It was hot. Very hot. Too hot, even. Nonetheless, a sold out NDP was eager to watch their Rose heroes take on Premiership side Hibernian.

Robbie Horn made five changes to the team that bested Clyde in the club’s maiden League Cup outing. Mark Weir switched with Mikey Andrews between the sticks, while new signing Conor Doan stepped in for Lewis Turner to make his first Rose start. Meanwhile, Ross Gray, Keiran McGachie and Kieran Hall were replaced by Callum Connolly, George Hunter and Kevin Smith.

Lee Johnson, new to the Hibees’ hot seat, wasn’t holding back with his team selection following a shock 1-0 defeat to Falkirk in midweek. Former Scotland number one David Marshall, 93-time Republic of Ireland international Aiden McGeady and talented youngster Ewan Henderson all starting.

And it was a perfect start… for the wary visitors. With less than two minutes played, Kerr Young’s attempted clearance clattered off Josh Grigor and fell inch-perfectly to the feet of crafty midfielder Joe Newell. The Englishman made no mistake in opening up his body and lashing home the opener.

While the absolute underdogs of this tale, there was no denying the disappointment of losing such an unfortunate goal so early. So, when skipper Jonny Stewart hacked at the legs of Christian Doidge right on the edge of the area less than ten minutes later and Steven McLean pointed to the spot, suddenly a sunkissed day out seemed destined to be a long one for the Rosey Posey faithful.

Then McGeady placed it well, well wide – Weir was subsequently booked for his taunting after the miss; he’d tell you it was worth it, I’d imagine – and the score remained one goal to nil.

The booked ‘keeper was soon tested thrice in quick succession. First, he kept out an acrobatic effort from Elias Melkersen from just four yards out with a strong reaction stop. Less than a minute later, Doidge took aim from inside the box but our number one expertly pushed his effort aside. Not long after those quickfire stops, Weir was at hand again to deny Henderson.

However, four minutes into a lengthy stoppage time, Henderson got his goal. Picking up a loose ball inside the Rose box, the 22-year-old danced around Stewart and let fly with a deceptively strong prod at goal that Weir could only push into the top corner.

Five minutes into the aforementioned lengthy stoppage time, Rose stunned the visitors with a rapid bounceback. Stewart sent a hopeful ball over the top of the Hibs backline, which Smith raced onto and looped over Marshall with relative ease. An absolute corker of a goal for the veteran forward to score on his home debut.

Back in it. Or so we all thought. Seven minutes into the twice aforementioned lengthy stoppage time, Hibs got a third. Newell effortlessly jinked his way through a cluttered Rose defence and placed the ball into the bottom left corner to re-extend Hibs’ two-goal lead.

Then, eventually, half-time. Wow. What a half. Could the second half live up to the first?

No, sadly, it could not. It took until the 80th minute for any moment of note to happen, when Kieran Hall’s effort seemingly smacked a Hibee hand in the penalty area. Booming penalty shouts and long protests couldn’t reverse the decision of an adamant McLean’s to wave away the calls.

Substitute striker Momodou Bojang nearly added a fourth for Hibs late on when he cleverly rounded Weir and fired on target, only to be denied by a superb block from Grigor on the line.

The visitors did get their fourth deep into stoppage time, however, when Henderson excellently smashed the ball top corner with an undeniably first-rate effort. And that was that.

A tough game for the Rose against topflight opposition in the sweltering heat beaming down upon Boomtown. Next up, Falkirk.

Article Copyright © 2022. Permission to use quotations from this or any article on the website is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and for online use source credit and hyperlink to www.bonnyriggrosefc.co.uk