You know, I remember a time when the Pars used to win matches. It was a glorious time when players fought for the jersey, we didn't fail to beat diddy teams like a team of fishermen or East Fife, and we never got royally humped by sides like Hibs.
Cruising at 1-0 the Pars somehow - christ knows how! - collapsed like a kiddy's chair under the weight of Michelle McManus, losing four second-half goals against a team containing more hair gel than a Shockwaves warehouse. On a gloriously sunny day, the Pars were comfortably leading Hibs by a goal to nil, fellow relegation strugglers were getting beat and you thought maybe, just maybe, the gods are smiling on the Pars today...and then you remembered...with Mr Dead motionless in the stand and his two assistants swearing like a couple of nuns with tourettes in the dugout, the gods never smile on the Pars these days!
The Pars took to the field minus Ian Campbell, Greg Ross, Craig Wilson and the suspended Scott Wilson from last week's Celtic Park humiliation - the embarassments just keep on coming don't they! - with Aaron Labonte, Derek Young, Billy Mehmet and Scott Thomson returning to the starting line-up.
Tony Mowbray's side - winning at East End Park for the first time in 14 years - pushed Gary Caldwell into midfield for his ball-winning qualities and skipper Ian Murray played in the centre of the defence alongside Gary Smith.
Both sets of players took time to adjust to the brand new artificial surface with several mis-timed challenges in the early stages. Darren Young had a couple of wayward efforts on goal which never threatened to trouble Simon Brown and there was not a shot on target until midway through the first half.
Hibs should have taken the lead long before then when Dean Shiels sent Stephen Glass scurrying clear but he dallied as Derek Stillie came to meet him and Aaron Labonte made a fine saving tackle. The Hibs fans appealed for a penalty but referee Hugh Dallas was well positioned and made the correct decision. Hibs continued to threaten and Riordan shot across the face of the goal before Garry O'Connor fired wildly over from a tight angle.
A long-range effort from Nicholson finally brought a save from a goalkeeper with Brown content to flip the ball over his crossbar and concede a corner. Caldwell should have done better in the 27th minute when he was unguarded at a Riordan free-kick but his near-post header sailed wide.
Hibs had another chance after 31 minutes when Steven Whittaker mis-controlled a through pass from O'Connor but managed to roll the ball back for Shiels, whose half-hit shot trundled wide. The Pars snatched the lead two minutes from the break when Simon Donnelly broke clear on the left after a mistake by Whittaker and laid the ball off for NICHOLSON to rifle a low 20-yard shot past Brown.
Hibs had the ball in the net at the start of the second half when Shiels placed the ball beyond Stillie but he was clearly in an offside position. Riordan missed another good chance for Hibs after 57 minutes when Glass sent him clear with a long pass. The striker took it past Stillie who had raced to the edge of his area but Andy Tod managed to get back to block his netbound shot. Andy Tod then showed his menace at the other end when he directed a header on goal which struck Whittaker.
Hibs changed things after an hour when they sent on Fletcher and Jamie McCluskey for Scott Brown and Caldwell in what amounted to a gamble by manager Tony Mowbray. Hay and his management team saw fit not to counteract this tactical switch, deciding instead to sit/stand in the stand/dugout disinterested. Within six minutes, Hibs were level with a superbly-worked goal. Glass threaded the ball wide to Whittaker and his inch-perfect cross was headed home at the back post by RIORDAN for his 19th goal of the season.
Hibs then took the lead three minutes later when Stillie spilled a David Murphy cross under pressure from O'Connor and FLETCHER rolled the ball into the empty net. FLETCHER added his second 15 minutes from time with a left-foot shot from a Murphy pass. RIORDAN added a fourth nine minutes from time after Fletcher sent him clear and he slipped the ball past Stillie.
As the game drew to a close a Hibs side playing with confidence and pace could have added two or three more against a background of "Davie Davie get to f**k" and "Take your mates and get to f**k" from the few hardy Pars souls that had elected not to desert the sinking ship before the end of the ninety. A hefty chorus of boos followed Hugh Dallas' final whistle with the Pars players and fans well and truly humiliated and being led into First Division oblivion by a management team reeking of incompetency and cluelessness!
At January's Fans Forum Pars chairman John Yorkston clearly stated that he appointed Hay as manager at the club because he was the fans' choice, he was listening to the fans. Well Johnny-Boy I hope you were listening to the fans - the ones that stayed at least - today after number four flew in! I think the message was pretty clear don't you!!
If Davie Hay's desk is not cleared by Monday morning then John Yorkston - a huge Pars fan by his own admission - will have a hell of alot of explaining to do!!!
Man of the Match - BILLY MEHMET - Billy must feel like a genius in a class of muppets these days! Excellent touch, superb build-up play, all the skill in the world! Just a shame his Danish striker partner seems about as useful as a condom shortage in a brothel!
PARS - Stillie 4, Labonte 6, (Ross 32) 5, Thomson 5, Skerla 4, Tod 6, Nicholson 6, Donnelly 6, Christiansen 3, Darren Young 6, Mehmet 8, Derek Young 6, (Hunt 74) 4.