Neil Lennon's Green and White Army

This week Hibs announced that manager Neil Lennon has extended his contract with the club until 2020. On a personal level, I'm delighted. Lennon arrived at the club with a bristly reputation. Adored by Celtic fans but almost universally detested by everyone else, and after a bruising experience at financially crippled Bolton Wanderers, Lennon had a point to prove and real job on his hands to win people over.

That said, Hibs fans were warm to his appointment. Lennon's record in Scottish football management is fantastic, virtually unparalleled amongst his current SPFL top flight management peers. There was always a question of whether or not Lennon could repeat his success at Celtic at Hibernian, without the massive financial advantages that he was afforded in Glasgow.

Lennon's remit was simple - take Hibs back into the top flight. He succeeded comfortably, with the league won with weeks to spare. Additionally, a brave showing in Europe and a Scottish Cup defence that took Hibernian back to Hampden to face (and agonisingly lose to) Aberdeen.

So we are back in the big league. Lennon's summer recruitment looks to have been very shrewd indeed. Few Hibs fans would have expected quite the calibre of player that we managed to bring in over the transfer window, whilst at the same time holding on to our most prized asset, 'Super' John McGinn.

Six full internationals joined the club to supplement what was already seen as a squad capable of competing for a top six position in the top flight. Lennon was comfortable seeing Jason Cummings leave the club. A prolific goal-scorer is always a commodity that is difficult to replace, but Lennon clearly looked for someone that could bring more than goals, and in Simon Murray he appears to have found someone with an eye for goal but with it a work rate that was all too often missing from Cummings' game.

Murray started the season in fine form, winning over many doubters with an impressive goal return in the early matches. His scoring form has stuttered slightly over the last couple of games, but a fine solo goal in our win at Ibrox will keep the fans on his side longer than they might otherwise have been.

Lennon's side is shaping up nicely. On the back of consecutive draws at Dundee and St Johnstone, Hibs can consider themselves very unfortunate not to have taken six points from these games rather than the two actually taken. In both matches, a lack of a finishing touch coupled with meeting goalkeepers in fine form stopped the scorelines reflecting the dominance of the visiting side.

The manager, never shy in criticising his players when they fall below his demanding standards, has been full or praise for the performances in the last two games. If we continue that level of performance, we will win more games than we lose.

As may have been expected, controversy is never too far from Neil Lennon. In the Championship he fell foul of the Compliance Officer after a touchline tussle with Jim Duffy, and more recently Lennon's goal celebration at Ibrox created such a stir that Club 1872, the supporter's association with a stake in the Glasgow club, deemed it necessary to issue a statement condemning his antics.

The brass neck of that particular statement was incredible, and to such an extent that even  some Rangers supporters were quick to deride it. More concerning, in my mind, was that the press were quick to play out the narrative that Lennon was somehow the villain of the piece at Ibrox. Video footage of the team bus arriving shows that from the moment he stepped off of the bus, Lennon was subjected to vile sectarian abuse. This abuse continued throughout the match and afterwards, where he received death threats via social media.

The press make out that he brings this on himself, that he loves being the pantomime villain, except in this pantomime it's one way abuse with no comic relief, and if the panto villain dares come back with an 'Oh no it isn't' then all Hell breaks loose.

I was disappointed that Hibs themselves never publically backed the manager, though I appreciate that Lennon may himself have preferred to let the issue blow over. Equally, it was disappointing (though not surprising) that Rangers again failed to condemn the sectarian element amongst their own support.

Lennon's start at Hibs has been hugely entertaining, big performances against Brondby, Hearts, and Rangers, along with a Championship win have laid the foundations for what promises to be an entertaining and (hopefully) successful period with Lennon at the helm. It certainly won't be dull, that's for sure.  

The Business End of the Season

I write this on the eve of the League Cup semi-final between Hibs and St Johnstone, which will be played on 30th January at Tynecastle. The last tie between these teams at that venue, also in the same competition resulted in a 3-1 win for Hibernian, after extra time goals from David Murphy and Abdessalam Benjelloun had added to Steven Fletcher's early goal to secure victory for the Hibees.

Back then, Hibernian were holding their own in the Scottish Premier League. John Collins had picked up the reins from the departed Tony Mowbray, and having seen off Hearts at Easter Road in the previous round (with the most dominant 1-0 win you're ever likely to see), Hibs were looking good for a strong finish to the season.

St Johnstone were riding high in the old Scottish First Division. Their manager, Owen Coyle, was winning admirers for the good work that he was doing with what had been a struggling side. St Johnstone would challenge for the title that season, and also reached the Scottish Cup semi-final, where they were thwarted by a strong Celtic side.

Hibs went on to win the League Cup that year, a resounding 5-1 victory over Jim Jefferies' Kilmarnock at Hampden was as good as it got for the Hibees under Collins. The rest of the season was marred by the infamous player revolt, and Hibs - like St Johnstone - were also to lose out at the semi final stage of the Scottish Cup, despite being heavy favourites to beat Dunfermline.

