With the youngest Hibs squad ever to take the pitch we were hopeful of getting something out of this fixture as Lions started the game only one point and one place higher than us in the table. The pluses were a great work rate and plenty of chances created. The minuses are we need to be more clinical in front of goal and also not allow ourselves to fall asleep in the back.

The first half was tight and ended 0-0 with both sides having some half chances and the best chances of the half falling to a Lions player who blazed over from 10 yards out (nicely taken 3 points between the rugby posts behind the goal for Macca!!) and also Bastian charging through half the Lions team and then dragging the ball wide of the far post with the keeper beaten.

Hibs were defending resolutely and the midfield was continually breaking up anything that the Lions were creating in the middle of the park. Tidy debuts from the FOB pair, Spackers and Rossy, playing the holding role in front of the defence.

The second half was more open with more chances created (and spurned) at both ends as legs tired and more spaces appeared across the park. Lions scored first and the Hibbies immediately hit back with a goal from Andrew Talbot who’s cross/shot was deflected into the net by the hapless ions defender. All square at 1-1 and all to play for in final 20 minutes.

I think Hibs had three one on one’s with the Lions keeper in the 2^nd half and we didn’t manage to properly test out their new keeper with any of our goal-bound efforts. The most profligate of which fell to Adib who collected a neat cross, made room for himself and had all the time in the world to pick his spot from less than ten yards out with only the keeper to beat. He chose to try to break the back of the net and blazed over with the goal at his mercy – another 3 points through the rugby posts – clearly trying his best to emulate Macca’s first half effort.

Lions pounced on a mistake at the back and at last one of the strikers capitalized and brought the score to 2-1. There was much huffing and puffing from all the Hibs players and more good chances created but the spark of magic was definitely missing at Tampines on the day. On another occasion the game could easily have finished 4-4, but alas for the Hibs the Muddy Murphy’s bragging rights go to the Lions.

 
Thanks to Lions for a tough game which was spirited and combative but never got out of hand. Thanks too to the referees who had a decent game.