Villains Quality Shines Through in Hibs Hammering

Ollie Watkins hit a hat trick as the gulf in quality between the two sides showed in a tough evening at Easter Road, James McKenzie reports.

Hibs fans would have no doubt had their mouths watering at the prospect of facing English Premier League side Aston Villa in the play-off round and they earned that by seeing off Swiss side Luzern 5-3 over to legs.

Scotland national team star John McGinn would also return to Easter road for the first time since leaving for Villa Park back in 2018.

Although a claret and blue demolition job was to be expected the Easter Road faithful still turned up in their numbers to cheer on their favourite team, however the noise levels around Easter Road would swiftly dwindle.

It was one way traffic from the offing as Lucas Digne tested David Marshall just 5 minutes in, getting on the end of a Moussa Diaby cross but his effort was well-saved down low by David Marshall.

Digne would turn provider soon after as following a great showcase of flair from Boubacar Kamara and Douglas Luiz, the French full-back’s lofted cross was met by Ollie Watkins at the back-post and Aston Villa’s top scorer last season was the man to put the Villians ahead.

Villa would continue to threaten over the next 15 minutes with more opportunities falling the way of Watkins and Diego Carlos, but neither could add to Villa’s lead.

The visitors would do just that on 32 minutes however as Diego Carlos flicked Douglas Luiz’s corner to the back-post where none other than Ollie Watkins was lying in wait to put Villa 2-nil up.

The gulf in quality was becoming abundantly clear and things were starting to get ugly for the Hibees as Digne got his second assists of the game as he hung his cross high for Leon Bailey to get on the end of and put Villa 3-nil up.

Watkins would almost complete his hat-trick before the break as he could only drag his close-range effort wide of the mark.

He wouldn’t have to wait long to complete his hat-trick however as mere minutes into the second period of play, his partner-in-crime Digne picked him out and all Watkins had to do was tuck in under Marshall.

Hibs were toiling as Villa went in search of a fifth, chances for Moussa Diaby and Diego Carlos both missing the mark.

Substitute Bertrand Traore would wreak some more havoc upon a tired Hibs defence, eventually being sloppily brought down by Lewis Stevenson. Douglas Luiz would take on penalty responsibility with Watkins having been subbed off and sent David Marshall the wrong way from 12-yards-out to compile Hibs’ misery.