When Derek Riordan opened the scoring for Hibernian in their 2-0 win over St Mirren on Wednesday, a huge cloud of worry and despair seemed to lift around Easter Road, says Ryan Keaney. Just four days before the game, Hibernian manager Colin Calderwood had marched off the Tannadice pitch following his side’s 3-0 defeat to Dundee United and looked like a rather lonely figure. The game was over as a contest three minutes into the second half when Craig Conway put the home side two up and if the former assistant at Newcastle United could’ve got away with slipping out of the stadium early, he’d probably have been off.
Despite a backing from the board and the arrival of six new players to bolster the Hibernian squad during the transfer window, it would have been hard for him to ignore the pressure surrounding his job. His side managed to play the whole of January without scoring a goal and, thanks to the defeat at the hands of Dundee, Calderwood’s record stood at just two wins in his 17 games at the helm; not inspiring reading.
Dumped out of the Scottish Cup by Ayr United and just two points off the bottom of the Scottish Premier League table, it is easy to forget that Calderwood took over Hibs when they had just eight points from their first nine games. However, the poor recent run of form meant that the visit of fellow strugglers St Mirren quickly became a make or break game for Hibernian’s season and potentially a decider on whether Hibernian sacked their second manager of the season.
Playing with four of the January signings in the starting eleven, Hibernian were well-worth the vital three points that they picked up. Matt Thornhill, signed from Nottingham Forest, nearly scored within the first five minutes before St Mirren tried to expose the defensive frailties that have proved so costly for Hibs in recent weeks. Michael Higdon and Steven Thomson could have opened the scoring for the visitors in a frantic first half that saw both teams creating chances.
Former Charlton Athletic striker Akpo Sodje looked to have struck up an immediate partnership with Riordan on his debut but the pair wasted their early opportunities and didn’t trouble Paul Gallacher.
Into the second half and the tension built amongst both teams. Sensing victory was possible but frustrated at the lack of goals, Thornhill, Ian Murray and Victor Pálsson picked up needless bookings for the hosts before Riordan hooked home Sodje’s flick-on. Free of their goalscoring drought that had clearly been a weight on their minds, Hibernian attacked the last half hour with a renewed vigour. Murray and Riordan both had chances to double the lead before David Wotherspoon guided in his first goal of the season in injury time to wrap up the Hibees’ fifth win of the season.
The good news for Hibs didn’t stop at the final whistle. In the post-match interviews, Derek Riordan, the subject of much transfer speculation throughout January, pledged his future to Hibernian and expressed his desire to sign a long-term contact with the club.
Of course, Hibs are far from safe and Riordan’s tune may change if they are relegated at the end of the season. The Easter Road club are five points clear of Hamilton, who sit bottom of the table, but the Accies have got two games in hand on their rivals. Calderwood still has some way to go before he can start planning for another in the Scottish top flight but thanks to the win, he has bought himself some more time to put his mark on the team.
With the Scottish Cup taking priority over the weekend, the only other league fixtures last week saw Rangers beating Hearts 1-0 at Ibrox to put more distance between them in second place and Kilmarnock beating Motherwell by the same scoreline to cement their position in fourth place.
In the Scottish Cup, Rangers and Celtic battled to an entertaining draw while there were wins for Aberdeen, St Mirren, Dundee United, Inverness and Motherwell who all progressed to the quarter finals.
Tags: Colin Calderwood, Derek Riordan, Hibernian, Scottish Premier League