This weeks outing against SCC was a remarkably similar game to our encounter with Casuals last week, with Hibs in the game for the first 70 mins and then being undone with a couple of fairly soft goals towards the end.  The result doesn't really tell the whole story; Hibs actually took the lead and were toe-to-toe with the league leaders for large parts of the game. 

A freshly mowed pitch and legions of well warmed-up SCC players greeted us on our arrival at ITE Tampines.  The surface was a little soft in places but no hinderence to our football during a bright opening spell from the Hibs.  Barely 10 mins had elapsed when Dan 'Energy' Booth unsettled the SCC keeper enough to cause him to spill the ball in front of a grateful Bastian who finished convincingly from close range.

Credit to the SCC, they didn't panic and were soon starting to put some decent moves together, a number of excellent crosses from their right were causing our defence to put in some fairly desperate full-stretch clearances, Tunners and Fyffe saving us on a number of occasions.  Inevitably though, one of the crosses fell kindly for an SCC forward who finished well past Cek to make it 1-1. 

Hibs continued to compete in midfield with new signing Johan showing some nice touches and Bastian and Gary involved in a no-holds-barred battle with Owen in the middle of the park. Unfortunately, our task was made more difficult towards half time as, how can I put this, Mike Roberts (who had a faultless game apart from this) gifted a goal to SCC with the kind of clearance that will definately win an award at the Christmas party (ironically, being held at the SCC on 6th Dec).  Mike's 8-yard clearance rolled to the edge of the area and sat up perfectly for an SCC midfielder who crashed it into the top corner!  2-1 at the break.

Similar pattern in the second half with Tunners, Fyffe and Cek called into regular action to stifle the incisive SCC attacks.  But at the other end, Alex and Lucas had started to exploit some space on the wings and combined nicely in what was Hibs best move of the half, ending with Alex rattling the SCC crossbar from just inside the box.

Despite some really neat football at times, and a fair amount of pressure, Hibs couldn't get the equaliser and it was left to SCC to finish the game with two goals towards the end, the final one a penalty after Gary was adjudged to have impeded an SCC forward as he burst into the box.

Despite the final score, it was a good performance from the Hibs and has to give us some heart as we move towards the 'crucial' Christmas period (Crucial to stay off the mince pies, lads....).  Plenty of good football from us, plenty of heart and some excellent indvidual performances: Booth, Corner, Danielson, Tunbridge and Fyffe were the stand-outs today.  Thanks to the whole squad, including a couple of late cameos from O'Brien and Crellin.  And thanks to the SCC and the refs for a competitive and interesting game.