CHRISTIAN DOIDGE and Marc McNulty have wasted no time in forging a fearsome partnership.
The Easter Road outfit have become rather adept in crafting deadly attacking duos during the January transfer window in recent campaigns. Florian Kamberi and Jamie Maclaren struck up an understanding which was borderline telepathic in 2018. McNulty and Kamberi hit it off from the outset a year later. However, this could prove to be the best yet.
McNulty and Doidge both found the net during a comfortable 3-0 triumph over Ross County last night, taking their combined tally to six goals in the four appearances they have made together. Yet it was their link-up play which impressed more than the fact they rippled the net.
McNulty hared onto Doidge flick-ons on countless occasions, while McNulty’s intelligence and movement created acres of space for the towering Welshman to operate within.
McNulty did miss a late penalty, somewhat blotting his copybook, but that was immediately rendered moot when Adam Jackson made the game safe.
The result saw Hibs remain on the coattails of Livingston in the top six, while they racked up back-to-back wins for the first time since November.
“We’ve had very little time on the training pitch so it’s not like I can say we’ve constantly worked on it [the partnership],” said Ross. “What we have done is thrown Marc and Christian together and looked for a way to have the two of them in the team.
“They offer us different strengths and that probably doesn’t happen that often now: a traditional front two with alternate attributes.
“And they’ll get better, there’s more to come - but if you look at their contribution over the two games you can’t be anything but pleased.”
Martin Boyle wasted a wonderful opportunity to give the Hibees the lead when he blasted over the bar from six yards – albeit at a prohibitive angle – after meeting a sumptuous low cross from Greg Docherty. Doidge then stung the palms of County custodian Nathan Baxter.
Hibs’ richly-merited opening goal arrived with seven minutes on the clock. Scott Allan slipped a fine through-ball to McNulty, who took full advantage of Baxter’s rash decision to hare out of his goal-mouth by prodding a clinical finish into the net from 30 yards.
Baxter, on loan from Chelsea, went some way to making amends for his earlier rush of blood to the head by parrying a powerful effort from Doidge to safety following a neat turn and shot by the prolific Welshman.
But Doidge would not be denied. With half-time approaching, he stooped to meet a Joe Newell delivery and his diving header nestled in the corner. That’s 16 goals for the season and 14 in his last 18 games.
Hibs had a glorious opportunity to end any lingering doubt about the result when Marcus Fraser handled a McNulty cross in the box, prompting referee Steven McLean to point to the spot. However, Baxter plunged to his left-hand side to save McNulty’s tame spot-kick.
That would prove to be a temporary reprieve. From the resulting Newell delivery, Jackson towered above the statuesque County defence to head home Hibs’ third.
“We were well beaten in the end and it’s simple as that,” said Ross County co-manager Stuart Kettlewell. “Hibs were able to play through us at will.
“We we had one or two chances in first half but we had a mountain to climb at half-time – plus they were firing on all cylinders tonight.”
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