Last updated 13:09, Monday, 25 February 2008

GRETNA’S dejected players trudged away from Easter Road last night gutted that their brave fight-back had failed to secure them a priceless point.

Trailing by three goals, Davie Irons’ men took advantage of Hibs taking their eyes off the ball, and late goals from Gavin Skelton and Kenny Deuchar threatened the most unexpected of comebacks from the basement battlers.

Irons, sensing that they could sneak a draw, urged his players forward, but their hopes were wrecked by the sending off of rookie keeper Greg Fleming, who was shown a straight red in the dying embers of the game for sending home debutant Colin Nish crashing to the deck.

Real Madrid target Steven Fletcher, who had already scored twice to add to Nish’s opener, stepped up to secure his hat-trick – and Hibs’ first home win in the league since September.

It was rough luck on Gretna whose perky play belied their lowly status and had Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen fearing his side had blown what looked like being an easy victory.

Gretna, who were forced to field a patched up side because of injuries and suspensions on top of losing a string of players during a transfer window clear-out, remain nine points adrift at the foot of the table.

But what started out as a grim night for the Borderers ended in positive style, which again provided a glimmer of hope that they can end the season with a bang rather than a whimper.

In John Paul Kissock they have a teenage loan recruit who is sure to play a starring role for the remainder of the campaign, and the Everton kid was quickly in the thick of the action with an early curling effort which was palmed round the post for a corner by Hibs keeper Yves Ma-Kalambay.

But then disaster struck as Hibs seized a ninth minute lead when Fletcher dispossessed Kyle Naughton and sent over the perfect delivery for Nish who beat Fleming from six yards.

Gretna were reeling again nine minutes later after more poor defending when a sloppy clearance from Craig Barr fell to Fletcher, who doubled Hibs’ lead with a sublime 25-yard volley, which arched over the helpless Fleming.

There was no breathing space and for a worrying few minutes it looked like it was going to be the signal for the floodgates to open as Fletcher’s fierce effort ricocheted off the underside of the bar and out to safety.

The home side controlled the entire first half, while Gretna threatened only sporadically and, but for some great work by Fleming, Gretna could have gone in at half-time even further adrift.

Fleming - recalled following Tony Caig’s move to Houston Dynamo - reacted smartly to push Filipe Morais’ effort into the path of Fletcher and then kept his composure to turn the striker’s shot round the post.

From the resulting corner, Fleming blocked Morais’ effort with his legs.

It was Gretna who came out after the break looking the more confident and they came flying out of the traps while Hibs were still digesting their half-time cuppas. Skelton released Deuchar, who cleverly cut the ball back for Kissock and the teenager let fly from the edge of the area but Ma-Kalambay denied him by tipping the ball over.

Then came Hibs’ crunch third goal as Morais fed Fletcher on 57 minutes and he slotted home to make it 3-0.

Talk about mountains to climb. It was now of Everest proportions, but Gretna were not daunted by the size of the task ahead of them as they went for broke.

They were rewarded with a goal nine minutes from time when substitute Brendan McGill crossed for Skelton to sweep home from 10 yards.

Suddenly Hibs were nervous and two minutes later Deuchar launched himself on the end of Kissock’s free kick to head home their second and set up frantic finale.

But this dramatic game took another twist inside the final minute when Nish charged through the defence and Fleming clipped his foot as he came out to grab the ball, sending him sprawling.

Deuchar took over between the posts as Fleming was ordered off, but the big targetman was powerless to prevent Fletcher notching his hat-trick with a well-taken penalty.

MATCH FACTS

Hibs: Ma-Kalambay, Hogg, Fletcher, Morais, Beuzelin, Gatheussi, Rankin, Shiels (O’Brien, 75), Nish, Murray and Zarabi, subs: McNeil, Kerr, Zemmama, Benjelloun, Chisholm, Stevenson.

Gretna: Fleming, Naughton, Meynell (McGill, 59), Barr, Collin (Schultz-Eklund, 70), Murray, Skelton, Griffiths, Buscher, Deuchar and Kissock, Subs (not used): Krysiak, Baldacchino, Makinwa and Wilkinson.

Referee: Iain Brines

Sent off: Fleming

Bookings: Murray (foul)

Attendance: 12,087