Dominant Display As Cove Comeback Earns Point

23/09/25

Dominant Display As Cove Comeback Earns Point

COVE RANGERS 1–1 HIBERNIAN B

The team had to settle for a draw, coming from behind to snatch the point, but the overall display was excellent, and had they won there could have been no complaints from the visitors.

Despite our dominance it was the Hibernian youngsters who went in front thanks to a fine volley from Dean Cleland, but the boys never gave up, and Ryan Harrington headed home the leveller with seventeen minutes remaining.

There were countless near things either side of the goal, and on another night, the team might easily have hit four or five.

With our injury hoodoo having struck again, the manager was without five first team regulars, Mitch Megginson and Mikey Doyle – missing for the first time since January 2024 – joining Fraser Fyvie, Arron Darge and Declan Glass on the sidelines.

Blair Yule was left on the bench alongside Robbie Mutch and Cole Donaldson, with Balint Demus, Milosz Ochmanski, Jackson Mylchreest and Mikey Milnes in from the weekend loss at Alloa.

Cove dominated the ball in the early stages, the first opening coming in the sixth minute when Milnes and David Eguaibor linked to find Mylchreest, who whipped in a cross from the right, skipper for the night Ryan Harrington unable to get his shot on target at the back post.

The team went on to rack up the corners, none of which they were able to make anything of, although they might have had a penalty when Calder appeared to handle in the box. Referee Soutar waved play on.

Lewis O’Donnell was again impressive, prompting most of our attacks, and he was again involved in setting up Harrington whose twenty-five yard strike whistled just wide.

Eguaibor had a shot on the turn saved, and Ochmanski threw in two excellent crosses which we failed to make the most of, before the visitors almost handed us the advantage. O’Donnell whipped in a corner which was won by Zach Bruce, but the midfielder headed towards his own goal, forcing Mallon to make the save.

Bruce then came close at the other end, Liam Parker deflecting his long-range shot over the crossbar.

Strachan and Milnes linked-up, Mikey freeing Jackson Mylchreest down the right and David Eguaibor was inches from making contact with the cross. Mylchreest marginally failed to reach a Harrington delivery, then O’Donnell fizzed a shot just over as the team continued to dominate up until the half-time whistle.

We maintained the pressure after the break without troubling the keeper, and then, out of the blue, the visitors hit us with a sucker punch. McSporran wriggled free down the right and his delivery was perfect, Dean CLELAND lashing it home on the volley from ten yards.

The boys hit back quickly, Ryan Harrington having one shot charged down before another, from twenty yards, flew inches wide of the right post.

Lewis O’Donnell’s corners were causing issues for the Hibernian back line, and from the latest one Justin Eguaibor saw his effort blocked before Harrington’s header bounced off the top of the bar. The skipper then had yet another attempt, his low strike saved by Mallon.

The pressure was incessant now, the team playing with width and stretching Hibs, and we were desperately unlucky in the seventy-first minute. O’Donnell was again at the heart of the move, his sublime pass picking out Jackson Mylchreest whose low shot beat the keeper, but struck the inside of the post, and substitute Cole Donaldson shot over from the rebound.

The equaliser finally came soon after. O’Donnell curled in another excellent free-kick and Ryan HARRINGTON leapt highest to power a commanding header down into the net, leaving Mallon with no chance.

We should have had a penalty with fifteen minutes left when David Eguaibor was clearly kicked in the area by Lewis Gillie, but the referee ignored our claims. It was a baffling decision.

Lewis O’Donnell had a header saved, and watched in despair as his powerful strike from twenty yards grazed the far post. The midfielder then swung in yet another superb cross, Eguaibor’s glancing header looping marginally wide.

Still the team kept pressing for the winner and O’Donnell let rip with a long range strike which cleared the crossbar by inches.

There was one last chance when Blair Yule delivered and Liam Parker headed goalwards, keeper Mallon initially making the save, then scrambling to scoop the ball off the line with his right hand.

It was a match dominated by Cove, one they thoroughly deserved to win, but the overall performance was impressive, and gives hope that the team can finally pick up a first league win of the campaign against Kelty on Saturday.

COVE RANGERS: (4-2-3-1) Demus; Bisland, J. Eguaibor, Parker, Ochmanski; Strachan (Yule 63), O’Donnell; Mylchreest, Milnes (Donaldson 63), Harrington (c); D. Eguaibor

Substitutes: Mutch

Scorers: Harrington (73)

Bookings:

HIBERNIAN B: (3-4-1-2) Mallon; McGrath (c), Gillie, Riddell; McSporran, McDonald, Bruce (Burns 89), Calder; Davidson; Cleland, Jiminez (McMurdo 46)

Substitutes: Brown, McNeill, Downie, Shankland, Gallacher, MacDonald

Scorers: Cleland (53)

Bookings: Bruce (67)

Referee: Greg Soutar

Attendance: 164

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