Hibs saw off a beleaguered Livingston at Easter Road with a comfortable, if not quite emphatic 3-0 win on Saturday. Three points were essential to keep Hibs’ top six hopes alive, and Hibs had them wrapped up with barely half an hour on the clock.

All three of Hibs’ goals were similar in their execution, and it will please Nick Montgomery that despite that, there were three different scorers. The first came from Obita, who has just signed a new deal at Hibs that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2026. The left-back stole in from the left to meet Adam Le Fondre’s low cross at the near post to score.

Hibs’ second also saw the excellent Le Fondre getting involved, he fed Elie Youan, who squared the ball across the box to Myziane Maolida, who stroked the ball home, before Hibs scored their third after a marauding run from Chris Cadden created space for Elie Youan to lay the ball on a plate for Le Fondre to put the game beyond doubt.

There’s perhaps a little disappointment, however unfair that may be, that Hibs didn’t go on to run up a cricket score given that we looked like scoring each time we ventured forward. Livingston looked every bit the relegation candidates that their league position would have you believe they are. They were hopeless, thanks in large parts to Hibs’ complete control of the game.

Montgomery was able to use his substitutes to give some respite to his players, and to avoid risking injury in the case of David Marshall, who was subbed off for Jojo Wollacott at the interval. Wollacott did fine when called upon, ensuring that Livingston never found a route back into the game with an unlikely goal.

Joe Newell was given the sponsor’s Man of the Match award, and few would argue with that decision. The captain was at his best, driving the team forward and injecting an urgency into proceedings in the early stages of the game. For all the credit given to the new signings in January for Hibs’ turnaround in fortunes, Newell’s contribution to the team this season shouldn’t be overlooked.

Not that Newell didn’t have competition for the award, though. You could easily have awarded it to Le Fondre, Youan or Nectar Triantis, who is thriving in the holding midfielder role handed to him by Montgomery. Le Fondre showed what Hibs have been missing while he’s been out injured with his second goal in as many games, but it was his overall play that caught the eye.

Le Fondre mentioned in the press that he liked to consider himself an intelligent player, and there’s no doubt that he’s got plenty justification for that view. His movement off the ball and use of the ball when in possession was first class, and he was unfortunate not to score a second goal in the first half.

Youan also caught the eye, having one of those games where he looks like he would fit in any team in the league. Youan now has ten goals and ten assists to his name this season, which is a terrific return for a player who is often maligned from a section of the support.

Hibs are tucked in behind the Old Firm in the form guide over the last six matches, and despite that, our top six hopes remain in the balance. With Dundee’s tie against Rangers postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, Hibs hold the sixth spot for now, but we do need favours to ensure we are still there come the end of this round of fixtures.

Simply winning our own games won’t be enough unless Dundee drop points. It’s a situation that reflects the potential damage done by that late, late Ross County equaliser in Dingwall last Wednesday. Hibs have had an incredible amount of 2-2 draws this season, and as Colin pointed out on this week’s Longbangers episode, despite our fight to get into the top six, Hibs have only lost one game fewer than Hearts, who are romping away in third place.

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The team’s repeated failure to capitalise on winning positions might cost them dearly over the next few weeks when we’ll see whether or not we make the top six. Achieving that in itself shouldn’t be considered a success, but it’s the first marker to give us an opportunity to salvage what could still be a more than decent season should we somehow manage to claw our way to a fourth placed finish.

With a cup run no longer an option, all focus is now on finishing the season as strongly as possible. Rangers are next up, and while a defeat there won’t decide anything, taking something from that match would give everyone a massive lift for the run-in and heap pressure on Dundee.