Hibs played out their final pre-season game of 2012/13 this afternoon, with a 2-2 draw with Huddersfield Town at Easter Road.
The Championship side came flying out the traps and dominated ffrom the very start, with new boy Sean Scannell a massive stand out in midfield.
Game on
New Hibs keeper Ben Williams was impressive in the opening minutes, making a number of good saves.
It didn't take the visitors long to take the lead through a well taken goal after 12 minutes.
The ball was played through the middle of a weak Hibees reaguard, and despite looking in an offside position, Scotland U21 sensation Jordan Rhodes latched on to the ball, waited for Williams to advance, then squared the ball to team mate Novak to roll the ball into the empty net.
3 minutes later and it was 2-0, Scannell picking up the ball in midfield, before evading a couple of challenges, before he curled a cracker past Williams.
Huddersfield celebrate No.2
Huddersfield continued to dominate until the 30th minute, when Hibs started to knock the ball about better and come out of their shell.
The HIbees pulled one back on the 35 minute mark, with an excellent move and cracking finish.
Wotherspoon raced down the left flank, and picked out Leigh Grffiths at the back post, who smashed a sweet volley past Smithies in the Huddersfield goal, who had no chance.
HT: Hibs 1-2 Huddersfield.
Huddersfield made changes at half time, and it was good to see veteran ex Hibs keeper Nick Colgan get a good reception on his return to Edinburgh.
Hibs press
HIbs came out in the second half, and played much better than they had in the first, although Huddersfield looked dangerous on the break, hitting the bar twice.
Boss Pat Fenlon made a number of changes in the second half, with both trialists Alan Maybury and Mark Kerr getting game time.
The home support got their first look at new boy Paul Cairney, signed from Partick Thistle, and he was superb when he came on, crunching into tackles, passing the ball well and covered every blade of grass.
Hibs grabbed the equaliser after 64 minutes with an absolute cracking goal from Ivan Sproule.
The speedy Irish winger picked the ball up on the right wing, beat his defender, then cut back inside him and smashed a screamer from the corner of the box, into the far away left hand top corner.
HIbs continued to knock the ball about well and looked much more comfortable when Huddersfield attacked.
Youngsters Danny Handling and Ross Caldwell also both got on the pitch, with Handling looking dangerous when he was involved.
Full time at ER
FT: HIbs 2-2 Huddersfield Town.
ATT: 4,600.
Hibs Line-up:
Williams, Clancy, McPake, Stephens, Hanlon, Wotherspoon, Sproule, Claros, Stevenson, Doyle, Griffiths.
Subs: Antell, Maybury, Booth, O'Hanlon, Kujabi, Handling, Kerr, Stanton, Cairney, Caldwell, Smith.
A good work out for the Hibees, who improved as the game went on, new boys Clancy, Cairney & Williams all looked excellent and could prove to be inspired signings.
The worry's for Hibs fans will be tonight, that we still look weak in midifeld and attack. Claros and Stevenson had ok games, but we could really do with a big dominant hardman in midfield, and also a Zemmama type.
Up front Doyle is a worker and good on the ball, but it remains to be seen if he has goals in him. Griffiths will score goals all day long, but he needs help.
Stephens in defence looks shot of confidence, although on the plus side Williams, Clancy, McPake and Hanlon at left back look the part, but McPake needs partner.
Hopefully our manager will be entering the transfer market in the coming weeks.