Fast forward to today, and the roles have been reversed. Hibs are challenging for the title in the second tier, while St Johnstone sit comfortably in the top six of the top flight. The semi final promises to be a fascinating tie. The Perth side have tried to play down their chances, calling Hibs out as favourites despite the gulf in the sides' respective league positions. Hibs do, undoubtedly, enjoy greater resources than St Johnstone.  I would imagine the playing budget at Easter Road trumps that of St Johnstone, and it is arguable that more Hibernian players would get into the first team at St Johnstone than vice versa.

That said, the benefit of regularly competing against top flight opposition should not be underestimated. You only have to look at St Johnstone's convincing 1-3 win at Ibrox in this competition earlier in the season for evidence of that. Rangers, at that point, had triumphed convincingly over every opponent that had been put in front of them (save, I suppose, from a narrow 1-0 win against Hibs at Ibrox - the sides separated by a terrific strike from a contentious free kick harshly awarded to the Glasgow side).

Rangers dominated possession but could not overcome the tactical nous of St Johnstone, who exposed weaknesses in Rangers' play time and time again.

I suspect anyone looking at this game objectively would have St Johnstone as favourites on that basis. It is hard to conceive of a convincing argument where a top six side goes into a match against a second tier side as underdogs, despite the cliched talk from St Johnstone that the bigger support that Hibs will enjoy puts the pressure on Hibs.

It should be remembered that Hibs have enjoyed larger crowds than most Scottish sides for a considerable period, and despite relegation, the crowd numbers have largely held firm. A full house is more likely to unsettle St Johnstone in that respect.

For me, the game is too close to call. I know Hibs are capable of winning, but that's not to say that I think we will. Convincing wins against Aberdeen and Dundee United should give the players the confidence to approach this tie with a view to winning it. However, St Johnstone are a good side, with a manager who is tactically astute and prepares his players very well. I suspect the game will be a tight affair, and could go all the way to penalties.

Regardless of the outcome, Hibernian have another vital tie right on the back of this game. On Tuesday night, Morton will host Hibs in the re-arranged fixture from the earlier postponed game. With Rangers facing Falkirk this weekend, it is essential that Hibs take maximum points from this tie.

Morton, under the stewardship of former Hibs manager Jim Duffy, have equipped themselves well in their first season in the Championship. Hibs will need to be at their best to triumph, and there is no room for a post-semi final hangover. With Rangers enjoying a five point gap on Hibs (with the potential to stretch that to eight points, should they beat Falkirk), Alan Stubbs' side cannot afford to slip up.

It is a period that will tell us a lot about this Hibernian side. They have already answered a lot of questions this season. Their form has been terrific, and even when performances have slipped, Hibs have managed to dig out results. This has not been a trait associated with Hibs for some time, and so to see it ingrained in this team is hugely satisfying.

At one point, Hibs trailed Rangers by eleven points and it's testament to the side that they have cut that gap to the extent that they have. With Rangers still to visit Easter Road and Falkirk, the title is far from being out of Hibs' reach. There is no margin for error now though, Hibs could conceivably get away with the points dropped earlier in the season if they continue their current form, however with games fast running out, every point is a prisoner.

We are right at the business end of the season. What happens over the next few months will have a huge bearing on the health of the football club. Promotion is essential, Hibs have continued to operate as a top flight side despite relegation, but that can only be sustained for so long.

Stubbs, for his part, looks to have done a cracking job in giving the side the best possible chance of going up. His acquisition of Anthony Stokes sent out a resounding message that Hibs were not content to settle for second place. While Stokes grabbed the headlines, the introduction of Chris Dagnall could prove to be just as significant.

I got my first look at Dagnall on Saturday, during Hibs' comfortable 3-1 win over St Mirren. Dagnall did not give the defenders a moment's peace. For a wee guy, he gave the centre halves a torrid time, and it's the first time in a long time that I've seen a Hibs striker so physically dominant against their opponent (actually, that's not quite true - Farid El Alagui was exceptional in that regard.).

Dagnall's movement and constant harrying of the defenders created space for his team mates, the benefit of which was evident in John McGinn's fine goal in the first half. With Dominique Malonga departing to Italy's Seria B, Dagnall's contribution could be very telling in the run in.

Stubbs has also added Finnish goalkeeper Otso Virtanen (he's not Finnish, he's only 21...) and full back Niklas Gunnarrson  to Stokes and Dagnall. Crucially, top scorer Jason Cummings has remained at the club, and I believe a new, long term deal has been put on the table for the irrepressible hit man.

Hibs look in good shape for the run-in, take away the fact that we're still in the Championship and it's a very exciting time for Hibs fans. We are seeing a winning side playing good football. A young, talented manager bringing the best out of a young side - there are echoes of the side that took to the Tynecastle pitch to face St Johnstone back in 2007, and with a board and support fully behind the team, there is a genuine reason to be enthusiastic about the title run in.

And if that wasn't enough, there's always the prospect of a Scottish Cup derby to come, and as Danny Grainger pointed out in his ill-considered tweet , we all know what happened the last time Hibs met Hearts in the Scottish Cup...

