Hibs win to snatch European spot

09 May 2010 15:40
Hibernian pipped Motherwell for fourth place in the SPL to secure Europa League football thanks to a 2-0 win at Dundee United on Sunday.[LNB] Colin Nish broke the deadlock after 12 minutes with a weak shot that United goalkeeper Dusan Pernis should have saved.[LNB]And the Hibs striker scored his second with a diving header after 72 minutes to ensure his side finished the season on a high.[LNB]The win coupled with Motherwell's 3-3 draw against Rangers at Ibrox guaranteed a place for John Hughes' side in next season's Europa League.[LNB]With next week's Active Nation Scottish Cup final against Ross County in mind United made six changes with goalkeeper Pernis, Jennison Myrie-Williams, Pavels Mihadjuks, Andis Shala, Damian Casalinuovo and Kevin Smith all handed starts.[LNB]On-loan defender Andy Webster and Prince Buaben missed out with Jon Daly, Craig Conway, David Goodwillie and Scott Robertson on the bench.[LNB]Hibs' only change from their crazy 6-6 midweek draw against Well saw Sol Bamba replace Paul Hanlon following his return from suspension with Ivory Coast manager Sven-Goran Eriksson rumoured to be at Tannadice to watch the defender ahead of this summer's World Cup.[LNB]The visitors should have taken the lead inside two minutes when a lapse of concentration from Garry Kenneth put Anthony Stokes through on goal but the Irishman shot weakly at Pernis.[LNB]Derek Riordan was next to test the Slovak stopper with a tame free-kick from the edge of the area before the Hibees broke the deadlock after 12 minutes.[LNB]Midfielder Liam Miller crossed for Nish whose first-time effort rolled under Pernis and into the net.[LNB]The Tangerines almost restored parity four minutes later when Kenneth headed Danny Swanson's corner goalwards but David Wotherspoon was perfectly placed on the line to clear the ball to safety.[LNB]Myrie-Williams was looking United's most promising route to goal in the opening period with several darting runs, however Graeme Smith in the Hibs goal was rarely tested.[LNB]The visitors could have doubled their advantage seven minutes before the interval when Nish released Stokes but Pernis was equal to the striker's low drive.[LNB]United almost levelled on the stroke of half-time but Casalinuovo's diving header from a clever David Robertson free-kick found the side-netting.[LNB]Hibernian made a change in first-half added time when Kevin McBride replaced the injured Miller.[LNB]United shuffled their pack at the break with Scott Robertson replacing Mihadjuks with Sean Dillon moving into the centre of defence to partner Kenneth.[LNB]John Rankin went painfully close to adding a second for Hibs when his low drive struck Pernis' left-hand post after 49 minutes.[LNB]Peter Houston introduced Greg Cameron for Swanson and Ryan Dow for Kevin Smith before Shala went close with a header from close range that was well saved by Graeme Smith.[LNB]Cameron immediately went into the book for a late tackle on McBride after 66 minutes before Alan Gow, who had replaced Anthony Stokes, curled the ball over the bar as the visitors looked for a second to kill the match as a contest.[LNB]And the second goal arrived after 72 minutes when Steven Thicot's cross was headed home by in-form striker Colin Nish, who had scored a hat-trick against Motherwell midweek.[LNB]Kenneth, United captain for the day, should have pulled a goal back but the defender failed to keep his header under the bar from Dow's corner.[LNB]But Hibernian held out for all three points and can look forward to European football next term.[LNB]

Source: Team_Talk