Match report as Hibernian beat St Mirren 1-0 at the SMISA Stadium; Elie Youan's second-half strike the difference between the sides. Hibs leapfrog Saints into fifth
Saturday 4 February 2023 22:50, UK
Elie Youan’s second-half goal earned Hibernian a 1-0 victory away to St Mirren.
The forward struck 13 minutes from time to settle a game that struggled to get into any kind of rhythm.
In doing so Lee Johnson's men became the first team to win at the SMISA Stadium since Motherwell on the opening day of the league season.
Hibs also moved above Saints into fifth place in the Premiership table.
The Paisley side stuck with the same starting line-up that defeated Aberdeen in midweek, while Hibs made two changes from the team that drew with Ross County.
Out went the injured Kevin Nisbet and Chris Cadden, with Harry McKirdy and CJ Egan-Riley taking their places. Lewis Stevenson made his 450th league appearance, a new club record.
But McKirdy did not last long, substituted in the 18th minute after seeming to turn his ankle.
It was the visitors who started the stronger and Josh Campbell fired in a flashing effort that was deflected for a corner before the same player saw a goalbound drive blocked not long after.
Saints responded with a hopeful Mark O'Hara volley that went well wide as both teams struggled to come to terms with the blustery conditions.
Hibs were presented with a free-kick just outside the box after Aiden McGeady was upended by Scott Tanser. The winger took it himself and sent his effort only narrowly off target with Saints goalkeeper Trevor Carson struggling to get across to cover.
Curtis Main then had his team's first effort on goal, a fierce drive that was well kept out by David Marshall, before wasting a better opportunity by lashing it high over the bar from a promising position.
St Mirren had the first chance of the second half but Greg Kiltie's effort lacked the venom to trouble Marshall, with Hibs' Egan-Riley volleying wide at the other end from a free-kick nodded down to him by Paul Hanlon.
Tanser then tried an ambitious overhead kick from O'Hara's cross but it flew well wide of the far post.
At the other end, another acrobatic effort from Youan also failed to hit the target before a sliding effort from Mathew Hoppe lacked the pace to beat Carson.
But Hibs did make the breakthrough 13 minutes from time. Ewan Henderson's cross from the right went through to Youan, who beat his man before firing past Carson via the inside of the post.
Lee Johnson paid tribute to Elie Youan after the French attacker scored his third goal in as many games for Hibs against St Mirren on Saturday:
"He's in excellent form. It's difficult when a foreign player comes in. You're never quite sure how they are going to settle, the tempo of the league, the culture, the country, but it seems like he loves it, he enjoys it and he's now showing why he played through all the youth levels in France.
"He's a really good signing for us. It's an excellent finish. At first I thought he'd been pulled down, but he's done well to stay on his feet and it's a wonderful finish at a very important time of the match."
"It's a big result. It's the third game in a week and we thought we should have had three clean sheets, if you look at the VAR goal [scored by Ross County on Wednesday]. We are starting to show signs that we are a solid outfit after a bad run with a lot of goals conceded. I thought Jimmy Jeggo and CJ Egan-Riley were fantastic. You can see why we brought them to the club. We had a nice balance."
Stephen Robinson reflects on St Mirren losing at home for the first time since the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season:
"The home run was always going to end some time. You can't do that all season. There wasn't a lot in the game and Lee Johnson will be delighted to get away with three points. I'd imagine he'd have been happy to have taken a point - probably like myself.
"I don't think Hibs caused us any problems. And we didn't cause them any either, truth be told. It was one of those days where the conditions dictated the level and quality of play. It was almost impossible for the players to pass the ball in the swirling wind. We would have been happy to take a point in the circumstances but didn't."
St Mirren take on Motherwell in the league on Wednesday night, kick-off 7.45pm, before a Scottish Cup fifth-round tie against Celtic on February 11. That match kicks off at 5.30pm.
Hibernian are out of the competition and their next league match is at home to Kilmarnock on February 18. Kick-off 3pm.