Changing Times: Interview with Colin Millar

In the next instalment of my inside perspective of life at Hibernian, I was able to spend some time with Hibernian's Communications Manager, Colin Millar.
I first met Colin through the Working Together meetings, and I sat beside Colin during Leeann Dempster's first supporters meeting on the day of the Rod Petrie protests.
Since that day, Colin has joined Hibernian, initially as the Supporter Liaison, and now in his current role as Communications Manager.
Colin is well placed to talk about the changes at the club in his time, and you only need a short while in his company to see how much the football club means to him.

I remember sitting beside you on the day of the Petrie protests, at that point your role didn't exist as far as I'm aware. Talk me through what happened.
I was probably a bit of an opportunist, really. On a personal level, I'm from an accountancy background, and I knew I wanted to get into sport as it's my big passion.
I did some volunteering both at the club and with some other things, so I knew I needed to make the jump. 
My plan was to go and study Post-Grad at Stirling University in Sports Management and see if I could pick up a part time job along the way. I had loads of ideas on how I wanted to influence things at Hibs, to change things that the club could do a little bit better. 
The big change for me, was after I was chairing a Working Together meeting at the training ground. I still lived in Glasgow, Leeann lived out west as well, so I was a bit cheeky and asked her for a lift home. She said 'yes'.
That gave me about an hour's pitch. I got on really well with her, I talked through what I wanted to achieve, she told me what she wanted to achieve and why she had come to Hibs, and we got on from there. 
My big thing at the time was the Supporter Liaison role. Leeann thought a lot of clubs took that role as a separate thing, independent from the club. Leeann's view was for the Liaison to make a meaningful impact at the club they had to be ingrained in the club to really influence things on a daily basis, so that they have a full understanding.
There was that, and the club was also moving towards the big consultations about the ownership and what that structure was going to be. The club wanted to involve supporters, so my initial role was to come in and oversee that consultation process. That started with three consultation meetings.
They were post-Alloa defeat, I remember the first weekend before starting work, going to Alloa thinking "We'll get three points here". It was at the end of the transfer window so there was a lot of chat about signing some new players, so I thought the Monday meeting would be really positive. 
As it was, Farid goes down with the really bad injury, we lost to Alloa , and the meetings took a different turn.
The meetings were heated and lively but really interesting. From that, we developed the online survey which focussed on representation, ownership, and engagement with the club. From that, probably the big immediate thing was getting the Supporter's Representatives on the board, so I managed the process around that, as well as doing some bits on the communication side.

What would you say are the differences between the Fans Representatives on the board, and the Supporter Liaison?
I think the Fans Representatives are two people that are fully elected by the supporters, who are there to represent the supporters, and who are influencing things at the top level.
I see the Supporter Liaison role as only good if it's ingrained in how the club operates on a daily basis, similar to the Fans Representatives. We could put them on the board, the box is ticked, and there's no tangible difference - I don't think it's like that here, from what I understand they are fully involved in the decision making, the same as any other board member. 
I see part of my role as Supporter Liaison as basically being the voice of the supporter, and thinking as a supporter in everything we do - whether that's daily communications through social media, ticketing updates - I'm quite heavily involved in the ticketing information and the decisions that go around that like loyalty points and everything else, through to the campaigns. I've been involved in the season ticket campaigns, the kit launch campaigns. 
I think it's just having a supporter's view on it. Don't get me wrong, as soon as you become an employee of the club, that nature of the relationship changes - that's inevitable. I genuinely think it's an ethos running throughout the club in everything we do, that the impact on supporters is a fundamental part of the decision making. 
Other clubs could have a liaison officer in name alone. I've been round other clubs and see what they do, both here and down south. They can be quite tokenistic in what they do, they get the supporter in, give them a bib and an email address, and it allows that club to distance themselves from the complaints that come in, be it catering or atmosphere. They can push it on to the liaison officer and let them deal with it. 
Here it's different, it's part of the role, it's ingrained in everything we do.

How did you deal with adjusting to that change in relationship, moving from a supporter to an employee?
It's very different and difficult. I think in a way, I always used to get bothered by the result. 
As a supporter, if you lose on a Saturday you go home on a Saturday night and you're in a mood. It maybe bothers you on a Sunday but by Monday you're back at work and you move on.
I lived my whole life until now in the west, so I was never surrounded by Hibs supporters or Hearts supporters, in the same way that other people would go to their work and Hibs and Hearts would still be the major talking point.
Here, I remember the game against Cowdenbeath, the 3-2 game, which was the first home game after the consultation. The relief when that third goal was scored in the last minute - because it's not just the three points, which is normally the be all and end all. 
It's "I can't do that promotion we wanted to push out", things are always that much more difficult when we lose rather than when we win. 
It's a strange profession in that you can do everything right Monday to Friday, but if the result goes against you on a Saturday a lot of the good work is not as good as if the team had won.
The thinking here is that I can't influence the result on a Saturday, so let's make sure that everything else is as good as it can possibly be, because we can only control what we can control.
Last season I had no role at away games, so I worked home games and went to the away games as a fan. With the recent change in role, I'm going to a lot of the away games as a worker, so I do miss going to the game on a Saturday, relaxing with friends and family, and enjoying the game. 
I wouldn't trade it for the world though, coming to a place I love at Easter Road, I'll never moan about that.

