Hibernian

St Johnstone are beaten 2-0 at Hibs for a fourth consecutive defeat, leading to the dismissal of manager Craig Levein.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

The wait is over. David Gray finally got his first league win of the new campaign with a very comfortable 2-0 home victory over St Johnstone.

Craig Levein loves to set his team up to spoil games, and his assertion post-match that St Johnstone played well in the opening 45 minutes goes a long way to explaining why the match was eye-bleedingly bad until the board went up to signal two minutes of added time at the end of the half.

Hibs, apparently, had had quite enough of the slog-fest the game had become and launched a free-kick to the back post, where Marvin Ekpiteta nodded it down for Mykola Kuharevich to bundle home.

To be honest, there was something refreshing about Hibs taking a route-one approach effectively in a game where trying to play football had been less than fruitful.

The second half was an altogether different affair. Summer g Junior Hoilett lit the game up after he replaced Elie Youan at half-time. The experienced winger brought a calmness and quality to proceedings, and St Johnstone had no answer to him.

It was another second-half sub, Martin Boyle, who sealed the win for Hibs. He ran on to an excellent from Chris Cadden that "fed the grass" according to Stephen McGinn on Saturday night's Sportscene – what a great phrase! - and clipped the ball beyond the Saints keeper.

With victory secured, Easter Road serenaded one of its most familiar adversaries, Levein, down the tunnel and back up the road to Perth.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers Podcast, external

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter at Easter Road

Image source, SNS

"Inconsistent" Martin Boyle "can't shy away from high expectations" as he enters the final year of his contract with Hibernian.

Boyle has five goals and five assists in 10 games this season, though he its he has been "a bit inconsistent" of late.

The 31-year-old came off the bench to score his 100th goal in Scottish league football in Hibs' much-needed win against St Johnstone on Saturday but said that is "part and parcel" of his role in the team.

"It's nice to come on and make an impact," he told BBC Scotland. "I always enjoy scoring goals and helping the team get three points, and we needed it.

"It will give the place a lift and the manager as well so we can take that confidence and bring that winning mentality back."

Boyle, as one of the senior and more successful players in the squad, is sometimes on the end of criticism from the stands, but it's something the Australia international can handle.

"I've been a bit inconsistent and I'm just trying to maintain my goals and assists, that’s part and parcel of what I do," he added.

"The criticism can be anything it wants. I'm an established player now and the expectations on me are really high and I can't shy away from that.

"The fans pay their money and are entitled to their opinion but as long as I keep giving 100% and show them what this club means to me then hopefully I can keep producing."

The question is, will he keep performing for the Easter Road club beyond the summer? Boyle's contract runs out at the end of the season, but he isn't rushing into any conversations.

"I just want to keep maintaining that form for Hibs and when that conversation has to happen, then it will come," he added.

"It's a bit early in the season just now for that but things are going well just now and we will see what happens."

Kanayo Megwa's move to Partick Thistle on loan makes "complete sense," says head coach David Gray.

The defender, who signed a new four-year deal with the Easter Road club last month, spent last season on loan in the Scottish Championship with Airdrieonians.

The 20-year-old ed the Hibernian academy in 2021 and made his first team debut last August, after playing in Dubai as a teenager.

His loan move back to the second tier in Scottish football will provide him with regular first-team football according to Gray.

"Due to the competition for places at right-back, this loan move makes complete sense for Kanayo as it allows him to gain regular senior football at a competitive level," Gray told club media.

"He’s someone we’re really fond of and he needs regular game time to keep developing. We’ve seen a positive change in him after each loan spell he’s been on, and I’m sure this will be another that hugely benefits him."

Image source, SNS

A wrist operation means Hibernian winger Martin Boyle, 31, will miss their next match, away to Rangers on 28 September. (Scotsman - subscription, external)

Hibs head coach David Gray sees improvement in forward Myko Kuharevich from his previous loan spell from Swansea City. (Edinburgh Evening News - subscription, external)

Read the rest of Tuesday's Scottish gossip.

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Hibs' first win of the league season was "massive" for David Gray and will ease some of the pressure on the head coach, says former midfielder Andrew Shinnie.

Hibs had lost two and drawn two of their opening four league matches, but Shinnie expects them to push past their early-season troubles after beating St Johnstone 2-0.

"That was massive, everyone was looking at that thinking it was a must win for Hibs, which makes it a difficult game," said Shinnie on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"I've played at Easter Road and it's a very demanding atmosphere at times, especially the way they are at the minute.

"Probably some of the players wouldn't have been massively looking forward to the game, home to St Johnstone, they needed the three points and they got a good 2-0 victory.

"There wasn't much in the game in the first-half, but that goal right on half-time was absolutely massive, that changed the momentum of the game and they came out in the second-half and were much stronger and got a comfortable win.

"I was really happy for David, he needed the win and he's got it and I think they'll kick on now and they'll be a decent side this year."

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Hibs picked up a tension-easing win over St Johnstone on Saturday, and have Martin Boyle in my Team of the Week.

Boyle and Junior Hoilett made a huge difference when they came off the bench to help David Gray's side to their first league win of the season.

The Australian just gets the nod over Hoilett due to his goal.