Hibernian 6 Arbroath 0

Last updated : 07 January 2006 By Footymad Previewer

Hibs destroyed third division Arbroath to claim their fourth round place in emphatic fashion.

Goals from Scott Brown (two), Ivan Sproule, Michael Stewart, Garry O'Connor and Steven Fletcher killed off the part-timers.

Sproule set up a chance for Scott Brown, but the midfield player's finish was wayward as he lashed it over the top from 16 yards. Then Sproule set up Sam Morrow but, from no more than 10 yards, he shot straight at Mark Peat.

Derek Riordan would have brought the house down if he had been on target with a left-foot shot from a Stephen Glass corner which flashed wide.

Peat then failed to hold a Riordan shot after Sproule had threaded the ball through, but his defence managed to scramble the ball clear.

It took a finger-tip save from Peat to keep Arbroath level after 33 minutes. Michael Stewart played in Morrow, but his shot on the turn was brilliantly turned aside by the Arbroath goalkeeper.

Hibs finally made the breakthrough five minutes from the break. Riordan provided the perfect cross for Brown to glance a header past Peat. Riordan should have made it two before the break when Stewart cut the ball back, but he guided his shot wide.

But, a minute from half-time, Sproule delivered the second when he evaded the Arbroath defence to tuck home a low shot.

Sproule had an unbelievable miss after rounding Peat in the second half, but Hibs did not let it knock them off their stride.

Stewart scored the third with a low shot from 20 yards after 63 minutes and then substitute O'Connor prodded in the fourth.

Brown made it 5-0 with a shot from outside the box before Fletcher completed the rout with six minutes left from an O'Connor pass.