We talked about the volatile nature of the supporter's mood, when you have a meeting and there's been a bad result, how do you see through the anger or frustration at the result to pick out the valuable bits?
I think it's looking at the point that's been made. Everyone gets frustrated at the result, if someone wants to air that frustration about the manager and his tactics, that's fine -there's not a lot I can do about that. 
If it's points around catering, communication, Hibs TV, programmes, things like that, we might see more of them after a bad defeat but it doesn't make the point any less valid, so it's things that we want to pick up and improve on.
Our plan changes, but we want to be consistent, so that means that we can't shy away from defeats or when things don't go well, in the same way we can't go shouting from the rooftops after a good result. 
I think you need to consider any analysis in the wider context, whether it's Facebook likes or engagement with the videos, there's going to be an element that's dependant on the results.
You can try and strip the emotion out to an extent and ask "Did we do a good job? Are the complaints or points valid? What can we do to improve on things?" 
There's a culture here now to constantly want to improve on things. It's can be very easy if the team wins to sit back and think "That was a great match day." but the key difference now is you look at it from an operational point of view as much as a result point of view. 
If we'd beat St Mirren 2-1, I'd have been happy that we'd won, but my reflection on the match would have been no different as if we'd lost, we still need to make sure that we produce the output for Hibs TV before and after the game, that the Manager's interview goes out, that the programme is ready. There is an element of just stripping out the emotion and working as professionally as we can in the jobs we are here to do.

Looking at the changes in the club since the protests, what differences do you see?
I'm one of the longest serving people in the commercial office! There has been change right throughout the club. In the Community Foundation, Wendy's now Head there, Community Football is exploding, there's more activity in there than ever before. There's the public/social partnership with NHS Lothian, there's a lot of work and effort going into that. There's the two Supporter's Reps on the board, changing the make up of the board as well. 
Our department - Greig's new in to Commercial. We've new people in hospitality, in sales, in communications.
I think that shows how much has changed. The football operation has totally changed, the manager has come in, but the whole structure - everyone knows about the change to structure with George coming in as Head of Football Operations, changes to sports nutrition. There has been so much change across the whole club, like HSL and the share issue.
There's been opportunities and tangible change across the board, and now is the opportunity to consolidate that and build on it and push on.

How do you see your own role evolving as part of that?
I changed role slightly at the start of September - exactly one year to the day from coming on board. I'm now Communications Manager since Andrew Sleight decided to move on. We've changed the structure of the Communications team a little bit. 
I'm Communications Manager, there's a PR and Media Exec, a Digital Development Exec, and there's a great team of volunteers that sit underneath and feed into that. 
I'm now the main contact point for the press and media, and responsible for the content going out on Hibs TV, the website, and social media.
That doesn't mean to say I'll be in front of the camera, that's not my skill set at all, I'll be avoiding that as much as possible!
I think I have a different set of skills that I can bring to it, it's not a role that I foresaw me taking on, but Leeann gave me an opportunity a year ago, and Leeann is giving me an opportunity again now and I think if folk have been happy with what I've done over that year I can keep pushing on. I have great people to work with and that motivates me to keep going.
My first day in the role was transfer deadline day, which was a nice quiet introduction to the role. It was the same last year so I seem to pick my first days!
There will be a lot to learn in the role as well, but it's a challenge I'm really looking forward to. We keep seeing progress in terms of communication but we're still a long way off where I want to be. 
The kit launch and the season ticket videos went down well and set a benchmark. We need to improve on that. Outside the Box was a fantastic success, we need to improve upon that, be more consistent with that.
We've started the matchday video which is a sort of recap of what has gone on at Easter Road so supporters can see we're opening the club up to show what goes on behind the scenes, so they see it's more than just the ninety minutes - there's so much more going on.
We need to sing about the work of the Community Foundation a little bit more and show the work that's going on to make the club a success, 

