Hibs cruise to 2-0 victory

Report: Hibs 2 Dundee United 0

Hibs made their first competitive foray at Easter Road in a month against a Dundee United side that had lost twelve goals in their last three outings, and confidence was high among the Hibee faithful that a performance not dissimilar to that against Celtic – some four weeks earlier – could be repeated to effect against the Arabs. And it did not take long for the Hibees to raise the Easter Road roof when in-form Garry O'Connor found the United net after just eleven minutes. A first goal for 17-year-old Steven Fletcher sealed a solid win for Hibs in the second half....

Hibernian F.C. Match Reports
Hibernian 2 Dundee United 0
16 October 2004
Scottish Premier League

Hibs made their first competitive foray at Easter Road in a monthagainst a Dundee United side that had lost twelve goals in their last three outings, and confidence was high among the Hibee faithful that a performance not dissimilar to that against Celtic – some four weeks earlier – could be repeated to effect against the Arabs.

The match marked the return of Grant Brebner to Easter Road, the former Hibee having signed for United back in August, while David Murphy missed out for Hibs, the young defender having picked up a , handing Alen Orman his first start of the season. Stephen Glass taking up the vacated left back berth.

Early controversy reigned when Derek Riordan was upended at the edge of the United area by Mark Wilson, but referee Ritchie saw no malice in the challenge and waved play on, much to the disquiet of the home support.

United showed they too could create early opportunities and Duff found space in the midfield before laying off to Grady. The former Partick Thistle man made a run onto the wing before delivering an accurate cross into the penalty area which found the head of Kerr but the midfielder did not make sufficient contact to trouble Simon Brown with seven minutes played.

Hibs were looking comfortable and showing patience in the build-upWhittaker made aerial delivery to O’Connor and the big striker did fantastically well to control the ball before the chance broke to Riordan, who saw his skewed attempt at goal go wide of the upright.

That patience paid dividends with eleven minutes played when Riordan returned the favour. The youngster teased Wilson onto the wing before keeoing the ball on the deck and slipping a pass through to O’Connor, who made no mistake from seven yards and giving Hibs the early advantage.

From the restart the Hibees attempted to double their advantage and Orman made a mazy run through the United defence before Wilson deflected his effort from inside the area away for a corner kick. Hibs were in command at this stage and O’Connor attempted to set up Fletcher for a similar opportunity to his own with fourteen minutes played but the youngster was unfortunate not to make contact.

Orman was troubling United with mazy runs through the midfield and McInnes was fortunate not to receive a caution after cynically scything the Bosnian international to the turf during yet another fantastic scurry forward.

Hibs were causing constant problems for United and in a move involving Glass, Fletcher and Shiels the ball eventually broke to Riordan who once more attempted an incisive ball into the area, the Arabs this time clearing the danger in time with twenty minutes on the clock.

Orman was receiving heavy treatment from the United players but referee Ritchie took no action after a heavy tackle from Duff, with the Arabs trying desperately to come back into the encounter which had so far been dominated by the efforts of the home side.

United were pushing forward and a Robson delivery into a packed penalty area found the head of Innes and he could count himself unfortunate to see his angled header just creep round the outside of the upright when it looked like United would equalise.

Hibs too were pressing forward and Shiels showed exceptional control in the United area to chest the ball down but found it impossible to turn in a packed penalty area and the chance went astray. Seconds later the Northern Ireland youngster could only look on as a long-range effort went wide of Jarvie’s left hand post.

Referee Ritchie had to be alert to prevent a stramash between both sets of players after an altercation between Robson and O’Connor with ten minutes remaining in the first half which saw both players pick up yellow cards for their part in the incident.

O’Connor and Riordan were exemplifying the fact that they have played together since both were schoolboys with an almost telepathic communication between the two young strikers, O’Connor picking out his strike partner with a long range ball which he latched on to well before spotting Jarvie off his line and delivering an angled chip which came agonisingly close to doubling the advantage for Hibs.

A long through ball from Beuzelin found O’Connor with his back to goal with a minute remaining before the break and the towering frontman played the ball back to Orman, who saw his first time effort go wildly over the bar.

An inswinging Riordan corner found Beuzelin at the back post seconds later but the Frenchman struggled to make. That proved to be the last incident of note in a first half where Hibs deservedly went into the break a goal ahead, and it remained to be seen what Ian McCall could say at the interval in order to rejuvenate his charges.

Half Time: Hibernian 1 Dundee United 0

O’Connor and Riordan immediately sought to rekindle their partnership from the first half and after good build-up work a Riordan corner found the head of Fletcher and his powerful effort went agonisingly astray, clearing the United bar from close range.

