Ryan Porteous caps memorable week with goal in Hibernian win at Ross County

Ryan Porteous made it a week to remember with the opening goal in Hibernian’s 2-0 cinch Premiership win over Ross County in Dingwall.

The Hibs defender made an impressive international debut for Scotland against Ukraine in Krakow on Tuesday night where he helped Steve Clarke’s men to Nations League promotion.

Returning to domestic duties, the 23-year-old turned in another fine performance and fired in from close range at the start of the second half to put Hibs in front.

Martin Boyle then drove in a second in the 80th minute to clinch a third successive league win for Hibs for the first time since last December.

Ross County, for their part, could have few complaints and need to find some form soon.

Looking for a second league win in eight games, Staggies boss Malky Mackay brought in Callum Johnson, Harry Paton and Owura Edwards with Keith Watson, Jordan Tillson and Kazeem Olaigbe dropping to the bench.

Hibs were unchanged but midfielder Kyle Magennis was back on the bench after a full year out through injury.

Amid a frantic start to the game, Hibs midfielder Josh Campbell’s shot from 20 yards was deflected away for corner which was confidently clutched out of the air by County keeper Ross Laidlaw.

In the 16th minute Laidlaw moved smartly to beat away a powerful drive from Porteous, but again the corner ultimately came to nothing.

Edwards was causing some problems for the visitors at the other end with his trickery and pace.

After being set up by Ross Callachan 16 yards from goal, his side-footed shot was stopped by Hibs keeper David Marshall, who soon had to dive down to his left to save a Johnson header from a Ben Paton corner.

Yan Dhanda replaced David Cancola for the start of the second half but the home side went a goal down almost immediately.

The County defence failed to deal with Joe Newell’s long throw-in from the left and Porteous pounced to fire low past Laidlaw from close range – his first goal of the season – before taking the acclaim of the ecstatic Hibs fans behind the goal.

County pushed forward with added determination but began to leave gaps which the Edinburgh side were keen to exploit.

Newell reached the byline and sent the ball across for Boyle to knock into the net but sliding Staggies defender Ben Purrington took it off his toes.

In the 71st minute Hibs boss Lee Johnson picked up a yellow card from referee Alan Muir, presumably for something he said in the growing excitement, and it was a decision which seemed to puzzle him.

There was nothing puzzling, however, about Hibs’ second goal, the unmarked Boyle smartly turning a cross from Chris Cadden low past the helpless Laidlaw from 14 yards.

Magennis was one of a clutch of substitutes and he got a big cheer from the travelling supporters when he replaced Mykola Kukharevych, before Laidlaw saved two further attempts from Boyle as Hibs ran out comfortable winners.