What would you like to see next for your role and the club in general?
Improvement. We are always looking to improve upon what we're doing. I want to see our communication being more consistent, looking better, sounding better, feeling better. 
Our goal is to be the best in the country at everything we do.
We don't have the same resources as some other clubs, but we have decent resources, but there's no reason why we can't be best at communications.
That's the long term challenge, but for now it's about making sure the supporters are involved and know what's going on at the club, and being open and transparent and having some fun with it. Football should be fun, but there are serious messages to get across as well, and we have to bridge that gap with supporters. 
For the club - we have to win the league, win promotion. Thankfully I'm not responsible for that, but - and I'm talking as a supporter now - I think we have the makings of a really good squad, there's no reason why we shouldn't be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.
Football's based on results, look at last season - was it a success? We finished above a team with much greater resources in Rangers, we did well in the cups, the style of football was better, we scored more goals and conceded fewer, but we didn't achieve promotion. 
Looking at it from the support point of view, it's encouraging that season ticket numbers have held, with a slight increase, and we need to get people back to Easter Road. We want to get as many people back to Easter Road as possible, that's the challenge - I completely understand why people stopped coming, supporters have gone through an awful lot.
We'll keep working hard to get people back, we'll also put an awful lot of effort to get new supporters along to the ground. 
We'll hopefully see a lot more in the match day experience, making sure that kids...  kids is an absolute focus of ours, whether it's the Hibs Kids that we're already engaging with, whether it's the schools that we're engaging with in the school ticket initiative, whether it's the  kids that are coming through the Hibee Tots camps, or whether it's other initiatives that we can make use of to bring new people into the stadium. 
I think a lot of our traditional supporters can be weary of Championship football, coming up against teams that are more defensive, but in reality we are winning more games here than we did in the top league, it's probably a nice environment to introduce people to the club. 
We are generally scoring more goals, conceding fewer goals. We are generally winning games, and whilst we obviously don't want to be here, I want to use it as an opportunity to bring more people in so that their first experiences of Hibs is positive. We're winning games, scoring goals, they're hopefully enjoying themselves at the games and then over time they maybe get used to the ups and downs of the reality of supporting Hibs over the longer term.
This is an opportunity to bring people in and interacting with the club, whether that's through traditional means or thinking a little differently and seeing how we can use the wider work that the club does in the community to introduce them. 
There's been some really nice stories about people coming to the games for the first time, and we want to keep building on that and have as many people interacting with the badge as possible.


Many thanks to Colin for his time to make this interview possible.

Second Place is Only The First Part of the Job.

Hibs went into Saturday's game against what could be considered their bogey team, Falkirk (Hibs had not beaten Falkirk in four attempts prior to their win on Saturday), in pole position for second place.
The previous weekends victory against Alloa had left Hibs in a position where they could afford to lose, so long as Rangers didn't win at Tynecastle. Hibernian's superior goal difference effectively giving them a two point advantage over the Glasgow side.  A draw would only be enough for Rangers if Hibs lost heavily to Falkirk.

Three and a half thousand Hibs fans made their way west to Falkirk looking for a happy afternoon against a team that had left them with little to be joyful about all season. Falkirk were in the position of having nothing meaningful to play for in the final match. They had been pipped to fourth spot by Queen of the South, and are counting down the days to the Scottish Cup Final, which they reached (as we know) by triumphing against their final visitors.

Due to work commitments, I was limited to goal updates on Sky Sports. Fortunately, we have an abundance of screens showing Sky Sports in the office, so with the Hearts v Rangers game within viewing distance, I was able to keep up to date with what was going on there as well as at Falkirk.

The Hibs fans that did manage to get a ticket (Hibs sold out their allocation of tickets, requested more, then sold them out as well, and could have sold more still, such was the demand for the game) had their nerves calmed early on, when Martin 'Squirrel' Boyle burst forward and played a neat one-two with Scott Allan before firing a shot across Jamie McDonald to put Hibs a goal up with just a few minutes to spare.

So Hibs had made the first move, it was now up to Rangers to see if they could put some pressure on the Leith men, and sure enough - Rangers took the lead at Tynecastle. Shortly afterwards. Rangers would survive a penalty appeal when their goalkeeper looked like he fouled Osman Sow, who had earlier been booked for diving. Perhaps the referee considered it a case of 'the boy who cried wolf' or perhaps he missed the incident (or chose to ignore it), but the Rangers goalkeeper could consider himself very fortunate not to have conceded a penalty, which, if it had been given, would likely have seen the goalkeeper red carded for his troubles.

Unlike Hearts, Rangers didn't dwell on the decision, and they took full advantage moments later when Kenny Miller side-footed home from inside the penalty box to give Rangers a two goal advantage.

So far, so good for Rangers. If they had wanted to turn the heat up on Hibs, this was exactly what they needed to do. Hibs, however, responded almost immediately. Jason Cummings found himself staring down Jamie McDonald from a few yards out. Cummings dropped a shoulder and sold McDonald a dummy before wandering round the grounded goalkeeper to walk the ball into the now unguarded net. It was a classy finish from the young player who finished the season on top of the scoring charts, a remarkable achievement for a lad that was working as a gardener just a couple of years ago. It rounded off a good week for Jason, who had been voted 'Young Player of the Year' by Hibernian supporters a few days earlier.

Hibs now held the aces in the race for second place, and Rangers were running out of cards to play. As the game progressed at Tynecastle, Hearts shuffled the deck and brought on man-mountain Genero Zeefuik who proved to be almost worth his weight in goals as he headed Hearts back into the match before shooting home a late, late equaliser which finally prompted the Hearts fans into voice, the goal signalling the end of the apparent sponsored silence which seems to be a staple of a Hearts party these days, if the 90 minutes at Tynecastle on Saturday and their party at Easter Road where they lost the last derby of the season are anything to go by.

As if that wasn't enough to sour the Rangers' day, they would hear that Do-do-do-Dominique Malonga had scored for the third consecutive game to give Hibs an unassailable three goal lead going into the final moments of the game.

