NEIL Lennon, the Hibernian head coach, was left to rue his side’s profligacy and the brilliance of Molde’s precocious attacker Erling Braut Haaland as the capital club’s Europa League journey ended in Norway.

Hibs were torn apart by a fearsome display by £10 million-rated Haaland, who displayed astonishing pace and power to torment the visitors, scoring twice and teeing up Frederik Aursnes as the hosts prevailed with a 3-0 victory.

It is remarkable to think he is still 18 years of age. If, as is expected, he usurps John Carew as the most expensive ever export from the Norwegian top-flight by joining Salzburg, it will surely be merely a stepping stone to one of the continents most prestigious leagues.

Nevertheless, Lennon was more irked by his own side’s failure to convert glaring chances, with Martin Boyle and Jamie Maclaren the main culprits. It echoed the 0-0 stalemate at Easter Road last week when they struck the bar and forced several fine saves from Andreas Linde.

“A few of the players will have some regrets over the two legs,” said Lennon. “We had good chances - in the first leg as well - and we didn’t take them in either game.

“[Martin] Boyle got in a couple of times last night and should do better. We’ve hit the post through [Jamie] Maclaren as well. So we only have ourselves to blame. We’ve let this one slip.

“The most disappointing aspect was that we didn’t score. We had a really good spell at 1-0 and we should have scored and that would have changed the psychology and complexion of the tie. The second goal was the killer. We threw caution to the wind after that and the third goal was academic.

"I felt 3-0 flattered Molde and Haaland was the difference between the two teams. You can see why he is a very sought-after player.”

Around 600 Hibs fans made the journey to Norway’s west coast, with fans’ group Hibernian Supporters Limited even organising a charter flight when the club were unable to oblige, and they made their presence felt in the sleepy sea-side town throughout the day.

A raucous atmosphere was created much to the bemusement - and occasionally amusement - of the locals. That continued within the confines of the Aker Stadium, with the travelling Hibees drowning out their rather more sedate hosts. An intimidating cauldron of hate, this was not.

Nevertheless, their team is handy. It took just four minutes for Molde to threaten, with Efe Ambrose forced into a last-ditch block when a bright corner routine culminated in Pawel Cibicki getting a shot away from the edge of the box.

Haaland passed up a glorious opportunity to give Molde the lead when he escaped the attentions of Ryan Porteous to meet a Pawel Cibicki delivery, only to send his header wide from eight yards. Sadly for Hibs, that was merely a sighter.

Cibicki was electric in the early stages - and is a name that may prompt some horrific flashbacks for Hibs fans, given he was in the Malmo side that obliterated the Pat Fenlon’s hapless side 7-0 at Easter Road in 2013. He fizzed a shot over the bar with 20 minutes on the clock.

Stevie Mallan’s repeated speculative drives from distance were a feature of the maiden meeting of these sides in Edinburgh - striking the cross-bar with one - and the midfielder was at it again in Norway when he stung the palms of Andreas Linde from 25 yards.

Haaland did eventually break the deadlock after 35 minutes. A deep Aursnes free-kick was headed across the face of goal by Ruben Gabrielsen, allowing Alf-Inge’s lad to nod home from point-blank range.

The goal changed little in the sense that Hibs always required a goal in order to progress, nevertheless it represented an alarming shift in momentum.

A far more heartening start to the second period saw Maclaren flash an inviting delivery across the box, evading everyone and finding Boyle at the far post - however he failed to steer the ball into the net from a prohibitive angle.

Hibs were made to pay for that wastefulness when Molde doubled their advantage. Haaland was once again pivotal, out-muscling Efe Ambrose to latch onto a through-ball before coolly squaring the ball for Aursnes to roll into an empty net.

In desperate need of a response to keep their European dream alive, there was heartbreak for the Hibees as Maclaren hit the post with a header following an instinctive cut-back by Lewis Stevenson.

And the icing on the cake for the hosts was provided when Haaland slammed his second of the night beyond Bodgan after a Hestad shot had deflected into his path via Paul Hanlon.

“Hibs made it hard for us, they have pace and strength up front and they never allowed us to settle down,” added Molde boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. “We rode our luck a little bit.”

MOLDE (4-3-3): Linde; Remmer, Gabrielsen, Forren, Gregersen (Strand 70); Hussain, Haugen, Aursnes; Hestad, Haaland (James 83), Cibicki (Wolff Eikrem 57). Subs not used: Ranmark, Ssewankambo, Mostrom, Chima.

HIBERNIAN (3-5-2): Bogdan; Ambrose, Porteous, Hanlon; Stevenson (Gray 87), Mallan, Bartley (Hyndman 40), Slivka, Boyle; Maclaren (Shaw 76), Kamberi. Subs not used: Laidlaw, Whittaker, Swanson, Martin.

REF: Dennis Higler (NED)

ATT: 5554