Hibs humble Bolton

Hibernian 3 Bolton 0

Hibernian inflicted an emphatic defeat on Bolton in a lively pre-season game at Easter Road tonight.

Steven Fletcher was a constant menace to the Premier League side and opened the scoring in the first half before David Murphy doubled the lead and Abdessalam Benjelloun scored a stunning long-range goal to wrap up the victory.

Heidar Helguson had an impressive debut for the Premier League side, hitting the bar and being denied a goal by Hibs goalkeeper Yves Ma-Kalambay.

Hibs had the better of a lively opening and midfielder Brian Kerr almost made a fourth-minute breakthrough when his long-range effort flew inches wide.

Wanderers then went close when Helguson cut inside down the left and released a shot from 30 yards which hammered against the upright but the visitors should have gone ahead after 13 minutes.

El-Hadji Diouf delivered a free-kick from the left which Ma-Kalambay fumbled into the path of Gary Speed but the Trotters player-coach hit the ball straight back.

Helguson was denied when Ma-Kalambay blocked the Iceland striker's close-range shot after 24 minutes and just four minutes later Hibs were ahead.

A ball over the top found Fletcher and the striker coolly converted from 10 yards.

Fletcher could have doubled the lead with the Wanderers' defence caught flat-footed but struck the side-netting before Ian Walker denied Benjelloun's volley.

Fletcher was causing problems but Bolton almost levelled just before half-time Ricardo Vaz Te hit a shot on to the Hibs bar.

Guillaume Beuzelin almost doubled the lead immediately after the break when he hit into the side-netting from two yards.

Vaz Te threatened again but in the 73rd minute the hosts doubled their lead when David Murphy easily beat Lubomir Michalik to slide the ball past Walker.

Three minutes later Hibs were three up when Benjelloun hit a left-foot shot from 30 yards past the hapless Trotters keeper.