Speaking ahead of Saturday’s clash with Falkirk, new Hibs boss Marink Reedijk couldn’t possibly have been any more enthusiastic about the prospect of making his Easter Road bow.

The Dutchman spoke of being ‘buzzing’. Of hearing ‘fantastic stories’ about the stadium he hopes will be his home for a good few years, at least.

Clearly nobody gave the guy a heads-up about just how miserable Easter Road has become lately.

This is one of Scottish football’s finest arenas which, on its day, can produce an atmosphere unmatched by anything else in the country. No question, it can be a special place to play.

But it doesn’t feel like that these days. In fact, it’s verging on toxic.

You have to go back to April 4 for the last time these supporters celebrated a home Premiership win. That’s over six months. It is completely unacceptable.

Since that pre-split victory over Kilmarnock, Hibs have taken just one point from the 24 on offer in Leith. Is it any wonder these fans are absolutely scunnered? Fair play to them for continually turning up.

The best part of 18,000 of them were in attendance on Saturday, hoping to see something different from a team which has disappointed for so long. Instead, they got more of the same.

Every loose ball – and there were too many to keep track of – was met with a groan, as was the response to watching bad decision after bad decision both on and off the ball.

Reedijk has been in charge at the club for four halves of football, and each one of them has concluded amid a chorus of boos. He must be wondering what he’s signed up for.

Now, let’s get one thing clear. The new manager can’t carry the can for what’s gone before. Nor should he take the blame for the way in which Saturday’s defeat played out.

That should rest firmly with the players, who once again found a way to throw away three very gettable points against a team who, let’s not forget, hadn’t won here since 2014.

The fans are never going to need any help getting themselves up for big European nights or Edinburgh derbies but, most weeks, they rely on those on the pitch to give them something to get behind. And it just ain’t happening at the moment.

Hibs set the tone for another wretched afternoon within 13 minutes when Azeem Abdulai – making his first start for the club since joining in the summer – failed to control a routine ball into his feet as the hosts launched a promising counter-attack.

Five seconds later, they were trailing thanks to Jacob Murrell’s rocket of a finish after being played in by a fine Ryan Strain pass.

Falkirk’s second was even worse from a Hibs perspective. Thibault Klidje’s ridiculous attempt to backheel his way out of trouble down at his own corner flag was punished in emphatic fashion by Murrell once again as the American registered his fourth league goal of the season.

Owen Elding bundled home – with the aid of his right arm by the looks of things – before the break to give Reedijk’s men a lifeline, but that was to be the highlight of the afternoon.

Afterwards, the manager was eager to point out their dominance throughout the second half, and it was hard to argue with that assessment.

Falkirk barely crossed the halfway line as Hibs penned them in. The stats show that the hosts enjoyed more than 70 per cent of the ball too. But that doesn’t count for a whole lot when you aren’t good enough to do anything with it.

This wasn’t an onslaught by any stretch, with Scott Bain in the Falkirk goal only properly tested once by a Jamie McGrath effort from 18 yards with a little over ten minutes to play. That was pretty much it.

The supporters are desperate to give Reedijk a chance, and you suspect they’ll be willing to suffer for a little while longer while he puts the building blocks in place.

Yet it’s going to be nigh-on impossible for the former Beveren boss to implement his much-heralded attacking style if individuals can’t do the simple stuff.

Hibs welcome Celtic to Easter Road next time out, before making a midweek trip to St Mirren. Then there’s the small matter of a Premier Sports Cup semi-final against Hearts to round off that week.

A Hibs side playing at their peak would likely come unstuck in at least one of those. God knows how this version will fare. Indeed, it could get a lot worse for the league’s bottom side before they start heading in the right direction.

Falkirk, meanwhile, will hope this win can kickstart their season.

John McGlynn’s side had shipped stoppage-time goals in three of their last four going into the weekend. Five points went out the window during that run.

But they never really looked like letting it happen again here. Of course, Murrell will get the headlines for an excellent double but this triumph was down to hard graft more than anything else.

Lewis Neilson and Liam Henderson were outstanding at the back, while Brad Spencer and Harry Barbrook in front of them didn’t allow the likes of Josh Mulligan time to breathe.

This was arguably as ugly a win – and they’ve had plenty – as the Bairns have had since returning to the top flight last year, but McGlynn won’t care about that.

His side have style and some substance to boot. Hibs are still searching for both.