Hibernian 5 Queen’s Park 1

New recruit Cammy Kerr was handed a quick-fire debut in the Spiders first game against the Edinburgh side in nearly 17 years with Will Tizzard also in from the start.

Louis Longridge and Sean Welsh moved to the substitute’s bench where they joined Zach Mauchin and Liam McLeish who both found the net at the weekend against Peterhead.

Queen’s skipper Dom Thomas kicked off for the visitors, who were wearing their new blue and white away kit, however it was the hosts that threatened first with a Martin Boyle cross that was swept away by Lewis Reid.

Queen’s won a free-kick on four minutes on the half-way line when Roddy MacGregor was felled by Joe Newell and Jack Thomson looked to move forward quickly from the dead ball however referee Hardie ended the midfielder’s progress and brought the play back to give Hibs a foul for offside.

Kerr was involved on ten minutes as he dispossessed Jordan Obita, and looked to move forward, and he was unlucky not to be awarded a foul as Nathan Moriah-Welsh won possession however his pass left went out of play.

Shortly afterwards Moriah-Welsh tried his luck from distance after Calum Ferrie had punched clear however Reid stuck out a leg to block and as Hibs’ pressed again Rudi Molotnikov hit the outside of the post.

On 15 minutes the Easter Road men took the lead when Warren O’Hora rose and nodded in a Newell corner from six yards out via the underside of the bar despite Ferrie making a brave attempt to claw the ball away.

Four minutes later it was 2-0 for Hibs when Josh Campbell floated in a cross from the left that Martin Boyle met with a bicycle kick that found its way past Ferrie from eight yards.

Jack Turner had a drive charged down midway through the opening half and in the aftermath, Jack Thomson was fouled with Scott’s swerving free-kick causing panic before it was cleared.

MacGregor won a corner on 24 minutes when his fierce shot was deflected wide with Rudden just unable to get a touch on the ball when it was knocked back across goal by Reid.

A surging run up the park from Josh Scott four minutes later ended with a low cross to Rudden that was cleared into the path of Kerr who slipped a pass to Thomas who worked his way to the 18-yard line before curling a shot wide.

Seven minutes from the break Turner looked to feed Rudden at the edge of the Hibs box and when his blocked and ran back into his path Turner tried a first time shot that skipped wide.

Boyle went down in the box on 43 minutes with Scott and Turner in close attendance however there was no whistle for a penalty.

Just before the break Obita cut in from the left and sent a shot goalward that Ferrie watched carefully as it cleared the bar however in injury time Campbell slid a diagonal pass through the QP defence and that was despatched into the far corner by Molotnikov.

Half time – Hibernian 3 Queen’s Park 0

Reid was withdrawn at the break for Longridge with Queen’s adopting a 4-4-2 formation with Hibs giving the new set-up with an early corner that Ferrie clutched as it bounced in his six-yard box.

A run from Molotnikov earned Hibs another corner on 50 minutes that Rudden did well to clear with Dylan Vente heading over when the ball was recycled.

Vente was off target again three minutes later after Boyle darted down the right and swung over a cross to the back post with the striker heading wide.

Queen’s were the next side to create an opening with Rudden trying an angled drive from 20 yards just after the hour mark with Bursik getting down to save.

Substitute Zach Mauchin showed his attacking qualities with 20 minutes left as he played a one two with Longridge and charged forward only to be brought down by Rocky Bushiri who was yellow carded before Thomson and Thomas combined from the set-piece that was eventually cut out by Bursik.

Hibs added a fourth goal on 72 minutes when Dylan Levitt curled a shot from 18 yards out of the reach of Ferrie and into the net thanks to a post.

The woodwork came to the aid of the visitors a minute later when Elie Youan was denied a wonder goal however on 76 minutes Boyle broke clear on the right and drilled through Ferrie and into the far corner.

Substitute Josh Hinds and Turner combined well with five minutes left to create a half-chance for McLeish however the home defence regrouped, and the chance was gone.

In injury time Queen’s forced three corners and they almost grabbed a goal as McLeish slid in however the ball was booted clear.

With five minutes added time played Hinds and Scott worked well together to drill the ball back into the path of TURNER who sent a 20-yard shot flashing into the net.

Queen’s Park – Calum Ferrie, Cammy Kerr (Zach Mauchin 63), Will Tizzard (Sean Welsh 63), Danny Wilson, Lewis Reid (Louis Longridge 46), Josh Scott, Jack Thomson, Jack Turner, Roddy MacGregor, Dom Thomas (Josh Hinds 77), Zak Rudden (Liam McLeish 73).
Unused substitutes –Jack Wills (G/k), Rocco Hickey-Fugaccia, Tyrece McDonnell, Magnus Mackenzie.

Hibernian – Josef Bursik, Lewis Miller (Kanayo Megwa 60), Marvin Ekpiteta, Warren O’Hora (Rocky Bushiri 60), Dylan Vente (Luke Amos 65), Martin Boyle, Joe Newell, Jordan Obita, Nathan Moriah-Welsh (Dylan Levitt 65), Josh Campbell, Rudi Molotnikov (Elie Youan 65).
Unused substitutes – Max Boruc, Nohan Kenneh, Jair Tavares, Rory Whittaker.

Referee – Ross Hardie