United Crash Out Of League Cup

HIBERNIAN 3 DUNDEE UTD 0

Jason Cummings' sixth goal in as many games helped book Hibernian's place in the League Cup semi-finals as Dundee United were beaten 3-0 at Easter Road.

The match pitted Ladbrokes Championship title chasers Hibs against the current favourites to drop out of the top-flight.

United reached last season's final under Jackie McNamara but Mixu Paatelainen's toothless Terrors were no match for the hungry Leith side who now go into

Monday's draw for the last four. David Gray's early strike took the fight out of United before a second-half Cummings penalty and Lewis Stevenson's deflected strike finished the job.

Cummings helped reignite Hibs' promotion bid with his sensational strike in Sunday's 2-1 win over Rangers but boss Alan Stubbs made two changes to the line-up which handed the Ibrox side their first league defeat of the campaign, with Liam Fontaine and James Keatings replacing Darren McGregor and the injured Dylan McGeouch.

United, meanwhile, put out the same starting XI to the one which claimed their first victory in almost three months with Saturday's one-goal triumph over Ross County.

But there was little sign of fight in the Tangerine ranks as they struggled to cope with the rampant capital outfit.

Paatelainen remains keen on Japanese World Cup star Eiji Kawashima - who was watching from the Easter Road main stand - but with the Tannadice outfit still waiting on the 32-year-old keeper's work permit, he had to go again with Polish youngster Michael Szromnik.

And Hibs made sure he was tested early doors as James Keatings fired in a 20-yard piledriver which was pushed away, while Mark Durnan had to come to the rescue just as Cummings looked to tap home after John McGinn's delicate touch sent Dominique Malonga in behind the visitor's defence.

Szromnik saved again from Keatings after 20 minutes but there was no stopping the opener. From McGinn's short corner, Fraser Fyvie swept the ball into the crowded box and amongst a forest of legs Gray turned and fired his side ahead.

The best United could offer from the opening half was Scott Fraser's wild effort after he wriggled past McGinn.

But they found themselves under pressure again just 30 seconds into the second period as Keatings thudded another low effort onto a post.

The former Hearts forward was well placed for Hibs soon after though as he cleared Ryan McGowan's header from under his own bar.

But Cummings made sure of victory on the hour mark as he stroked home his 12th goal of the season from penalty spot after John Rankin was penalised for handling the striker's header at the back post.

Cummings looked for his second soon after but was denied by Szromnik, while United's Simon Murray wasted their best chance 13 minutes from time as keeper Mark Oxley stood up well to block.

Hibs sub Farid El Alagui looked set to score before falling over the ball but Stevenson did add a third as his strike nicked off John Souttar on its way past Szromnik.

For United, it was another stark demonstration of the size of the task facing Mixu Paatelainen and his toothless Terrors.

And Paatelainen warned there could be more misery to follow, saying:

We were off it, we were nowhere near good enough. Hibs were up for it, their movement was better than ours but we were not up for it tonight. That showed why we are exactly where we are in the league table.

It is everyone's responsibility to sort it out, myself, the coaching staff and the players.

I'm sure we will be better in the future, but it's going to be a long winter and we will be up and down before we get it right.

We didn't get close enough to Hibs and our passing wasn't good enough. It wasn't acceptable.''

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