The results left Hibs in second place, as they had started the day. Few would have given Hibs much hope of second in December and it's testament to Alan Stubbs and his team that they proved the doubters wrong.Questions had been asked about Stubbs's side's bottle, and they were answered in spades in the final weeks of the season. It is ironic that Hibs played much better, in my opinion, in the semi-final against Falkirk where they were accused of bottling it, than they played in Saturday's win. That's football, I suppose.

Rangers now face Queen of the South to see who will meet Hibs in the play-off semi final. Rangers will not be approaching the game with any great amount of confidence. Their last outing at Palmerston ended in a 3-0 reverse, with Queen of the South capitalising on a dire performance from the visitors. Rangers have shipped five goals without reply on their travels to Queen of the South this season, and so the play-off fixture is far from a formality.

Queen of the South are in an almost enviable position of having virtually no pressure on them. Expectations throughout Scottish football at the start of the season were that, aside from whoever was to win the league, the other team likely to be promoted would come from Hearts, Rangers, or Hibernian. With Hearts being the title winners, pundits have practically discounted Queen of the South from any notion of them being contenders. It's not an opinion I share. Both Hibs and Rangers have struggled against Queen of the South this season - their stuffy, park-the-bus approach at Easter Road has subjected me to some of the most negative football seen in the East of Edinburgh since the Alex Miller years. With Hibs tendency to find themselves knocked out by the sucker punch on so many occasions this season, the thought of going up against that will not fill the players with joy.

However, both Rangers and Queen of the South would happily trade places with Hibs. The advantage gained in finishing second is significant, especially if the quarter final turns out to be a gruelling, hard fought affair.

It is vital, though, that Hibs remain focussed. Finishing second was just the start of the job and nothing has been achieved yet. The next two games (and, hopefully the two after) are amongst the most important in the club's history. Negotiate these games effectively, and Hibs can put the nightmare of the Championship behind them and look forward to taking their seat at the top-flight table again next season.

I have no doubt that Hibs are capable of winning these games, and although their sternest test will likely come from the SPL side hoping to avoid swapping places with their Championship counterpart, Hibs have the players in their team that have it in their locker to go on and win.

There may be a question of whether or not they have the temperament to do it, but I think that questions has been put to bed on many occasions this season, and Hibs have stuck at it. In finishing second, Hibs accumulated more points that Championship winners Dundee collected last season. Dundee have held their own in the SPL this season, so Hibs should take confidence that they can mix it with the big boys.

Hibs biggest barrier to overcome is to make sure that the focus remains on the job in hand over the next couple of weeks until they need to play again. The risk is that in achieving a milestone in finishing second, they get the chance to relax and let complacency seep in. In Alan Stubbs, Hibs have a manager who is ideal for preventing that from happening. Stubbs has insisted on high standards all season, and it's finally paying dividends.

I am hopeless at predictions, but my gut instinct is that Hibs will once again be a top flight side next season. The one thing I can say, is that so long as Stubbs and his backroom stay, and the hugely impressive work behind the scenes at Easter Road continues, then it's only a matter of time before Hibs are challenging at the right end of the right league, even if it doesn't happen this year.

Congratulations must also go to Championship Player of the Year, Scott Allan. What a joy it has been watching him grow and develop at Hibs this season. He was impressive when he first arrived but having had the bulk of the season under his belt, he has improved immeasurably under Stubbs' guidance. This improvement is a trend that's evident throughout the side, and Allan had some close competition from his team-mates for the award.

Scott has another year on his contract, and I desperately hope Hibs resist any advances for him. He is a player that the Hibs fans appreciate, and he fits the style of play that Stubbs is stamping on the team like a glove. The phrase 'build a team around' gets used a lot in football, and never has it been more fitting than in Scott Allan's case at Hibs.

What has also been very noticeable, in contrast to the abject misery and disillusionment of last season's closing stages, is rather than seeing an impending exodus of players, we are hearing stories of players being desperate to stay at Hibs, and we've gone from seeing loan players who simply couldn't give a toss about the club (yes, Matt Doherty, I mean you) to players like Martin Boyle who showed with his celebration on Saturday exactly what it means to him to be at Easter Road.

It's like night and day comparing the Hibs from then to the Hibs of now. We have some of the most talented young players (the potential in Jason Cummings is unbelievable, in my opinion this guy could go on to be the best striker Hibs have produced since Riordan and Fletcher), as well as some experienced players (Fontaine, Gray, Hanlon, Stevenson, Craig, Robertson) who have raised their game considerably this season. It's a great mix, and Stubbs will have a lot of food for thought over the close season to decide how he is going to build on this nucleus of talent.

A Season Summed Up In Ninety Minutes

As around sixteen thousand beleaguered Hibs fans made their way back to their buses, cars, and trains for the long, quiet journey home from Hampden having watched their heroes chalk up another year on the 'since-they-won-the-Scottish-Cup-o-meter', they would have been wondering just how Hibs had managed - again - to take nothing from a game that they utterly dominated.

