I expressed concerns about Craig Samson in the summer when he looked set to become our number one. He had a record for making howlers, which was why he'd been at so many clubs without establishing himself. However, there appeared to be little sign of shaky Samson as he put in some good displays. Until today.
The first goal he conceded was down to a shocker of a mistake that was brought about by the passing philosphy Danny Lennon has been raving about for the past week. When the ball was played back to him he should have blasted it up the park or maybe to Jereon Tesselaar. However, he seemed to want to pass it back to Lee Mair and tried to take it away from Leigh Griffiths to return the ball. Instead he messed up and Griffiths nicked the ball and tapped the ball into the empty net.
A rather quick double from Paul McGowan saw us go in front, then Sean O'Hanlon headed Hibs level again. The mad spell was complete when Samson didn't know if he was coming or going when Garry O'Connor chipped the ball over to Griffiths, who fired it into the net. It was two bad mistakes from the keeper and his confidence was clearly shot. Hopefully this is just a blip and he'll be back to normal on Tuesday.
It was an entertaining game and on another day we should have got at least a point, maybe all three. We had plenty of chances in the second half but just couldn't get a goal. However, the damage had already been done by then and once again we have gifted a struggling team a much needed boost.
As Mirren Mad predicted (we're getting good at this) Gary Teale replaced Nigel Hasselbaink in the only change to the side that started against Rangers. This suggested Paul McGowan would be deployed in the more advanced role that worked so well against Kilmarnock in our last home game. Worryingly, we had three strikers to worry about in an incredibly attacking Hibs team, Leigh Griffiths and Junior Agogo joining Garry O'Connor up front. With Ivan Sproule missing, it was left to Danny Galbraith and David Wotherspoon to provide the wing trickery.
Those of us who have been predicting a disaster due to the messing around at the back were proven right after just five minutes. Marc McAusland tried to pass the ball back to Craig Samson, but it was a bit short. No matter, because Lee Mair was there to knock it back to the keeper. With Lee Griffiths bearing down on him, Samson then had the option of playing it over to Jeroen Tesselaar or booting it up the park. Instead, he tried to take a touch to take it away from Griffiths and slipped, allowing the on loan Wolves striker in for the easiest goal of his career as he tapped the ball into the empty net. One of the worst goals I've ever seen us concede, but it's been coming for months due to our insistence to pass at the back rather than occasionally boot the ball to safety - especially when a rather handy striker is charging towards you. Watch out for that one appearing on Question of Sport sometime soon.
The defence looked considerably shaky after that disaster and 10 minutes later McAusland did well to cut out Agogo's pass. Unfortunately, he diverted it straight to Griffiths but he found things harder with Samson in his way this time and put his close range effort into the side netting. We then had a decent chance from a Teale free-kick, Steven Thompson heading wide before joining Lee Mair in making an unsuccessful appeal for a penalty.
Teale was looking a bit handy and set up McLean for a shot from just outside the box that went well off target. Thompson then fired a Tesselaar cross straight at Graham Stack, although it mattered not as he was offside. A shot from McLean in an onside position met a similar end - although in fairness he had to hit it with his right foot.
Things then got rather more interesting after that, although at the end of the madness Hibs still held a one goal lead at the break. But before that we drew level, Vanzy sending in a superb cross for Paul McGowan to head past Stack from close range. McGowan fired us in front two minutes later when the visitors failed to deal with a Teale free-kick and McGowan ran onto the falling ball before drilling a low shot into the net to complete the turnaround.
It was almost too good to be true - and it didn't last. Minutes after we went in front we gave away a free-kick just inside our half and when Wotherspon fired it into the box, Sean O'Hanlon got up highest to head it across Samson into the net. And things got worse when Samson was again caught in two minds, this time when wondering what to do about an O'Connor cross, and Griffiths wasted no time in smashing the ball back across him into the far corner. So ended the goal spree and, sadly, the half-time score was not a good one for the majority of the crowd.
The second half began with a game of guessing how long it would be until Nigel Hasselbaink came on and who he would replace - six minutes and Steven Thomson being the respective answers. It didn't make a great deal of difference as we seemed to revert to usual - lots of possession but barely threatening, although we did manage to get Wotherspoon and O'Hanlon booked. Despite being in front, the Hibs fans booed their manager with 25 minutes left when he opted to replace Griffiths with Sodje. Even more bizarrely, the change came after we'd won a free-kick and we almost capitalised on the uncertainty as Stack flapped at Teale's free-kick, but sadly Hasselbaink failed to force it home. Griffiths then made his point by warming down in front of the Hibs fans, who gave him a big cheer.
We should have been level midway through the half when Thompson brilliantly wrestled off Paul Hanlon to get to a great pass from McGowan, but Stack pulled off a great save. The big striker then managed to play the ball back across goal, only for Hasselbaink to somehow put it wide. A shot from a McGowan flick-on met a similar end. Teale had been having a decent game so it was a surprise to see him replaced for the last 15 minutes or so by Graham Carey, with O'Connor going off for Palsson at the same time.
Then it was our turn to wonder about what might have been as Hasselbaink went on a mazy run before pulling the ball back for McLean, but a last gasp lunge from Hanlon stopped his shot on the line before Goodwin put a 25 yarder just over. We had another let off when Agogo was allowed to wander forward before producing a low shot that Samson easily saved. Agogo should have passed to Sodje, although given what he'd just seen his team-mate do in a similar position it was perhaps understandable that he went himself.
We were at least looking more like scoring in the last half an hour, Stack blocking a Thompson header from close range before a deflection stopped Lee Mair's goalbound effort finding the net - the defender then being booked for a clash with Sodje. There was surely no chance of another late leveller when four minutes of stoppage time were signalled, although Carey went on a wander before screwing a right footed effort off target and Tesselaar slammed a shot into the side netting. In the final second Carey went close again as he just failed to force a throw in over the line.
So, not a good result for Saints and ironically our better attacking displays seem to come at home when we lose, rather than when we get a win. Let's hope we put it behind us quickly and see off Ayr on Tuesday night.
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