Hibs Lead at Half-Time as Elding Scores, Concern in Stands

Hibernian carry a narrow 1-0 lead over Partick Thistle into the break at Easter Road, but the scoreline only tells part of a disjointed, uneasy first half.

Owen Elding’s goal separates the sides, the forward showing the sharpness that Hibs otherwise struggled to sustain. After the opener, the hosts lost their grip, their tempo dropping and their passing loosening. Thistle grew into the contest and will feel aggrieved not to have cashed in on that slackness.

Elding almost doubled the advantage right on half-time, thundering a shot off the crossbar, yet Thistle goalkeeper Liam McFarlane has not been worked anywhere near enough. Inside the box, Kanayo Megwa spun cleverly to slip a chance to Elding, only for the shot to be blocked, before Adam Mayor smashed into the side-netting with Nathan Lowe furious and unmarked in the six-yard box.

The football paused in significance when a supporter in distress received lengthy treatment from paramedics and Hibs medical staff, before being taken from the stand. The home crowd were urged not to gather in the area during the interval, a sobering moment on an otherwise routine cup afternoon.

Hearts on top but wasteful against Inverness

Across the capital, Hearts also lead 1-0 at half-time against Inverness CT, a scoreline that reflects their control but not their finishing.

They thought they were behind early when Alfie Bavidge volleyed in from an Alfie Stewart cross, only for the flag to cut short the celebrations. Soon after, Hearts were awarded a penalty when Amadou Ba-Sy was fouled, but VAR intervened and ruled the contact outside the box.

The response was immediate. From the resulting free-kick, the initial effort crashed into the wall, but Christian Borchgrevink reacted quickest to nod in the rebound.

Hearts should have been out of sight. Ba-Sy produced a superb run and touch in the box before rolling the ball back to Sabah Kerjota, who somehow clipped the crossbar from six yards. Later, a rehearsed corner routine left Calvin Miller free on the penalty spot with time to pick his spot. He completely miscued, a glaring miss that kept Inverness in touch.

Adam MacKinnon almost punished that profligacy, latching on to a loose ball after a corner was half-cleared and adjusting his run as referee Calum Scott stepped aside. His shot flew just over, a reminder that Hearts’ dominance still needs a second goal to feel secure.

Stenhousemuir unsettle scrappy Motherwell

At Ochilview, the story is very different. Stenhousemuir and Motherwell are locked at 0-0 at the interval, but it is the Championship side who have imposed themselves and created the more dangerous moments.

Stenhousemuir started on the front foot and stayed there for much of the half. Matty Connelly in the Motherwell goal has been far busier than his opposite number, while Darrien Jamieson has barely been asked a question.

Motherwell’s fringe players, handed a chance to impress, have instead looked hesitant and scrappy in possession. A flurry of three corners came and went without reward, their short routines and low deliveries easily snuffed out despite an early flap from Jamieson.

At the other end, Stenhousemuir nearly pounced when Motherwell dallied inside their own box. Lewis Hodgkiss ghosted in to meet an Andrew Shinnie cut-back, only for the move to be halted by a foul in the build-up. Earlier, only one side truly looked like scoring, and it was not the Premiership visitors.

It’s little surprise Alfred Johansson turned to his bench at half-time, sending on Alex Lowry and Emanuel Longelo for Ibrahim Said and Euan Wilson. The Motherwell manager needs a reaction. If it doesn’t come quickly, this tie has the feel of an upset waiting to happen.

McInnes under pressure as Rangers face St Mirren

Later at Ibrox, the scrutiny sharpens. Derek McInnes takes charge of a Rangers side without a win in four, the worst start made by any permanent manager at the club.

“We could just do with winning a game,” he admitted this week, a line that now sounds almost understated. Rangers were loudly booed in midweek after crashing out of Europa League qualifying. Now they stand on the brink of a domestic blow as well, with holders St Mirren arriving in the League Cup.

The competition is the only major trophy McInnes has lifted in his managerial career, claimed with Aberdeen more than a decade ago. For a support that demands silverware on a regular basis, that gap matters.

A home win over the current cup holders would not fix everything. But in this corner of Glasgow, on this kind of afternoon, it might just decide how long McInnes gets to try.