Whittaker was proving to be effective with strong runs forward into positions where he could deliver troubling crosses into the area and after Shiels failed to properly control one such chance the ball broke to Riordan eight minutes in to the second period but the youngster sent his attempt well wide.

The second was not far away for Hibs however and this time it was Steven Fletcher getting his name on the scoresheet with his first senior goal for the Easter Road side, Shiels allowing the youngster to take possession on the edge of the area. While some may have taken an early shot Fletcher kept his composure before calmly sending the ball past Jarvie and sending the home support into raptures.

Fletcher almost made it three minutes later after yet more great link-up play between O’Connor and Riordan, but with yet another pin-point pass coming his way from the latter Fletcher was left disappointed after losing his footing on the edge of the area and allowing Jarvie to gather.

United started to push forward with greater expediency and Jason Scotland replaced James Grady on the hour mark as United sought to pull a goal back. Nevertheless it was Hibs who had the next real opportunity, with a Riordan freekick nodded on by Fletcher in the area and almost allowing Caldwell to take advantage, the ball just breaking past the defender before he could capitalise.

Shiels was showing fantastic control, in particular skipping past McInnes when it looked like he had no option other than to be dispossessed, but seconds later free kick from the former Kilmarnock man came close to being converted by Archibald at the back post, the defender escaping the reaches of the Hibs back four.

Both sides made a change with twenty five minutes remaining, Rocastle replacing Orman and McCracken replacing Kerr. Rocastle immediately was involved with a challenge on Wilson that gave United an inviting free kick on the edge of the penalty area which Glass deflected for a corner. Nevertheless Brown was on hand to deal with the set piece, confidently rising to gather the effort at his first attempt.

Scotland broke away from the Hibs defence with twenty minutes remaining before sending a long range effort just wide of Brown’s right hand post and that served as a warning to the Hibees that United were not ready to surrender the three points without a struggle.

Shiels lost possession at the edge of the area to McInnes with quarter of an hour left and that allowed Robson to send a low effort towards goal, but Brown was alert and gathered the ball with no real effort required.

Rocastle had a good goal scoring opportunity seconds later after the ball had made its way through the entire Hibs team and breaking to Shiels, who knocked back to the Chelsea midfielder but his first-time effort was well over the bar.

McCluskey replaced O’Connor and the striker received a standing ovation from the Easter Road support, clearly impressed by his fantastic all round performance on an afternoon where he ran his heart out.

The Arabs made their final change with Kerkar replacing McIntyre, McCall hoping the Algerian could ignite something which would grant United a lifeline in this encounter, but former Clyde player found himself upended moments after entering the fray, much to his disquiet, but a screaming effort minutes later failed to trouble Brown, landing amongst the travelling support as United sought desperately to reduce the deficit.

Fletcher picked up what appeared to be a knee injury with eighty four minutes played and he was replaced by Dobbie, but by this stage Hibs appeared happy to contain the United threat rather than attempting to add to their advantage. With minutes left a Wilson corner was inches wide of Archibald’s head but the visitors could not break the deadlock.

Full Time: Hibs 2 Dundee United 0

Hibernian: Brown, Beuzelin, Caldwell, Fletcher, Glass, Murray, Orman, O’Connor, Shiels, Riordan, Whittaker Subs: Ally Brown, Dobbie, McCluskey, McDonald, Rocastle, Shields, Venus

Dundee United: Jarvie; Wilson, McInnes, Archibald, Kerr, Brebner, McIntyre, Robson, Duff, Grady, Innes Subs: Hirschfield, Dodds, Scotland, Kerkar, McCracken, Robertson, Callaghan

Attendance: 9927

Report taken from www.hibs.org.uk (Hibernian Football Club Official website)

England2-2Portugal (pens)

Owen, Lampard - Postiga, Rui Costa

Ricardo had penalty plan

PORTUGAL 2-2 ENGLAND (Portugal win 6-5 on penalties)   Portugal keeper Ricardo says he always planned to take a penalty against England if a shoot-out was required. The 28-year-old sent the hosts through after saving from Darius Vassell and he said: "I had already decided I would take one if it came to it. "It's not new for me to take penalties but I really wanted to do it. I owed it to all the Portuguese fans." Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari added: "I have never seen him miss a penalty. I was confident he could take it." Ricardo has established a reputation for saving penalties with Sporting Lisbon and he added: "It was probably the most important save I have ever made. "You can watch as many videos as you like but when you're standing there in front of the ball it's basically instinct." England goalkeeper David James stated: "Being a member of the goalkeeper's union, I'm a bit annoyed about him. "After pulling off a great save he scored probably the best penalty of the day."