THE sunshine was fading on Leith by full-time but there remained a warm glow at Easter Road.
A home support which witnessed a comprehensive league win over Dumbarton yesterday left the stadium satisfied that things were looking up, Hibernian raising expectations as well as their league position. Franck Dje Djedje and Dominique Malonga had scored to restore Hibs to second place in the Championship.
Those goals were the currency with which the Edinburgh side paid for their passage past Rangers in the league standings. Hibs' dominance yesterday also owed to the brio of Dylan McGeouch and Fraser Fyvie in midfield - an area which might have been embellished further by Scott Allan yesterday but for a chest infection to rule him out - with the latter given his first league start since signing earlier this month. Fyvie slipped from view when he abandoned a productive start to his career with Aberdeen to begin a faltering spell at Wigan Athletic, but he is creeping back into the foreground at Easter Road.
One low cross from the 21-year-old late in the first half almost resulted in an own goal from Mark Gilhaney and a delicious chipped pass also invited better from Malonga. The striker could only send a shot skipping past a post.
Malonga could be forgiven that errant effort as he would find the net twice against Dumbarton, first doubling Hibs' lead after 32 minutes before adding another goal with a neat turn and shot 10 minutes after the break. Dje Djedje had opened the scoring for the home side after half an hour - the Ivorian spelling trouble for defenders and dyslexics alike when he stole the ball from Gilhaney inside the penalty area and planted a shot in the bottom corner of the net.
"It will do Dje Djedje the world of good to get 90 minutes under his belt," said Alan Stubbs, the Hibs head coach, who left top scorer Jason Cummings on the bench. "I've got options now, options on the bench that are just as good as I have on the pitch. That's a great weapon to have."
Three goals in the first half of the match enabled Hibs to feel comfortable and their lead might have been cushioned further had Malonga been able to steer another shot into the net early in the second half. There were chances too for Danny Handling, while Fyvie skelped a free-kick wide of goal and Keith Watson had an appeal for a penalty ignored after he tumbled over Scott Linton.
Each new incursion drew voluble appreciation from the home supporters. Easter Road has not always been a happy home for Hibs - the Edinburgh club's recent history chronicles a run of seven home games without a win as they were relegated last season - but it can be an equable environment when the hosts are settled.
A win yesterday allowed Hibs to nestle back into second place in the table and two points ahead of Rangers, albeit the Ibrox side still have three matches in hand. Stubbs' side may still encounter some difficulty in their efforts to secure a spot behind leaders Hearts, and with it reduce their obligations in the play-offs, but are not at a disadvantage with respect to form or momentum. Indeed a victory over Dumbarton was a third in succession and the latest step on an unbeaten run which goes back to December 6.
There are dates in the future which figure more prominently for Dumbarton. The part-time side have fixtures against both Alloa Athletic and Livingston next month, clubs which figure below Dumbarton in the league table and that will each be eager to draw Ian Murray's side deeper into the mire.
"The gap over those teams is closing," said the Dumbarton manager. "We've taken one point from a possible 21 and that is relegation form."
He is taking a dim view of his side's results. The mood is much sunnier around Leith.
Hibernian (4-2-3-1): Oxley; Watson, Hanlon, Fontaine, Stevenson (Gray 81); Robertson, Fyvie; Dja Djedje, Handling (Duthie 86), McGeouch; Malonga (Boyle 81) Subs not used: Cerny, Forster, Cummings, Martin Booked: None
Dumbarton (4-4-2): Rogers; Wilson, Taggart, Findlay, Linton (Petrie 81); Campbell, Gilhaney (Turner 59), Agnew, Megginson; Easton (Duggan 59), Fleming Subs not used: Grindlay, Mair, McCallum Booked: None
Referee: Greg Aitken Att: 8330
Man of the match Keith Watson
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