HIBERNIAN survived a late scare against Hamilton to hold onto third place going into the international break with a narrow 3-2 victory at Easter Road.
A brace from Kevin Nisbet and a third from skipper Paul Hanlon gave the Leith side what proved to be an insurmountable lead, although two late goals from Accies ensured a nervy end to proceedings.
“Given how we played, it’s a slightly strange feeling to have played so well yet spend the end of the game running the ball into the corner to make sure you win,” said Hibs head coach Jack Ross.
“A lot credit needs to go to Brian [Rice] and his team for that.
“I’m loathe to criticise the players. Loads about their performance tonight was really, really good.”
Hibs came flying out of the traps and pressed hard for an opening goal, and almost had one with three minutes on the clock. Joe Newell’s corner met the head of Paul Hanlon but while the centre-half’s header was well-placed, it lacked sufficient power and was tipped wide of the far post by Kyle Gourley.
The early bombardment continued. Cross after cross was swung in by Boyle and Jamie Murphy but the Accies defence held firm to repel them, admirably resisting each wave of attack.
The intensity with which the home side started the match soon faded and Hamilton started to grow into the game. The midfield trio of Ross Callachan, Scott Martin and Will Collar moved the ball around well at times but struggled to find the runs of David Templeton and Andy Winter up top.
However, it wasn’t long until Hibs broke the deadlock. Boyle scurried forward with the ball and with Nisbet unmarked to his left, Accies’ Hakeem Odoffin was left with little choice but to haul the winger down on the edge of the area. The Hamilton defender’s efforts were rewarded with a booking before Nisbet stepped up to curl a powerful free-kick into the far corner to rub salt in the visitors’ wounds.
That early goal buoyed the home side as they chased a second that would put them in the driving seat. Boyle fizzed a low shot past the woodwork as a gentle reminder of the threat Hibs posed before Nisbet went one better to double his side’s lead.
Hamilton failed to properly clear a Newell corner and the ball was eventually worked back to the midfielder out on the right. He took a touch inside, whipped a wonderful in-swinging ball towards the six-yard box and Nisbet was on hand to nod the ball home via the underside of the bar.
Templeton was inches away from pulling one back for Hamilton on the stroke of half-time but his well-struck shot from the edge of the box whistled agonisingly wide of the post before Clancy called time on the opening 45 minutes.
Hibs might have had the lead but Accies weren’t going down without a fight. Marios Ogkmpoe was brought on for Winter at the restart to provide Rice’s side with the focal point in attack they had been sorely lacking. They started on the front foot and while there was a lack of guile at times, there was certainly no shortage of industry.
On 54 minutes, Accies’ hard work was rewarded with a spot-kick. Ogkmpoe bustled his way through the box and was felled by Paul McGinn, only for the Greek striker’s penalty to be tipped wide by Ofir Marciano.
Kyle Gourley denied Nisbet his hat-trick with a terrific stop but Hanlon would strike the decisive blow moments later.
Melker Hallberg floated a free-kick towards the back post where Christian Doidge was waiting to head it back across goal; Hanlon rose highest and nudged the ball over the line, and Accies’ fate was sealed.
Callachan pulled one back for the visitors with 15 minutes to go after Ryan Porteous gave away Hibs’ second penalty of the night, rifling his shot into the top-left corner.
With the clock winding down, it looked like Hibs would maintain their two-goal advantage but an own goal from Porteous with five minutes remaining meant that the game’s finale wasn’t quite as comfortable as the hosts would have liked.
“We started poorly which was very unlike us,” Rice said. “I think you saw in the second half that when we’re at it, we’re not a bad team.
“I know we’ll keep going and we’ll never chuck it.
“Hibs had chances but so did we. In the first half we gave far too much respect to Hibs.”
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