Wasteful Hibs were made to pay for their profligacy as they slipped to a dour defeat at Kelty Hearts.

Callum Flatman’s second-half header punished a poor day in front of goal and consigned David Gray to a first defeat as head coach. His side remain in pole position to progress to the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup, but this loss highlighted the work still needed on a squad that remains short in the forward areas.

Hibs fashioned more than enough chances to put Kelty away, but a lapse of concentration from a corner, delivered by former Hibee Scott Allan, allowed Michael Tidser’s resolute team to snatch a winner.

Liam Bryce was at New Central Park to provide the analysis.

Gray rings the changes

The head coach made six alterations to the side that thumped Queen’s Park in midweek, bringing in debutant goalkeeper Jordan Smith, Rocky Bushiri, Kanayo Megwa, Dylan Levitt, Luke Amos and Harry McKirdy for Josef Bursik, Marvin Ekpiteta, Jordan Obita, Joe Newell, Nathan Moriah-Welsh and Josh Campbell. It was certainly an opportunity for certain individuals, who had yet to feature much, to give Gray something to think about moving forward. But few of them will have left Kelty feeling as though they’d done too much to force the head coach to keep them in the team moving forward. Amos, in particular, had a difficult afternoon, looking off the pace and short on confidence. McKirdy did well to fashion himself a first-half chance but was otherwise quiet. Levitt showed flashes of quality at the base of midfield but he does remain prone to the odd careless error. It remains early days and some players will still be working their way to optimum match fitness, but it will likely disappoint Gray that few took their chance to impress him.

Wastefulness punished

This wasn’t a classic by any means, but Hibs did create more than enough chances to win this game comfortably. The bar and post were struck, a goalbound Bushiri volley was cleared off the line, Vente blazed a golden chance into the trees, and a few goalmouth stramashes didn’t quite go the way of the visitors. Where Hibs were ruthless and clinical in the opening two group games, here they were wasteful. Kelty dug in and were defensively solid, taking their chance when it came with Flatman’s bullet header into the top corner. Not being clinical enough was a serious issue last season, and the pursuit of more and more goals against Elgin and Queen’s, even when the points were secured, suggested a directive from Gray to keep the foot down for 90 minutes. It’s a result that further hightlights the already obvious need for another forward. Even as chances went begging and shooting boots remained elusive, there was no alternative striking option for Gray to turn to.

Mixing it up

Hibs appeared under clear instruction to take a more direct approach at times here, with long switches initially looking an effective outlet for the likes of Boyle and McKirdy. With pace on the flanks, getting the ball forward early is always an option, and something Hibs could perhaps have done more of at times last season. The incisiveness  that was especially apparent on Tuesday night, though, was lacking. At times, Hibs swayed between possession that was a little too passive, and trying to force difficult passes that often weren’t really on. The result was a performance that was, overall, disjointed. The game also got scrappier as it wore on, which suited Kelty, and there was a lack of rhythm in the play as Hibs went in search of an equaliser.

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O’Hora cruises through

He’ll face bigger tests defensively in the weeks to come, but this is the third cup game in a row that Warren O’Hora has strolled through since arriving at Hibs. Keeping his place amid a raft of other changes suggest Gray already trusts him as an organiser, and he was often the most vocal in green and white this afternoon, constantly directing traffic and pulling others into position. In possession, too, he looks capable of being a real asset. Long diagonals from right to left were a clear early tactic, and it was O’Hora pinging the ball Crossfield to an initially fluid three of Martin Boyle, Harry McKirdy, and Rudi Molotnikov behind Dylan Vente. After the interval, he dinked a delightful ball in behind the Kelty defence for Boyle to square, and despite Vente rushing on to it, the all somehow stayed out of the net. On a day when not too many others did themselves justice, O’Hora was again a positive on an otherwise dreary day at the office.