New Hibs signing Jair Tavares vows results will improve after debut to forget

Jair Tavares didn’t score an own goal or receive a red card or even do anything particularly wrong in his maiden Hibs bow – he was even eligible to play! – but it was still an inauspicious start as he and his new team-mates get the finger of blame for being partly responsible for a particularly embarrassing moment in a year that’s already had its fair share.

The Portuguese winger was a half-time substitute in Wednesday’s 1-1 draw with Greenock Morton in Edinburgh, a result was changed to a 3-0 loss after it was discovered Rocky Bushiri played while suspended, confirming the club’s exit from the competition.

The group-stage beginning to the Premier Sports Cup should, in theory at least, make it easier for top-flight clubs to advance. Should they suffer a setback then there are three other games against supposedly weaker opposition to put it right. Nine points is typically enough. But Hibs’ defeat to Falkirk two matches prior meant there was no margin for error. Even though they racked up a couple of heavy victories over Bonnyrigg Rose and Clyde, Lee Johnson’s side are out after lacklustre displays in two of their four games against lower-league opponents.

Tavares initially injected some life into proceedings after coming off the bench at half-time against Morton. Hibs began the second-half with what appeared to be renewed vigour, only for the spark from both player and team to soon fade away. In the end, Ewan Henderson was required to save Hibs from the ultimate embarrassment of losing on the night following Grant Gillespie’s opener from the penalty spot, though it still had the stench of defeat inside the ground when Henderson, Aiden McGeady and Ryan Porteous all missed in the shoot-out to hand Morton an initial bonus