Livingstone and a dangerous cross from the other wing by Mitch Megginson saw us force a couple of corners inside as many minutes.

Jamie Masson took the second one and found Scott Ross, who was unlucky to direct his 12 yard header off target. Leighton McIntosh then got in behind the Hibs defence on the right but his cross back over from the byline just evaded Megginson at the edge of the six yard box before the ball was booted clear.

Hibs responded by almost taking the lead in the 10th minute from their first real attack. Martin Boyle crossed the ball in from the right and Christian Doidge was unfortunate to see his downward header bounce back up off the pitch and strike the Cove crossbar before the ball was cleared.

We went ahead in the 17th minute after David Gray was penalised for fouling Masson 22 yards out. HIGGINS took the free-kick and curled an unstoppable effort around the Hibs defensive wall and into the bottom corner, to the right of diving visiting keeper Barnes. >>>

It could have been 2-0 in the 20th minute when Masson found Megginson from a freekick but the Cove skipper’s 16-yard shot was well saved by Barnes. Cove keeper Stuart McKenzie matched that with an outstanding save from a close range shot by Boyle on the half hour.

Hibs midfielder Stephen Mallan also fired a 25-yard free-kick wide a couple of minutes later but there was no doubt Cove deserved to be ahead at the interval. The visitors brought Gullan on for Drey Wright before the restart and the Hibs sub made an immediate impact by equalising in the 49th minute. A swift passing move from Hibs ended with Boyle squaring the ball from the right for GULLAN to fire home from seven yards.

Cove immediately went in search of a second though. Masson wasn’t too far off target with a 20-yard free-kick before Megginson sent his shot just wide after collecting a neat lay-off from McIntosh. Hibs went ahead the hour in controversial circumstances. Higgins appeared to be fouled midway through the Cove half but referee Euan Anderson awarded the freekick to Hibs.

They took it quickly, before the Cove back line could reorganise and when the ball reached Melker Hallberg on the right his cross was expertly volleyed home from 15 yards by NISBET.

We were unlucky again in the 68th minute when Megginson and McIntosh carved open the Hibs defence with a quick exchange of passes. The Cove captain was only inches away from getting on the return ball from his strike partner. Hibs also brought on Kyle Magennis and his shot from a tight angle in the right was beaten away to safety by the diving McKenzie.

It needed a top drawer save from Hibs keeper Barnes to deny Cove substitute Semple a dramatic 89th minute equaliser. The midfielder, who is with us on loan from Motherwell, perfectly hit an acrobatic volley from the outside edge of the Hibs area that was going in until Barnes stretched to deflect the ball over the crossbar with his fingertips.

The Cove players were unhappy referee Anderson failed to spot Megginson was being held as he attempted to get on the end of the resulting corner. Higgins also appeared to be fouled in the Hibs area deep into injury-time but the referee again waved play on as the Premiership side held out for their narrow win.

Cove Rangers McKenzie, Scott Ross, Milne, Graham, Higgins, Yule, Scully, Masson, McIntosh, Megginson, Livingstone (Semple 71).

Subs: Leighton, Watson, McAllister, Brown, Demus.

Hibernian Barnes, Gray, Wright (Gullan 46), Doidge, Boyle, Mallan, Nisbet, Stevenson, Hallberg, McGinn (Magennis 58), McGregor.

Subs: Samson, Mackie, Shanley, Elder.

Referee: Euan Anderson.

MANAGEMENT

Paul Hartley

Gordon Young

GOALKEEPERS

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Stuart McKenzie

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

Tom Leighton Harry Milne Scott Ross

Ryan Strachan LOCAL , NATIONAL & INTERNATIONAL ROAD HAULAGE Daniel Higgins

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DEFENDERS

Adam Livingstone Balint Demas

Ross Graham

SPONSORSHIP AVAILABLE

Connor Scully Blair Yule Jamie Masson

Jamie Semple Broque Watson

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FORWARDS

Jordan Brown

GORDON CAMPBELL

Fraser Fyvie

MIDFIELDERS

Angela Bruce - abruce@coverangersfc.com

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Leighton McIntosh Rory McAllister