No surprises from Allan Johnston?s team selection at Palmerston as he named an unchanged side from the team that won at Tynecastle last week. There were returns to the bench for Isaiah Jones and Dom McMahon with nine subs being allowed in the Scottish Cup.

 

 

Hibs were at full strength bar their goalkeeper, with Matt Macey starting ahead of Ofir Marciano who missed out after a long international break with Israel.

 

The hosts were very much the dominant side in the opening 20 minutes, although it was Hibs who had the games first chance. A Martin Boyle cross was met by Joe Newell on the run, his shot looked destined for the bottom corner had it not been for Wullie Gibson on the line to make a magnificent block on his 550^th professional game.

 

The South should have went ahead on 13 minutes though through the skipper, Stephen Dobbie. A long through from Rhys McCabe was knocked over to the back post, but Dobbie snatched at the effort, firing well over the bar from close range.

 

Dobbie had a chance at the back post

 

Connor Shields was causing issues going in behind the Hibs defence, pouncing on mistakes and making dangerous runs.

 

A Dobbie flick on was met by Shields who was unfortunate to see his shot blocked by the retreating Paul Hanlon.

 

The Hibees began to grow back into the game on 20 minutes with Rohan Ferguson called into action to deny the ever dangerous Boyle from 10-yards.

 

A quiet period followed, although Hibs? Premiership quality was beginning to show through with them seeing more and more of the ball as the half went on.

 

It took 43 minutes for them to finally breach the Queens backline, and in fortunate circumstances too. A corner was headed down by Gibson, falling to Nisbet although it did seem to come off the strikers hand, he laid off to his strike partner Christian Doidge to knock away neatly into the bottom corner.

 

Doidge fires home the first

 

Despite the complaints from the home side the goal counted.

 

McCabe sees his free kick beat the keeper but crash off the bar on the stroke of half time

 

 

A very even first-half came to a close with a sucker punch for the South through Doidge.

 

And the second period got underway with the Premiership team dominating.

 

Queens weren?t playing badly, but Hibs were showing their qualities and very much running the show.

 

A myriad of long shots didn?t challenge Ferguson, but Hibs were almost made to pay for their wastefulness facing goal through Shields. A delightful ball through to Queens? talisman was latched onto, but Shields pulled the trigger a touch too early giving Macey time to get his huge build down to the right hand side to keep his team in the lead.

 

Just two minutes later, at 68, Hibs doubled their lead. After Dobbie went down claiming for a penalty in the box, Hibs mounted a dangerous counter-attack ending in a one-on-one between Christian Doidge and Ferguson, with the Welsh striker firing home with ease.

 

Second for Hibs

 

Things went from bad to worse just two minutes later for the hosts as well after more dangerous attacking play made it three for Hibs. A smart run through the middle from Martin Boyle allowed the Aussie striker to fire into Ferguson?s far corner leaving the ?keeper with no chance.

 

Queens were left with a mountain to climb, and then some, against Premiership opposition who were playing some exceptional football. After Jones was introduced for Niyah Joseph earlier, Dobbie and Shields were sacrificed for Dapo Mebude and a timely return to action for Joe McKee, who has been out of action since the 16^th of January.

 

Queens kept their heads up though and continued to probe away at Hibs and were rewarded for their hard work on 81 minutes through a sublime goal by James Maxwell. The Rangers youngster went on a sublime run, waltzing through the Hibs side before finishing immaculately past Macey in the bottom corner.

 

Maxwell directs the ball past Macey for a consolation goal

 

It was too little too late for the Doonhamers though. Kevin Nisbet missed a glorious chance to bag a fourth for the visitors before Willie Collum ended proceedings.

 

 

A tough day at Palmerston but Queens certainly didn?t disgrace themselves. Chances were missed, before Maxwell?s consolation wasn?t enough for Queens to salvage anything.