AN appreciation of James Keatings’ striking mastery during Hearts’ Ladbrokes Championship triumph last season ensured that the Hibernian supporters had no objections to the forward crossing the Edinburgh divide in the summer.
Yesterday, the Hibs faithful witnessed at first hand just how lethal the 23-year-old is in the penalty box after Keatings, who was plagued by a niggling hamstring injury at the start of the campaign, marked his full debut with a sublime first-half finish.
Jason Cummings made sure of the points after the break with a tap-in before Keatings was afforded warm applause when he was replaced on the hour.
“He’s a natural goalscorer,” said Stubbs, who still plans to add another forward in the coming days. “He’s got one thing on his mind, as soon as he has his first touch he is looking to get a shot or hit the target as soon as possible.
“He does exactly that in training, he reacts very quickly to things, which is difficult for defenders to try and stop things. I just thought, alongside Jason, the pairing showed potential.”
Even before his goal in the 23rd minute, Keatings had threatened to break the deadlock.
Only four minutes had elapsed when the marksman swept a first-time right-footed shot just wide from inside the box from Dylan McGeouch’s pass.
It was one-way traffic during the early exchanges. John McGinn hit a fierce drive from distance straight at keeper Kevin Cuthbert before Cummings wasted a good chance.
The forward pounced on a mistake by Kyle Benedictus and raced into the box but the striker’s effort was blocked by Cuthbert. Keatings, however, found the net with a great strike. After taking in Liam Henderson’s pass in a central position 20 yards from goal, Keatings curled a wonderful left-footed shot past Cuthbert.
Hibs keeper Mark Oxley preserved his side’s narrow lead with a wonderful save to deny Grant Anderson on 36 minutes.
The former Hull City man was at full-stretch to push Anderson’s first-time shot behind for a corner.
Oxley then breathed a sigh of relief after the break when Jon Daly crashed to the deck inside the box as the pair raced to David Gray’s poor pass-back, but referee Alan Muir ignored penalty pleas.
“I have just spoken to Jon and he said it was a stonewaller,” lamented Raith manager Ray McKinnon. “He said he nicked it and the keeper has caught him. What can you do? From where I was, it looked it. But these things even up over a season.”
With the visitors still aggrieved, Hibs doubled their lead in the 50th minute when Lewis Stevenson’s cross made its way to Cummings and the striker tapped in at the back post.
Hibs saw the game out with ease and clinched a second league win.
“I knew it was a big game for us,” added Stubbs. “Not because of the defeat at Ibrox, I just thought it was a big game in general.”
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