"Better meddle wi' the deil than the Bairns O' Falkirk," says the old Burgh of Falkirk motto and but for Russell Latapy it might well have rung true for Hibernian in this CIS League Cup tie. There is no doubt that the introduction of the little magician in the second half of this match was the decisive moment of the night.

Alex McLeish had promised a full strength team but with injuries to Laursen, Murray and Lovell plus a decision to start with Paatelainen and Latapy on the bench, the starting line-up had a look of the experimental about it. Collins, Brebner, McIntosh, Lehmann and Zitelli all started the match and none of that five have been first choices in the league campaign.

I have to confess that the pie I bought on entering the ground was the highlight of the first half of this match. A more turgid, uneventful 45 minutes you cannot imagine. We totally failed to produce any flowing football and we created nothing of note in front of goal. The defence looked solid enough and John O’Neil put in a power of work but other than that it just wasn’t happening for Hibs as Falkirk matched us, though without creating any openings themselves.

When playing a 3-5-2 formation, it is so important that the wing backs are able to offer an attacking threat as well as being able to defend. Smith and Collins just did not do that and it made you realise just what Ulrik Laursen added to our game in the opening league matches. The sooner he is back the better, but I feel that to make this formation really gel, we need a similar threat on the right hand side.

Another major problem was the inability of the twin forwards, Lehmann and Zitelli, to hold the ball up. They were both dispossessed far too easily and I hope it showed Paatelainen’s doubters just what he adds to the team. His ability to accept the ball, stand up under pressure and play other players in, is priceless as far as I am concerned.

Zitelli did not have the best of nights and I thought he was a perfect example of the difference between general fitness and match fitness. He has not played a lot of games in the last year or so, and although he was able to get around the park well enough, his first touch and his general awareness just were not there. However, Zitelli has played at the highest level and I have no doubt that once that sharpness - that only comes from playing games - returns, he will prove his worth.

About ten minutes into the second half, Hibs won their first corner of the night, to ironic cheers, as the match resumed in the same pattern as the first half. In fact, the first real cheer of the night from the Hibernian faithful accompanied Russell Latapy’s entry to the fray after twenty minutes, replacing Grant Brebner, who I have to say was utterly ineffectual.

If ever a game was utterly desperate for a goal, then this was it. Unfortunately it came at the wrong end. A break down the right by Hutchison looked to be no danger with both Jack and Smith covering. However, one after another, they lunged into unsuccessful tackles, allowing Hutchison to reach the bye-line from where he swung in a perfect cross which fell between two Hibs defenders on to the forehead of McMahon who made no mistake from six yards out.

Suddenly we had a different match on our hands with 15 minutes remaining at this point. The introduction of Latapy had at least enlivened Hibs play, but going a goal down was the sting that the team needed to step up the pace and really go for Falkirk. McLeish also through on Paatelainen for Zitelli as Hibs went all out for the equaliser.

Now we had Falkirk on the back heel as we probed for an opening with Latapy the fulcrum of everything we did. The equaliser came with about ten minutes remaining. Lehmann made a great break down the right and then rather than swinging in the cross as expected, the German cut inside before squaring for Latapy who placed an exquisite left foot effort in at the corner. Any gripes about his late arrival back from Trinidad were forgotten as the fans rose to acclaim a great goal.

If anyone was going to win this game in normal time then it would have been Hibs. Lehmann was through one on one with the keeper but placed his effort wide, McIntosh met a corner with a powerful header from close in which Hogarth instinctively parried and then Latapy, jinking along the edge of the box, fired in a powerful left foot effort only for Hogarth to save again.

The tie entered extra time with Hibs still looking the most likely and Latapy still orchestrating everything. Two or three times Latapy and O’Neil managed to dribble close in but their efforts either ended wide or were saved by an on-song Hogarth in the Falkirk goal.

With five minutes left to go in extra time, Falkirk had their big chance. Roberts managed to get right through one-on-one with the ball at his feet and time to think. Nick Colgan did tremendously well, however, standing up and then diving in to parry Roberts effort.

McLeish then took off Lehmann, who had worked tremendously hard for the team, and put on Hakim Sar-Temsoury. The young French kid showed, in what amounted to little more than a cameo performance, that he definitely has something to offer. He looked very confident, had an excellent first touch and really looked the part.

One minute left and we were all gearing up for penalties. Latapy saved us that agony and Sar it was who provided the pass to the little magician, lurking on the edge of the Falkirk box. With two defenders in front of him it was hard to imagine what he could do. But that is the beauty of Latapy: he does things you cannot imagine. Dribbling along the edge of the box and with little backswing, he placed the ball in the corner past Hogan, who never even moved.

Sauzee had a great game at the heart of the Hibs defence but my man of the match has to be Russell Latapy - at times he is too good for words.

Hibs Team 3-5-2

Colgan
Fenwick, Sauzee, McIntosh
Collins, Brebner (Latapy), Jack, O'Neil, T.Smith
Lehmann (Sar-Temsoury), Zitelli (Paatelainen)

Subs not used : Westwater, Bannerman