Young Queen’s Park’s interest in this season’s Reserve League Cup has ended after an unfortunate 2-0 defeat at Lochinch.
Lucas McCormick was leading the attacking line for the hosts and after just two minutes he took the play forward 40 yards with a strong run before the visiting defence regrouped and crowded him out.
Sixty seconds later Callan McKenna showed nifty footwork as he cleared the danger after Hibs had ventured forward for the first time.
Barry Hepburn came off the right wing and was slipped in on goal by Ricky Waugh with five minutes played however his parting shot was blocked.
Shortly afterwards Hepburn looked dangerous again as he crossed low from the right with Hibs goalkeeper Fraser Murray doing well to scoop the ball up.
Archie Graham sent a clearance off the top of his own bar before Hibs took the lead on 12 minutes from the penalty spot.
Cameron Bruce slid in on Lewis Miller and, whilst there was little debate that a foul had been conceded, there was a surprise when Referee Murdoch pointed to the penalty spot as the challenge looked to be outside of the area.
That did not trouble Allan Delferriere who smashed the ball home from 12 yards out.
Queen’s forced a number of corners midway through the opening half however the Edinburgh side saw the danger out although Lennon Connolly caused a few flutters as he cut in and sent a shot into the side netting on 25 minutes.
Aaron Healy was tripped two inches from the Hibs box a minute later for a free kick that Waugh shaped up to take before Healy drilled it a foot wide.
Four minutes from the break Hepburn picked the ball up 30 yards from Johnson’s goal and made his way forward before sending a shot that was just flicked wide for a corner.
At the start of the second half Rudi Molotnikov had a chance however McKenna was well placed to save with Queen’s creating their best chance of the game shortly afterwards.
Healy darted up the left wing before slipping in Bruce on the over-lap and his deep cross found McCormick at the back post however the attacker’s header drifted wide.
Queen’s kept on pressing and on 54 minutes a through ball from Healy looked to have sent Connolly through on goal however the ball just ran away from his reach and the chance was lost.
Just after the hour mark a wicked cross from Hepburn was caught at the near post by Johnston with Alex Fairlie denied an equaliser on 63 minutes by the shot-stopper when he tipped away his fiercely struck volley from 18 yards.
Five minutes later Fairlie was brought down 22 yards out and this time Waugh tried his luck with his dead-ball diverted wide for a corner with appeals for a handball in the Hibs wall ignored.
Hibs cleared the corner and Fairlie showed his game awareness by tracking back and putting in a strong challenge at the edge of his own side’s box to deny a shooting chance.
Queen’s were throwing bodies forward in a bid to get the goal that would keep their campaign alive and Graham did well to halt a counter-attack 20 yards out as Hibs found a gap to attack in.
In the final minute Queen’s carved out a good opening on the left when Healy broke free with Johnson again doing well to cut out his cross.
Hibs broke, and the lights went out on the home side’s Reserve League Cup hopes, both literally and figuratively, as a cross from the left was bundled in by substitute Dean Clelland.
Queen’s Park – Callan McKenna, Zach Mauchin, Cameron Bruce, Archie Graham, Benjamin Ferguson (Joseph Smith 78), Ricky Waugh, Barry Hepburn, Lennon Connolly (Jamie Bradley 84), Lucas McCormick (Ross McLean 78), Alex Fairlie, Aaron Healy.
Unused substitutes – Liam Russell (G/k), Andrew Lind, Kane Thomson, Christopher Mahon.
Hibernian – Murray Johnson, Riley Harbottle, Harry Wright, Lewis Miller, Rudi Molotnikov, Josh Landers (Dean Cleland 71), Allan Delferriere, Jay McGarva, Jacob Blaney, Robbie Hamilton, Malek Zaid.
Unused substitutes – Jamie Bulloch, Owen Calder, Joseph McGrath, Zach Bruce, Reuben McAllister.
