Hibernian vs St. Johnstone. Scottish Premiership.
Easter RoadAttendance16,850.
Match report as Nick Montgomery wins his first home game as Hibernian head coach as St Johnstone beaten 2-0
Monday 25 September 2023 10:11, UK
Hibernian head coach Nick Montgomery marked his home debut with a win as goals from Lewis Miller and Dylan Vente saw off St Johnstone 2-0.
Miller headed in from close range in a tight first half before Vente made Hibs pressure count after the break with a finish from inside the box.
The win, the first of Montgomery's reign, lifted Hibs above city rivals Hearts into sixth in the cinch Premiership ahead of Wednesday's Viaplay Cup quarter-final visit of St Mirren.
It was also a day to remember for Rory Whittaker after the Hibs forward climbed off the bench to become the club's youngest player at only 16 years and 44 days.
Jair Tavares was handed his first start in 13 month for Hibs after being brought in from the cold by Montgomery.
And the Portuguese forward was part of a dynamic attacking four that caused Saints problems during the early stages.
A neat move saw Will Fish find Vente and the Dutchman's square pass was struck just wide from a first-time shot by Martin Boyle.
Hibs kept coming and Adam Le Fondre had a comfortable header kept out by Dimitar Mitov from a cross stood up by Joe Newell.
Tavares then got involved in the action himself but a first-time drive from a Lewis Miller pass sailed wide.
Saints looked dangerous on the counter, especially with Hibs pushing their full-backs high, but they lacked the final pass.
Saints midfielder Cameron MacPherson shot wide from outside the area before team-mate Daniel Phillips then fired over from a good position inside the area.
But Hibs broke the deadlock 10 minutes before the break. Newell lifted a curling cross to the back post and Miller's downward header back across goal beat Mitov.
Hibs should have doubled their lead in the 58th minute when Boyle, who raced on to Fish's pass down the right flank, cut back for substitute Elie Youan but the Frenchman fired over from 12 yards with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Hibs goalkeeper David Marshall was then called into action at the other end to keep out an Andrew Considine effort at the back post from a Graham Carey corner.
But Hibs stepped up their intensity and finally put the game to bed in the 69th minute as Vente added a second.
After Mitov got down well to repel a low Youan effort, Le Fondre's deft flick outside the area set up Vente and the forward buried a low shot past Mitov.
Hibs teenager Whittaker had a chance to mark his debut with a goal but Mitov denied the youngster.
Hibs head coach Nick Montgomery said: "The fans were amazing, they gave me a really good reception before the game and the energy they created in the second half resulted in a lot of opportunities.
"We know the pace we have up front and teams are going to come and work hard against us and that's what happened, but as the game got stretched we created a lot of opportunities on the counter attack."
On Whittaker's debut: "Today was an opportunity to show there's a pathway into the first team and Rory more than deserved his chance.
"I saw him play against Rangers last week and was very impressed with him and when he trained with the first team his attitude was spot on. He's a local boy, he's been in the academy a long time and there is no better feeling than giving a young lad like him his debut."
St Johnstone manager Steven MacLean said: "The goals we are conceding just now are poor. The first Hibs goal
comes from a second phase set-play and someone just doesn't do their job at the back post so it's poor from us.
"We were well in the game, we were frustrating them and we could have done better. We had a lot of opportunities in the transition and it was just the final pass, that final ball or the final run which cost us.
"The second goal was also a very poor goal to lose as we had bodies around about it but we didn't have enough pressure on the ball and they played a ball around the corner and we got done."
Hibernian's attention turns to the Viaplay Cup with a quarter-final tie at home to St Mirren on Wednesday night. Kick-off 7.45pm.
Their next Scottish Premiership match is at home to Dundee on September 30 while St Johnstone face Livingston on the same day.
Both games kick-off at 3pm.
