Hibernian U18s 3-1 Hamilton U18s: Wee Hibees Get Back to Winning Way at HTC

Hibernian U18s leapt to 5th in the Elite Under 18 League as a second-half show against Hamilton saw them take all 3 points.

The last home game of the season with away trips to league leaders Kilmarnock and Celtic still to follow, it was of paramount importance that Hibs got a result, and their team loaded with stars who have featured for the first team had enough quality to see off Accies.

The game didn't get off to a flying start with both sides feeling each other out in the early stages, but 15 minutes into the game the home side found their way in front, with Rudi Molotnikov racing into the box to slide past Neil Stafford after a pin-point cross from Lewis Gillie.

Hamilton weren't deterred by Molotnikov's opener as they swiftly went in search of an equaliser to get them back in the game, and it took some amount of grafting to get them there.

Lewis Hodgkiss was always an option to receive the ball, and he forced a stunning stop from Ryan Mallon to deny his effort from outside the area.

Mallon was left scrambling across his goal once again shortly after as Liam Morgan was next to try his luck from range but he narrowly missed the mark.

Arguably the most agonising miss of all came when Ben Black ghosted in at the back post to latch onto the cross, but he was left kicking himself as he passed up the opportunity that looked harder to miss.

The visitor's attacking intent was eventually rewarded, and fortune most certainly favoured the bold as Hodgkiss's second long-range effort of the game paid dividends, heavily deflecting off an opposition defender and wrong-footing Mallon in the Hibs goal to bring Hamilton level.

It was Hibs turn to go on the offensive after having to put their bodies on the line to defend their goal, with Molotnikov almost grabbing his second of the game mere moments after the equaliser as he could only slide his chance wide of the goal after darting onto a long ball from the back.

Reuben McAllister did well to pick up a loose ball and found Jamie McMurdo in the middle,  but he fired straight at Stafford.

The final chance of an exhilarating ending to the first-half came when Lewis Gillie shifted inside on his marker, but his beautiful curling effort came back off the wrong side of the post and was eventually diverted clear by Arran Preston.

The second-half was all Hibs as they looked to make their chances count, and it was Josh McDonald who fired them in front just a few minutes into the second period as he darted past a number of defenders before smashing it past the helpless Stafford.

A one-goal cushion wasn't enough for Darren McGregor's side as they went in search of more goals, McMurdo being the second player in a green shirt to crack the post on the evening.

As Hamilton sought a way back into the game and committed bodies forward, they were caught on the counter as Reuben McAllister did well to find Dean Cleland in the box who slotted past Stafford for a third goal to kill off Hamilton's hopes of a route back into the match.

Jacob McIntyre almost grabbed a fabulous fourth after beating 3 or 4 players before stinging the palms of Stafford from range.

That would be the final action of an entertaining evening of football at the Hibs Training Centre. The young hopefuls looking to break into the first team gave a good account of themselves in their final home game of the season, and will be hoping to maintain that fifth place position come the end of the season, with Hamilton's four-point lead in fourth place looking unattainable with 2 games left to play.

Star Man - Reuben McAllister

It's no surprise that the boy on loan at Kelty Hearts was the star of the show, keeping things ticking over in the middle of the park and always looking to get the team forward.

He handled any defensive duties well, his passing was sharp, and was unlucky not to add to his one assist on the evening.