[0762]

This is a potentially tricky fixture for Hibs although there's no doubt that this current Falkirk side is weaker than the team of last season and Hibs have improved since then. We've already beaten the 'bairns' at their own ground and I'll be disappointed if we don't repeat that feat again. It looks like we'll be weakened by the omission of John McGinn who will be with the Scotland squad at Wemberley tomorrow night although John professes that he will be rushing north to be involved in our match as well. We'll see but if he starts v England (that would be a big surprise TBH) then that kinda honour could scupper his intention to play at ER on the following day. Otherwise a recovered Dylan McGeouch will likely replace him anyway and Lenny will try to hold to his steady line up at the moment with Jason remaining on the subs' bench. There is also a confirmed injury doubt re Rocky the goalie. So it looks like young Ross Laidlaw may make a rare appearance for Hibs. That poses a slight concern re the makeup of our defence but here's hoping for another win to add to Hibs mini unbeaten run.

GGTTH

[hibeejim21]

I wonder which cheating clown of a ref is going to rob us this week ?

[0762]

Aye! A good point! Here's hoping we're given a reasonably competent ref who applies FIFA rules to the 'letter of the law' and just follows common sense decisions in a match that is likely to be physical. So the last thing we need is a weak referee!!

[hibeejim21]

Bit worried about the keeper situation,hopefully our defence gives laidlaw a lot of protection the day. I think he is a decent young goalie but its been a while since he featured. One things for sure houstons hammer throwers will kick us to bits and have an annoying habit of getting late goals. They haven't been as good this season sure,but we need to put this game away.

I think mcginn will start for us and it will be the same team as last week barring the keeper.

[hibeejim21]

We absolutely battered them the day,i'm really disappointed we only ended up with a point especially against 10 men. Too many chances squandered again,same old story. We have scored a fair amount last 3 games so it may be a case of 'one of those days'...certainly felt that way when fontaine missed that sitter.

The ref got the sending off right,he couldn't get it wrong to be honest shocking challenge. But falkirk got away with a lot of bad challenges the day,and time wasting. every dirty trick in the book basically. A team built in image of their horrible twat of a manager. Just staggering their eventual goalscorer was still on the park given some of the fouls he got away with. Beaton providing another conveniently weak reffing job,he could easily have sent off 2 or 3 falkirk players and they couldnt have complained.

Next 2 games become crucial now - QOTS at home and then away to utd.

[hfcbounce]

We absolutely battered them the day,i'm really disappointed we only ended up with a point especially against 10 men. Too many chances squandered again,same old story. We have scored a fair amount last 3 games so it may be a case of 'one of those days'...certainly felt that way when fontaine missed that sitter.

The ref got the sending off right,he couldn't get it wrong to be honest shocking challenge. But falkirk got away with a lot of bad challenges the day,and time wasting. every dirty trick in the book basically. A team built in image of their horrible twat of a manager. Just staggering their eventual goalscorer was still on the park given some of the fouls he got away with. Beaton providing another conveniently weak reffing job,he could easily have sent off 2 or 3 falkirk players and they couldnt have complained.

Next 2 games become crucial now - QOTS at home and then away to utd.

You've nailed it hibeejim they kicked us off the park Beaton FAR FAR to SOFT on them from the first minute when Miller kicked the ball away Baird is little ctnu 3 bad tackles from him and not a booking in sight.

Don't no how they get away with it at Easter rd they never try to play football ever but hey ho. We're still a point clear at the top c'mon the Hibs

GGTTH

[HerefordBull]

Just into the second half I said they are just looking for one corner......and so it proved . Shocking zonal marking at the corner.

They did well.....to end up with 10 players on the park.....some of the subtle fouls and the more obvious ones that went unpunished in the second half were amazing. I'll leave it to 0762 to mark the performance of the ref.  

GGTTH

[0762]

Yep! The positive end line is what matters most - we are still at the top of the Championship albeit by one point and we are also unbeaten in five consecutive games!  Lennon's rallying call should be, 'We will battle to stay ahead in top place'!
And yet another referee arrives at Easter Road and somehow cannot apply the proper FIFA rules that cover persistent fouling (count the fouls, esp the cynical ones FFS and issue the apt colour of card!!!!) and time-wasting + add the wasted time accurately to the additional time slot at the tail end of the match! John McGinn very much a 'cut above the rest' and my MOTM. A pivotal failed moment was Fontaine doing what he's good at for the past two seasons - missing open goal opps with head or boot when we needed a requisite break through their defence. He does the usual over the bar or past the post!!
As for Holt? I was hoping he was gonna push on from the Raith match and start regularly 'banging in goals'! He should've finished off Falkirk with some great scoring opps but he doesn't deliver the goals that he should be scoring! Don't forget their goalie, Rodgers, pulled off some excellent saves but this was definitely two pts dropped and effectively 'letting the fish off the hook' - we can't spurn so many good goal scoring opps and expect to win matches!

[St Charles Owl]

Seriously guys, you have to stop blaming the refs for your results!!!!!! You were against 10 men for over an hour, you had 20 attempts on goal, but only 5 on target and you had 60% possession!! You should have won this game and surely its more to do with your short coming up front that causes these hiccups with results??? Stop blaming the rest of the world and take matters into your own hands, you are the best team in the Championship, time to step it up and prove it like Hearts and Rangers did in previous seasons!

[0762]

Read the threads that preceded your thread - the criticism of the striking failure is the same as yours and I'm surprised you've repeated it in that way!! You didn't attend this match (and other previous worse refereed matches than this one!) and the criticism is absolutely valid!!! This is the second or third Falkirk match that I've attended where I've observed a referee who should've rendered the Falkirk team down to at least 9 players by the time the 70 min mark was reached!!! The persistent fouling and cynical fouling had been totally ignored and the FIFA rule book on said offences just did not exist for some bizarre reason!!!! I'd invite any other Hibs Sb member to come on and challenge me if they think this view is inaccurate in any way. By the way, I despise discussing iffy refs but the subject keeps cropping up almost every week in some form - rescinded red cards, dismissed stonewall pks, ultra persistent fouling that is ignored - of course it's relevant!!!!!!!!!