Murrell Double Sinks Hibs to Bottom of Premiership

Jacob Murrell scored twice as Falkirk beat Hibernian 2-1 at Easter Road, sending the hosts to the foot of the Scottish Premiership and spoiling Marink Reedijk’s first home match in charge.

The American striker produced two outstanding first-half finishes before Owen Elding pulled one back, but Hibs were unable to recover as Falkirk secured their first top-flight victory at the ground in more than two decades.

Hibernian have now lost six of their past seven home league games and are without a win in six Premiership matches.

Their run of 15 consecutive top-flight fixtures without a clean sheet also matches their unwanted sequence from 2019.

While Murrell’s finishing was excellent, mistakes from the hosts helped create both goals.

Hibs surrendered possession in midfield before Ryan Strain found Murrell, who unleashed a powerful strike from the edge of the penalty area to open the scoring.

His second was equally impressive.

Thibault Klidje’s unnecessary backheel near his own corner flag gifted the ball to Ethan Ross, whose pass allowed Murrell to fire high into the net from a tight angle.

Elding quickly reduced the deficit, turning Felix Passlack’s cross home with what appeared to be his chest or shoulder.

A VAR review checked for handball before confirming the goal.

Hibs then thought they had a penalty when Klidje went down under a challenge from Lewis Neilson.

However, another VAR intervention determined the offence had occurred outside the box, changing the award to a free-kick.

Martin Boyle blasted the resulting effort wide and also squandered a clear opportunity when his close-range shot was directed too near Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain.

The visitors protected their advantage effectively after the break, with Hibs struggling to create meaningful openings.

Substitute Jamie McGrath came closest to an equaliser, forcing Bain into an excellent save to turn his shot around the post.

Falkirk, who also had a first-half effort disallowed for offside against Finley Barbrook, climbed to ninth with their first victory of any kind in Leith since 2014.

Hibs remain without a point from Reedijk’s opening two matches, leaving their new manager facing an increasingly difficult task.

Wasteful Hibs pay for costly mistakes

Hibernian showed flashes of encouraging attacking football, but their lack of a reliable finishing touch again proved damaging.

Boyle’s missed opportunity highlighted their difficulties in front of goal, while careless possession at the other end gave Falkirk the openings they needed.

Both visiting goals stemmed from avoidable errors, underlining why Hibs are struggling to halt their slide.

Supporters voiced their frustration at half-time and after the final whistle, making clear the urgency of an improvement.

With a League Cup semi-final against Edinburgh rivals Hearts approaching in a couple of weeks, Reedijk has little time to restore confidence.

Clinical Falkirk earn deserved victory

Falkirk combined composed attacking play with disciplined defending to claim a deserved three points.

John McGlynn had previously expressed frustration at his team’s inability to turn promising positions into victories.

At Easter Road, they supplied the finishing and resilience needed to get the job done.

Murrell made the decisive difference, converting his two major opportunities with superb strikes, while Bain delivered when called upon.

The visitors’ organisation after the interval ensured Hibs’ pressure rarely developed into clear chances, providing Falkirk with a valuable win and a lift up the table.