It has been the story of their season. I've lost count of the number of games Hibs have failed to take full points, having battered their opponents for virtually the full ninety minutes. Home games against Falkirk (twice), Queen of the South, Hearts, Raith (twice), and Dumbarton - and that's just from the top of my head, have seen Hibs put in a commanding performance only to draw or lose the match.

Saturday's Scottish Cup Semi-Final can now be added to that list. Before I dwell on Hibs' failings, I want to congratulate Falkirk for reaching the final. The most important statistic in football is the number of goals scored versus the number conceded, and Falkirk compared favourably in that aspect on Saturday, and so they have a Cup Final to look forward to. Well done to Falkirk, and I genuinely wish them all the best in the final.

So, onto Hibs. Where do you start when trying to explain that defeat? You can criticise the forward players for not taking their chances, and we had plenty of them regardless of what Peter Houston might have you believe. Scott Allan rattled the crossbar after a Gascoigne-esque dribble through the Falkirk defence. Fraser Fyvie had seen a shot tipped onto the post only for the ball to rebound with an almost magnetic precision back into the arms of the grateful Jamie McDonald.

Farid El-Alagui had a first minute header (if you can call the ball bouncing off his head as he lay prone on the ground a 'header') saved on the goal-line. Lewis Stevenson blasted over from eight yards when he seemed more likely to score, just moments after Dylan McGeouch had totally mis-hit his shot to the point where it was closer to trapping the ball than shooting at goal.

Stevenson came close again when a deflected shot looped over McDonald only to drop agonisingly wide of the post, and there were late chances for Malonga and El-Alagui, neither of whom were able to take advantage.

Falkirk, of course, scored in the most ironic of fashions. The referee halted a Hibs attack, Falkirk broke forward and gave their opponents a lesson in clinical finishing. Mark Oxley had been a virtual spectator in the second half at Hampden, his only contribution prior to conceding had been to tip a speculative effort round the post early in the second half. Falkirk had, by my count, three chances in the second half in total, and scored with one of them.

It's hard to pinpoint why this has happened to Hibs so frequently this season. You can criticise the defence, but then you'd think they would deserve praise for limiting the opposition to three chances. Then again, how can you praise a defence that concedes one goal from three chances, compared to Falkirk who conceded none from goodness knows how many.

Perhaps it's a lack of concentration. If it was only once that a game had gone this way, you could attribute it to bad luck, but when it's happened with a depressing regularity then it surely can't just be luck.

Alan Stubbs must take some responsibility - it's been a season long problem at both ends of the park. If Hibs had taken chances with the same efficiency as our opponents this season, it would have been Hibs rather than Hearts that had romped the league with plenty to spare. Hibs haven't though, and Hearts have, and that's why they were worthy winners.

Stubbs must now look at his side and find a way to address this wastefulness in front of goal, and the carelessness in defence, in order that his side has any chance of promotion this season. Stubbs cannot afford to attribute the poor results to mere bad luck, no matter how much he may protest that his side deserved to win the game (and few neutrals would argue with him), the fact of the matter is that again, his Hibs side were trumped by a sucker punch, and lost the match.

I like Alan Stubbs. I like the way he sets Hibs up to play and I like that he isn't shy in saying that the better team lost. It's refreshing, and his style of play is pleasing on the eye, in stark contrast to his recent predecessors in the Easter Road hot-seat. There is a real lack of a cutting edge, no ruthlessness or mean streak in the side, and he needs to find that, and find it soon.

Stubbs has challenged his side to go and get the promotion their play deserves, but that play will only deserve promotion if it finds an end product. Teams don't get promoted for missing chances or keeping the ball. You can have all the possession in the world, if you don't score and you can't prevent the opposition scoring, then you don't deserve to get promoted. I think it's important that Stubbs acknowledges that, if not publicly then at least within the confines of the Easter Road/East Mains dressing rooms.

The players can't be allowed to continue to put costly defeats like Saturday's down to bad luck. They have to be aware that they are ultimately responsible for the fine margins that have gone against them. Is it bad luck or bad finishing to hit the bar from fifteen yards out? Is it bad luck that you swing a boot at the ball with the goal gaping and send the ball three feet over the crossbar? Is it bad luck that you find yourself conceding - again - from the only chance your opponent carves out?

Passing it off as bad luck removes the need to make an improvement. I'm not expecting to see Stubbs chastise his players for their inefficiencies in public, in fact, I wouldn't expect him to hammer them in private either, but I would expect him to seek improvement and to make the players accountable.

Hibs' season is teetering on the brink now - the cup had proven to be a welcome distraction and the prospect of finishing the season with the play-offs and a cup final to look forward to was exciting. Now there is the very real prospect of Hibs finishing the season with nothing to show for the undeniable improvements that Stubbs and his coaching team have made. Hibs have three league games left to put themselves in with a shout of finishing second, but they are now reliant on Rangers slipping up.

