Hibs' Euro trip for the ages on historic night for talisman as play-offs come right into view

And, though the small knot of away fans may have been drowned out by the incessant rhythmic chanting of the home ultras, you didn’t have to hear the Hibees to know that they were rattling through their own repertoire of victory songs. Hibs away, uh-huh, uh-huh? Oh yeah, definitely.

Boyle’s 100th goal for Hibs, coming just minutes after Vukasin Durdevic had been sent off for his second yellow card in as many minutes, was followed by goal 101 for the skipper – this time from the penalty spot after a VAR check for a foul on Kieron Bowie – with 20 minutes remaining. The fact that Gray’s side might have won by more is a testament to their excellence on the night.

As it stands, this is probably the club’s best away European performance in the modern era. A victory that should – only should, mind - set them up for a celebration back in Edinburgh next week. And no more than they deserved.

Boyle had actually come very close to giving the visitors a dream start with just four minutes on the clock. Home goalie Marko Milosevic is prone to the odd rush of blood. And his decision to come flying out of his box and header the ball – not very convincingly – nearly cost his team dear, as Boyle lofted a 40-yard effort towards the empty goal from way out on the wing, only for his effort to hit the side netting.

A Jamie McGrath free-kick from all of 25 yards also caused the goalie a fair bit of trouble, forcing him into a top-corner save that conceded a corner. Here was encouragement for Hibs, if any was needed, to go out and attack Partizan.

Hibs dig in bravely

Not that the home side were without threat. Demba Seck really should have scored from close range, while a Warren O’Hora slip allowed Nemanja Trifunovic to shoot straight at Jordan Smith from the edge of the box.

Hibs dug in. Threw bodies in the way. None with more dramatic effect, of course, than Rocky Bushiri, whose goal-line clearance from Milan Vukotic after 33 minutes was a thing of improvised beauty.

As Hibs countered, the game changed completely. Bowie was hauled down by Durdevic, who had been booked just moments earlier for a foul on Jamie McGrath, and the defender was shown his second yellow.

Within a minute, Hibs were ahead, Jordan Obita’s in-swinging corner from the right flicked on by Warren O’Hora – and lashed home by Boyle at the back post. Now Gray’s men had Partizan on the ropes.

They might have scored another three before half-time, with Kieron Bowie, McGrath and Chris Cadden all coming close. Bowie forced Milosevic into a tip over the bar early in the second half, too.

Referee Philip Farrugia, who had been targeted with missiles at half-time, did nothing to make himself any more popular with the locals when he hauled play back up the other end of the park to award a penalty for a foul on Bowie at a corner. Boyle took it, naturally. And scored, cementing his own place in the history books – and putting his team on the brink of progress to the play-offs.