Hibs played out their one and only pre-season home game this afternoon, and lost out to Championship side Preston North End.
The first half was a pretty even affair, with the Hibees looking dangerous on the attack, with Merouane Zemmama a stand out.
The little Moroccan giving Preston a torrid time, as he darted in and out of tackles with ease, showing some sublime touches and neat little flicks.
Preston looked good in patches as well, but the Hibees probably shaded it, the teams going in 0-0 at half time.
The second half was a different story, with Preston replacing former Motherwell striker Steven Elliot and his striker partner Parkin, with Chris Brown and Neil Mellor.
Mellor and Brown looked a class above the two they had replaced and proved it by scoring the goals that won the match.
Mellor opened the scoring within minutes of the restart, when he latched on to a slack Bamba pass, before running through on goal, and despite the efforts of Bamba to make amends, Mellor squeezed the ball past Hibs keeper Yves Ma-Kalambay.
Brown then added a lucky second for our English visitors, he missed a open goal with a fresh air kick, but the ball was quickly returned back in, and ricochet off a number of players before Brown stuck out a leg and stabbed it home.
Minutes later Brown then added a third, when he rose unchallenged to nod a cross, by former Rangers, Dunfermline and Aberdeen midfielder Barry Nicholson, past the outstretched hand of Ma-Kalambay.
Hibs grabbed a consolation with just minutes left, when Preston defender Trotman headed a cross by Hibs substitute Kurtis Byrne past his own keeper.
The Hibees were by no means out played by Preston North End, but this proved that new boss John Hughes MUST dip in to the transfer market, as it was glaringly obvious that we lack a dominant centre half to partner Chris Hogg, and that we are a bit lightweight up front, with only Riordan and Nish with any experience.
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