Rory Whittaker makes Hibs history on Nick Montgomery's afternoon of new Easter Road beginnings

Nick Montgomery marked his Hibs homecoming with a first win as boss and admitted it was an afternoon of new beginnings in more ways than one.

The new Easter Road gaffer was thrilled with three points secured by Lewis Miller and Dylan Vente strikes which sunk a poor St Johnstone side which remains stuck on the foot of the Premiership and winless. Montgomery believes his first three points as gaffer was the perfect curtain raiser on his reign in Leith which coincided with a debut for Rory Whittaker who at 16 years and 44 days old became the youngest ever to play for the club.

He said: "Young players at the football club and young players in and around the area who maybe choose a different club over coming to Hibs. Today was an opportunity to show there’s a pathway into the first team and Rory more than deserved his chance.

"I saw him play against Rangers last week and was very impressed with him and when he trained with the first team his attitude was spot on. He’s a local boy, he’s been in the academy a long time and there is no better feeling than giving a young lad like him his debut.

"But more than that he deserved it. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have got it. I thought he took his opportunity with both hands.

“The fans were amazing, they gave me a really good reception before the game and the energy they created in the second half resulted in a lot of opportunities. We made 20 chances and if we do that every week with the quality we have in the team hopefully we can score more goals."