Mama gets shirty!

Aug 12 2007 GORDON WADDELL at Easter Road

Hibs hero sub wants showdown with gaffer

HIBS 4

GRETNA 2

ANGRY Merouane Zemmama left Easter Road demanding a showdown with boss John Collins - despite bagging the secondhalf double that spared Hibs' blushes.

The Moroccan magician was stunned to be left out the starting lineup after the derby win over Hearts and had to cool his heels on the bench as his mates slumped two behind to Gretna.

But Zemmama and fellow second-half sub Steven Fletcher turned the game on its head in stunning style with three goals between them in 18 minutes before Kevin McCann finished things off at the death.

And despite being delighted with his show Zemmama revealed he wants answers from his gaffer. He said: "I was unhappy and surprised to be told I was being left out just before the game.

"After the Hearts match I thought I was sure to start but I'll now have to speak to the manager and find out why he made the decision."

Zemmama netted with a lovely free-kick to make it 3-2.

He said: "I was especially pleased with that. I always used to score them at home so I was due one.

"And I know I got booked for taking my shirt off but I couldn't control myself. I wouldn't have done it if I'd started the game."

Collins had clearly done his homework on Gretna.

A narrow midfield with a right-back fighting to find his SPL feet in Craig Barr and a left-back who likes to bomb on in Gavin Skelton is always going to leave your flanks exposed.

And Hibs' decision to make four changes from Monday's derby-winning side - with Filipe Morais on the right and Alan O'Brien on the left supplying Abdessalam Benjelloun up front - seemed to work from the off.

O'Brien slipped an effort wide inside 50 seconds after blazing past Barr onto Guillaume Beuzelin's ball.

And twice inside three minutes Morais teed up Benji with teasing crosses from the other side - the first evading the Moroccan's boot by inches and the second was blown over the bar.

But the Borders side are no mugs and had the game sussed within 15 minutes. Their midfield choked the life out of Hibs' centre three and the movement of front men Fabian Yantorno, Colin McMenamin and Davie Graham was making the home back-line work for their money.

And in 17 minutes Uruguayan Yantorno rocked Easter Road with the opener from a 20-yard free-kick.

It was a decent goal but Hibs need a real look at themselves for the way they defended it.

Athree-man wall facing a right foot like Yantorno's is asking for trouble no matter how big your keeper is.

And the hitman picked his spot on Yves Ma-Kalambay's left, with the keeper not knowing where to cover.

Still the Hibees failed to catch fire though. They were giving away possession on the cheap and suffered another blow when Rob Jones went off with a concussion before the break.

Collins came up with Plan Bat halftime as Fletcher replaced Morais.

But within four minutes they were even deeper in trouble with another piece of rank bad defending.

Sub Torben Joneleit was first to misjudge Barr's long ball before McMenamin muscled aside Chris Hogg to slot low under Ma-Kalambay.

The natives were getting restless but less than two minutes later a cheap penalty from a Barr handball opened the door for them.

They couldn't walk through it though as Benji's chronic spot-kick was parried easily by Greg Fleming.

You could see Fletcher was itching to make an impact. Two decent 25-yarders came close before some good work through the middle started the comeback.

Fletch picked out Benji on the left and although his shot across Fleming was heading wide countryman Zemmama - just three minutes off the bench - slid in to slam home at the back post.

Easter Road caught fire andwithin three minutes Hibs were level.

Beuzelin's cross from the left was too good for Fletcher to resist and he powered home a great header to send the place into orbit.

From there on there was only one winner. Zemmama hit the killer third with his magnificent free-kick eight minutes from time.

And McCann sacked Danny Grainger, ran 40 yards and stabbed the final dagger in Gretna's heart in 90 minutes.

Collins had mixed emotions. He said: "I was happy with the last 25 minutes but not the goals we lost.

"We lost our shape and confidence but I had a lot to say at half-time and thankfully they listened.

"We learned some lessons though and once the first goal went in and the crowd got up I could see the difference."

MATCH STATS

SHOTS ON 7

SHOTS OFF 5

OFFSIDE 6

FOULS 18

CORNERS 9

BOOKINGS 3

SHOTS ON 9

SHOTS OFF 1

OFFSIDE 2

FOULS 19

CORNERS 4

BOOKINGS 3

REF WATCH

DAVID SOMERS dished out seven yellows in an end-to-end clash and hard to argue with many of his decisions. Can be pleased with a decent show. Rating: 7/10