It wasn't so long ago that any Scottish Cup tie was viewed with some trepidation by Hibs fans. Our record in the competition is poor and we have stumbled and faltered against the most unlikely opposition many times. However, my confidence in the current team has grown in leaps and bounds this season and I was very confident that a home game against Clyde would not present any problem. The team did not let me down, producing a thoroughly professional and focussed display that simply swept our First Division opponents away.

This was the first match in front of the partially demolished Main Stand and with everyone sitting in different seats there was a strangely muted atmosphere around the ground. I guess that you need a contest to generate the passion required for a good atmosphere and this really wasn't much of a contest. Hibs were so dominant that at times it felt like watching a training game.

Clyde are a physically big team who are focussed and committed and never shirk a tackle. More than that you really couldn't add because the gulf in class in footballing terms was vast. Even before Hibs scored, the writing was firmly on the wall. It was only a matter of time before they were overrun.

Hibs took about twenty minutes or so to break through with the Clyde keeper making some good stops up to this point. The first goal was scored by Ulrik Laursen who stayed up for a corner and met the inswinging cross firmly with a glancing header.

The second goal was made and finished in Germany. Dirk Lehmann, who was given a rare starting place ahead of Zitelli, received the ball in a passing move instigated by Matthias Jack. Lehmann skinned a defender on one side of the box and fired in a low cross. Jack had made a run in to the six yard line and swept the cross in. His first goal of the season and well deserved.

Clyde probably thought they were going in at half time two down, and with a slim chance of regrouping. Sauzee had other ideas and finished off any slight hopes they may have harboured with a typically vicious free kick which went in off the bar.

The second half continued as the first had ended with another goal. Paatelainen receiving the ball just inside the box and swivelling past a defender before firing home.

Dirk Lehmann had been playing well and looking more confident than of late and it was nice to see him getting on the scoresheet. He fired a quick double to put Hibs 6-0 up before seventy minutes had passed. His first goal was a beauty, lobbing firstly a defender and then the keeper. His second was a well struck left foot effort.

McLeish, with half an eye on Tuesday's game against Kilmarnock when Jack and O'Neil will be suspended, used the second half to experiment with the midfield, Firstly Lyndon Andrews replaced Latapy, who had been fairly quiet. Then Grant Brebner got a run out in place of Matthias Jack and finally Zitelli came on in midfield in place of Lovell.

Hibs took their foot off the gas in a big way towards the end of the game and in a really sloppy spell allowed Clyde to come back in to the match and grab a consolation goal through Mark McLaughlin.

John O'Neil had a terrific game without getting on the scoresheet but eclipsing even this performance was Matthias Jack, who I thought was fantastic, and would have been my man of the match. However, I had no problem with the award going to Dirk Lehmann who scored two, made one and put in a 90 minutes that will do his confidence nothing but good.

Hibs Team 3-5-2

Subs not used : Franks, McManus