HIBERNIAN captain David Gray made his long-awaited comeback following six months on the sidelines as Danny Swanson inspired the capital club to a 2-0 victory against Linlithgow Rose.

The 30-year-old has not featured since suffering a ruptured Achilles tendon during a friendly match against Willem II in January, as part of the Easter Road club's winter training camp in the Algarve.

However, he has been taking part in full training since Neil Lennon’s men reported back for pre-season and he showed no signs of rustiness as he climbed from the bench yesterday to play a decisive role against the Rosey Posey.

Gray teed up the opening goal for fellow second-half substitute Swanson after 52 minutes, slipping a neat pass to the mercurial playmaker who curled a clinical effort beyond Gary Maley – Livingston’s No.2 last season, turning out as a trialist at Prestonfield.

As the sun beat down at Prestonfield, Swanson was the man who really shone. He bagged a brace in the dying embers when he met a slick Oli Shaw cut-back to fizz a low drive into the net from 18 yards.

Hibs head coach Lennon beat a hasty retreat in the aftermath of the victory, failing to speak to the assembled media and leaving questions regarding the club’s reported interest in Preston winger Daryl Horgan unanswered.

Instead, it was left to Linlithgow boss Mark Bradley to lavish praise on his players – and he revealed that the swift departure of Lennon was nothing compared to John Ovenstone, another Rose trialist, who had to be replaced on the hour-mark so he could start his shift as a fireman.

“John [Ovenstone] played for us before, I signed him – but he hasn’t kicked a ball in nine months!” lauded Bradley.

“We had to take John off because he had to get to his work! He’s a fireman and he had to get to Glenrothes for the start of his shift. So we didn’t have much choice with that substitution, but it’s great that he turned up.

“He was excellent. It was a makeshift team we had out there – we had to call in some favours from former players – but I don’t think it looked like that at any point.

“It was a great game for us, a great occasion and we got a lot out of it.”

While Bradley can rightly be proud of his side’s efforts, there can be little doubt that Hibs deserved to emerge from their maiden pre-season outing with a victory.

As they step up preparations for their Europa League clash against NSI Runavik at Easter Road on July 12, Steven Whittaker lashed a shot narrowly wide in the first period while Efe Ambrose – meandering forward with freedom – threatened.

Simon Murray, seeking to stake his claim for a first-team berth after returning from a loan stint with Dundee in the second half of last season, blew the chance to open the scoring when sent haring through on goal while the excellent John McGinn fired a shot just inches off target.

Nevertheless, the profligacy proved moot thanks to Swanson’s second-half interventions.

St Johnstone, meanwhile, opened their pre-season campaign with a 3-0 loss to Croatian side NK Osejik.

The Croatians, who finished fourth in their league, are potential Europa League opponents for Rangers if Steven Gerrard’s new-look side progress against Macedonian outfit FK Shkupi.

Perth boss Tommy Wright gave 22 players a run in the match just 48 hours after arriving at their Austrian training camp.

Trialist Swiss striker Arthur Njo Lea (22), who featured last term with Belgian lower league side Excelsior Virton, and former Nuneaton Town keeper Dean Lyness (26) were both given game time.