Intertoto Cup 2nd Round 1st Leg - Hibs 5 v 0 Dinaburg Daugavpils

Last updated : 03 July 2006 By Steve Forbes
Hibs 5-0 Dinaburg Daugavpils

Killen 37
Brown 50
Sproule 72
Murphy 75
Fletcher 85



Hibs kicked off there season today in the Intertoto Cup against Latvian minnows Dinaburg Daugavpils.

The game started in horrendous conditions, in a downpour, reminiscent of the last time the Hi-Bees entered this tournament.

Both corners of the west stand were virtually unplayable.

Rob Jones made his debut for the Hi-Bees.

Hibs took 37 minutes to break down the Latvians defence, when Chris Killen bundled the ball over the line from close range, after the keeper had saved his initial header from a Michael Stewart cross, to put the Hi-Bees 1-0 up at half time.

Hibs finished the first half strong, coming close with a couple of Dalglish efforts.

Hibs replaced Dalglish with Ivan Sproule at half time and the substitution did the trick, as the Hi-Bees came flying out the traps after a pretty subdued first half.

Scott Brown raced through and rounded the keeper to score, only to have it chopped off for offside, but he done exactly the same thing 4 mins later and this time it counted to put Hibs 2-0 up.

Rob Jones then came close with two or three headers, showing that he's going to be a handful at set- pieces next season for SPL defenders.

Hibs then got the 3rd on 72 minutes, when Ivan Sproule evaded a couple of defenders on the touchline and smashed his effort between the keeper's legs.

Sproule then turned provider, when he again danced down the wing and whipped in a cross, which everyone missed in the box, but the ball landed at David Murphy's feet 10 yards out and he smashed the ball into the bottom corner to put the Hi-Bees four ahead.

Hibs then brought on Amadou Konte for Chris Killen, who went to miss TWO absolute gilt edge chances, before the Hibees grabbed the 5th.

Hibs completed the rout when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out, Steven Fletcher stepped up and smacked the ball into the top right hand corner, past the despairing hand of the Dinaburg keeper.

It now looks likely that Hibs will progress to the next round, were there opponents look likely to be Danish side OB Odense, after they beat Irish side Shelbourne, in there first leg tie.

Hibernian: Simon Brown, Whittaker, Murphy, Hogg, Jones, Stewart, Scott Brown, Thomson, Killen, Dalglish, Fletcher.

Subs: Malkowski, Shields, Glass, Konde, Shiels, Sproule, Konte.

ATT:11,731