Hibernian Progresses in Premier Sports Cup After Narrow Victory
Owen Elding’s early strike was enough to drag Hibernian into the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup – but they were made to sweat every inch of the way by a stubborn, aggressive Partick Thistle.
The forward’s third goal of the season, a simple finish at the back post, decided a tight 1-0 tie at Easter Road and kept David Gray’s side on course in the cup, days after their European exertions in North Macedonia.
Elding pounces as Hibs fly out of the blocks
If there were fears Hibs might look leggy after their midweek trip to face Shkendija, they vanished almost immediately. Gray freshened his line-up with Kanayo Megwa, Jack Iredale, Joe Newell and Jamie McGrath, and the tempo from the hosts was sharp from the first whistle.
Inside five minutes, Hibs carved Thistle open. McGrath slid a clever pass in behind, Elding burst clear and went low across goal, only to see Liam McFarlane block with his legs. It felt like an early warning.
Seven minutes later, the warning turned into a lead.
Iredale surged to the byline on the left and whipped a vicious ball across the six-yard box. It flew through a crowd of bodies and Elding, alive to the chance at the back post, crashed it into the net. A tap-in, yes, but born of the kind of aggressive movement that has marked his start to the season.
Hibs were on top, the stadium relaxed, and for a spell it looked like Thistle might be swept away.
They weren’t.
Missed chances keep tie alive
Instead of killing the game, Hibs allowed it to simmer dangerously.
Thistle sat in, made the spaces tight and frustrated Gray’s side. Hibs saw plenty of the ball but their early fluency dulled, and with only a one-goal cushion the contest never felt secure.
Oisin Smyth reminded everyone of that with a deflected effort that flew wide as Thistle searched for a foothold. Most of the real damage, though, continued to come at the other end – and McFarlane turned the first half into his own personal highlight reel.
The on-loan Hearts goalkeeper produced a superb reaction stop to turn Elding’s close-range effort on to the bar, a save that drew gasps around Easter Road. Moments later, he denied Nathan Lowe with his feet, standing tall as Hibs pressed for a second that simply refused to arrive.
The pattern continued after the interval. Hibs came out with intent, Mayor driving a shot that McFarlane pushed behind. The pressure built again, the sense of déjà vu with it.
Then Elding passed up the chance that should have settled everything.
Just before the hour, Lowe picked him out with a raking ball in behind the Thistle defence. Elding was clear, the goal opening up, but his first touch let him down. McFarlane pounced at his feet, smothering the chance. The loose ball broke to McGrath, who tried to improvise a delicate chip, only to see it land on the roof of the net.
Hibs were still in front. They were nowhere near comfortable.
VAR twist sparks Thistle surge
The game’s turning point came on 65 minutes.
Sebastian Drodz let fly and the ball struck Newell inside the box. Referee Duncan Nicolson pointed to the spot, Thistle players surrounding him in expectation. Then came the delay, the check, the walk to the monitor.
After reviewing the incident, Nicolson reversed his decision, ruling the contact on Newell’s arm accidental. The penalty was scrubbed, the home crowd roared, and Hibs exhaled.
Thistle did not.
The denied spot-kick only hardened their resolve. From that moment, Hibs were pushed back and forced to defend their lead with increasing desperation.
Cale Loughrey stepped up with a fierce free-kick that Rafa Sallinger had to beat away, the Hibs goalkeeper standing firm as the ball dipped and swerved in front of him. Smyth then darted to the near post and forced Sallinger into another sharp save, the Austrian alert to turn the effort behind.
The chances kept coming. Ben Stanway glanced a header wide when he should at least have hit the target. Ben Dempsey drove in at the near post, again testing Sallinger, again finding the Hibs keeper equal to it.
Thistle threw everything at the closing stages. Hibs, who had threatened to stroll it early on, ended up clinging to their narrow lead.
They held on. They’re in the last eight. But on this evidence, if Gray’s side want this cup run to last, they cannot keep living this close to the edge.
