Hibs Lead 1-0 Over Partick Thistle Amidst Concern in Stands
Hibernian hold a slender 1-0 lead over Partick Thistle at Easter Road, but the football has briefly taken a back seat.
A supporter required lengthy treatment in the stand before being taken away by paramedics and Hibs medical staff, with fellow fans urged not to gather in the area during the interval. The game goes on, but the mood carries a note of concern.
On the pitch, Owen Elding has been the difference. His first-half strike separates the sides, and Hibs initially looked in control, moving the ball with confidence and pinning Thistle back. After the goal, though, the sharpness faded. Sloppy passing crept in, and Thistle began to sense there was something there for them.
Elding almost doubled the advantage just before the break, thundering a shot off the crossbar. Earlier, a clever turn and slide-rule pass from Kanayo Megwa inside the Thistle box carved out another opening for the forward, only for his effort to be blocked. Adam Mayor then smashed into the side-netting with Nathan Lowe raging in the six-yard box, unmarked and waiting for a tap-in.
Hibs lead, but they have not worked Liam McFarlane nearly enough. Thistle, frustrated but far from beaten, will feel this tie is still wide open.
Hearts in front, VAR drama and woodwork at Tynecastle
At Tynecastle, Hearts hold a 1-0 half-time lead over Inverness CT and, on the balance of play, they’ve earned it.
They dominated long spells of the first half but were jolted early on when Alfie Bavidge volleyed in from an Alfie Stewart cross. The flag went up, the relief was instant. Offside, and Hearts survived.
Then came the VAR flashpoint. Amadou Ba-Sy went down in the box and the hosts were awarded a penalty, only for the technology to intervene. Replays showed the contact was outside the area, the spot-kick was scrubbed, and a free-kick given instead.
Hearts didn’t sulk. From that very set-piece, Christian Borchgrevink reacted quickest when the initial effort hit the wall, nodding in the rebound to give the home side the lead.
They should have been out of sight. A worked corner routine found Calvin Miller free on the penalty spot with time to pick his spot, but he completely miscued his shot. Later, Ba-Sy produced a superb touch and powerful run in behind before rolling the ball back for Sabah Kerjota, who clipped the crossbar from six yards. Inverness, through Adam MacKinnon, fired a warning of their own as his effort from a cleared corner flew just over, but Hearts walk off at the break knowing they’ve left chances out there.
Stenhousemuir unsettle scrappy Motherwell
Over at Ochilview, it’s goalless between Stenhousemuir and Motherwell, but the story is anything but flat.
The Championship side have been the better team for long stretches. Stenny’s energy and aggression have rattled a disjointed Motherwell, whose fringe players are doing little to press their case. Darrien Jamieson in the home goal has barely been troubled, while his opposite number Matty Connelly has had to stay alert.
Stenhousemuir almost cashed in on Motherwell’s hesitancy at the back when the visitors dawdled inside their own box. Lewis Hodgkiss ghosted in to meet an Andrew Shinnie cut-back, only for a foul in the build-up to spare the Premiership side.
Motherwell did muster a spell of pressure with three successive corners, Jamieson flapping at the first delivery, but the visitors wasted each routine with short or low efforts that came to nothing. “Scrappy” barely covers it from the away side, and Alfred Johansson has already responded, sending on Alex Lowry and Emanuel Longelo at half-time, with Ibrahim Said and Euan Wilson withdrawn.
Right now, only one team looks like scoring. If Motherwell don’t wake up quickly, this cup tie is ripe for an upset.
McInnes under pressure as Rangers face St Mirren
Later at Ibrox, the spotlight falls squarely on Derek McInnes.
“We could just do with winning a game,” the Rangers manager admitted this week. He’s not wrong. Four games without a victory have left him with the worst start of any permanent Rangers boss at Ibrox, and the mood in Govan turned toxic after their Europa League qualifying exit in midweek.
Now comes a League Cup tie against holders St Mirren, and the stakes are obvious. This is the only major trophy McInnes has lifted in his managerial career, secured with Aberdeen more than a decade ago. He needs to show the Rangers support he can turn this into a platform for consistent silverware, not a distant memory.
A home win today wouldn’t solve everything. But fail again, in this competition, on this stage, and the noise around Ibrox will only grow louder.
