Hibs were dealt a nasty shock on Tuesday night as they suffered a surprise 1-0 loss to League One side Falkirk in their second Premier Sports Cup match of the season.
An opening 5-0 victory over third tier side Clyde on Saturday added to the positivity around Easter Road in the wake of Lee Johnson's appointment as manager. But the former Sunderland boss was given a harsh reminder of the work that lies in front of him as Aidan Nesbitt's looped goal sealed an impressive Bairns win.
There were opportunities for Hibs to get back into the game after half-time. A goalmouth scramble saw the ball hit the post and come back off the line while former Hearts defender Brad McKay salvaged Christian Doidge's goal-bound effort off the line with moments to spare. Two more games await Johnson's men in Group D, facing Bonnyrigg Rose and Morton in the next week.
They need to win all their games though and hope Falkirk drop points in their final double-header to top this section, currently sitting second.
Here are three things we learned.
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Reality check
An obvious feelgood factor surrounded Easter Road before this one. Johnson's arrival as boss, a raft of new signings and a convincing first day, all was going to plan.
This won't define their season but it's a bump in the road early doors for Johnson in his reign.
Ultimately this is still a club looking to recover from a bottom six Premiership finish last season and much work is ahead of them to get set for improving upon that. It's worth remembering though this is still very early in the term.
Learning curve
For Johnson, he will have learned plenty about his group of players in this tie.
It is still pre-season time and Hibs especially have a lot of work to do in terms of bedding players in and seeing what systems and personnel fit best.
You learn with victories, but you perhaps learn more in defeat. If that is applied to the Hibees, Johnson will have identified some issues, particularly in the first 45 which he has said he was unhappy with.
New signings
Only three of Johnson's summer recruits started this game - Kyle McClelland, Lewis Miller and Aiden McGeady. All three were then hooked at half-time.
Fellow new boy Nohan Kenneh was the last man standing of the new players come full-time after a late substitute appearance as the squad gets up to speed.
Jair Tavares, Ellie Youan and Momodou Bojang are all still to bolster the forward department as they finalise their paperwork for playing in the UK so this starting XI will no doubt looking different this time next month.
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