MEADOW LEAVE LEITH WITH HEADS HELD HIGH

Stewart McConnell • Published 11 Jan 2010 13:29 0 Comments

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FIELD OF DREAMS: Easter Road

Hibernian 3 Irvine Meadow 0

MAGNIFICENT Meadow turned on a highly impressive show against the SPL title-chasers in the biggest match in their history and while it was not quite Sunshine on Leith for Chris Strain's men they helped ensure their fantastic support hit many high notes in their praise.

While you might argue that Winter Wonderland might have been a more appropriate anthem than the aforementioned Proclaimers smash hit on such a bone-chilling afternoon, the Meadow fans were certainly the winners in the singing stakes as they e raised the rafters i tnhis superb stadium. And the visiting players certainly silenced the home players and support with a battling performance which fully justified their place in the Fourth Round of the national competition.

A day after tribute was paid to the late great King Elvis Presley on what would have been his 75th birthday, Strain's tenacious visitors certainly had their illustrious opponents All Shook Up with a great passage of play, especially in the opening 20 minutes.

There truly was an absolutely electric atmosphere and Meadow opened very strongly. In just two minutes former Rangers and St Mirren man Brian McGinty made a darting run before sending an angled 14-yard shot just wide of target. Scarcely a minute later the same player sent a thunderous 25-yard shot over the bar with the home defence wondering what had hit them.

Midfield workhorse Gareth Turner sllipped a fine pass to McGinty in seven minutes but home defender Chris Hogg made a fine tackle 25 yards from goal to thwart him.

Meadow won a free-kick a minute later and Chris Strain slipped the setpiece to former Hibee RichieBarr, whose effort was scrambled away for a corner.

You almost had to rub your eyes to believe what was unfolding with the underdogs unfazed by their strongly favoured opponents but Hibs were dangerous on the break and in 23 minutes Michael Wardrope had to be at his best to keep out a rasping 25-yard shot from Derek Riordan.

However perhaps the turning point came three minutes later as Barr looked to be caught by home keeper Graeme Smith inside the box and although penalties have been given for far less, the replay suggested the visiting player had gone down all too easily. That's certainly how referee Euan Norris saw it as he flashed a yellow-card at the former Road man.

However reality finally dawned six minutes later as Hibs seized the initiative. Derek Riordan lashed the ball home from six yards although the ball perhaps took a final deflection off visiting defender Zander Ryan.

A goalden opportunity came Meadow's way in 38 minutes as McGinty's netbound strike from 12 yards hit the inside of the post with home keeper Graeme Smith clearly beaten.

Meadow then conceded a second goal at the worst possible time, three minutes from the interval as some great movement from star striker Anthony Stokes saw him dodge a couple of challenges before laying a pass on a plate to Moroccan Merouane Zemmana to bludgeon the ball into the top corner from 20 yards.

Determined Meadow would not give up the ghost and in 55 minutes Smith was tested with a strong 16-yard shot from lively Chris Strain Junior.

Michael Wardrope showed his class at the other end 60 seconds later, making a fine reflex save to foil Paul Hanlon. However he was powerless to stop the impressive Hibs right back in 59 minutes as he went on a surging 50-yard run and waltzed in unchallenged to net from eight yards

The way Meadow were playing you felt they deserved a goal and almost got one in 72 minutes as Turner slipped a pass to Barr to nervously blast the ball over the bar from 12 yards with only Smith to beat.

Stokes hit the post from close range in 80 minutes ut it would have been an unfair reflection of the game had that gone in and Hibs advanced to the Fifth Round.

Meadow were superb ambassadors for the Junior game and while Hibernian's class shone they had to work for their win.

Strain's troops had not played a competitive match for 12 weeks but it's testament to their fitness levels that they sushightained such a high level as long as they did.

It's back to Emirates Scottish Junior Cup this weekend for Meadow but that can wait as they look back on an afternoon to savour in the capital.

HIBERNIAN: Graeme Smith; David Wotherspoon, Paul Hanlon, Chris Hogg, Ian Murray, Liam Miller, Merouane Zemmama (Patrick Cregg 68); Anthony Stokes, Colin Nish (Abdessalam Benjelloun 71); Derek Riordan, John Rankin.

IRVINE MEADOW: Michael Wardrope; Zander Ryan, David Lowing, Chris McGowan (Stephen Swift 64); Chris Robertson, Derek Wingate, Chris Strain, Gareth Turner (Blair McGowan 89); Richie Barr, Brian McGinty (John-Paul Boyle 68); David Hamilton. Subs (not used): Brian Hewitt, Stephen Cuddihy

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