Even finishing second won't guarantee Hibs promotion, if they continue to mis-fire as they did against Falkirk and countless other teams this season. These fine margins are critical now, and unless Hibs do more to make those margins count in their favour, then there's a huge risk that any progress will be overlooked in the anger and disappointment that will inevitably consume large chunks of the Hibs support, who will have at least another Championship season to face. For a club Hibs' size, that is almost unthinkable.

In fairness, the players do not deserve a hard time for their performance on Saturday. The team played well, with some great football and you'll struggle to see a more dominant performance from a team all season. Had that game finished 1-0 to Hibs, people would have been enthusing over the way that Hibs controlled the game and kept Falkirk at arms' length throughout. It didn't though, and in the aftermath it's easy to lose sight of the fact that Hibs performed at a good level, without it being good enough to take them into the Scottish Cup Final.

And so it goes, another year to the record. I think that's 114 now. I sometimes get asked if it hurts more with each year, and I liken it to playing the lottery, which I haven't yet won at many more than 114 times of asking. Sometimes I get close to it, there's been a few times where I've had four numbers but never enough to retire early or get a holiday home somewhere sunnier than Leith. That winning combination eludes me, sometimes twice a week, yet the disappointment lasts just a few moments and never dampens the anticipation that maybe - just maybe - the next draw will be the one. I feel like that with the Scottish Cup these days. Yes, if and when Hibs do win the bloody thing,  the hangover I will have after it is beyond my comprehension at the moment. However I'm long since past the point of beating myself up about it when the inevitable cup disappointment comes around again.

Hibs Do the Honourable Thing in the Derby

A lot was made of Hibernian's apparent refusal to grant Hearts a guard of honour onto the pitch in the lead up to the final Edinburgh derby of the season. More was made of it than was really necessary, to be completely honest.

Depending on who you speak to, tradition seems to dictate that the guard of honour is generally given at the game immediately after the title is won, or on each of the first home and away games after winning the league. In Hearts' case, this had been extended by Alloa to include their second home game.

There was suggestion that Hibs should have followed Rangers' lead and clapped their city rivals onto the pitch, a suggestion that was shot down by the vast majority of Hibs' online support, and by Alan Stubbs himself, who cited safety reasons and a desire to avoid fueling the flames of an already volatile fixture as the reason for Hibs not granting the guard of honour.

That Stubbs should have been having to turn it down in the first place is a nonsense in itself. Even more ridiculous was the reaction to the apparent snub from Hearts' Head Coach Robbie Nielson and their centre-half Alim Öztürk, who comically said that the show of disrespect told you everything you needed to know about Hibs. 

Quite how the whole thing was contrived to be an issue is beyond me. However, common sense prevailed and the players ran out in their conventional line-ups and got on with things. 

Clearly, I am biased towards Hibs, I will never hide that fact or pretend otherwise, especially when it comes to the derby and the rivalry between Hibs and Hearts, but even putting that bias to one side, I find the idea of giving a team that shafted a laundry list of creditors (including you and I as tax payers) a guard of honour - and that team expecting it - quite distasteful. 

The current Hearts side and owners deserve all the credit going for a fantastic season. They have been unquestionably the best side in the Championship over the course of the season. They have barely faltered and have played some terrific football in that time, backed by a large support home and away throughout the season. Hearts have been the success story of the 2014-15 Scottish Championship season. 

What they won't win prizes for,evidently, is having a little bit of humility; and this notion that Hibs were somehow being disrespectful in not granting the guard of honour was disrespectful in itself. 

On to the derby then, and what a derby it was - from a Hibs point of view. The Hearts support filled the Dunbar end at Easter Road and they turned up for a party, and they weren't shy in letting the disappointing Hibs crowd know about it. 

Robbie Nielson said prior to the match when speaking to Sky TV, that he had set up to match Hibs 3-5-2, and in doing so was making the game a case of his players going man to man with Stubbs' players.

Nielson changed his tactics with barely half an hour gone, as his side struggled to get a foothold in the game, unable to win their man v man battles. Hibs took the upper hand, rattling the Hearts crossbar on two occasions and calling Neil Alexander in the Hearts goal into action, before the 'King of Zing' Jason Cummings shinned  (and it was shinned, rather than caressed, Jason) his second derby goal of the season to give Hibs a deserved lead.

Hearts at this point had been on the back foot for all but a few minutes of the game. Neilson's tactical switch helped them stifle Hibs' play to some degree but still Hearts lacked in their effectiveness going forward. 

Hibs' three centre-halves, Paul Hanlon, Liam Fontaine, and Jordon Forster were superb. The physical threat of Osman Sow and man-mountain Genero Zeefuik got absolutely no joy against them all game, and from those solid foundations, the rest of the Hibs side were able to impose themselves on the match. 

Dominique Malonga had a great opportunity to extend Hibs' lead in the second half as Hibs broke forward with three against two, but the forward opted to shoot rather than pass to Scott Allan or Martin Boyle, either of whom would have been left with only the Hearts keeper to beat. It was just about the last involvement that Malonga had in the game, having come on as a substitute he was replaced shortly afterwards, the introduction of Frank Dja DjeDje a necessity following an injury to Malonga. 

Malonga has looked short of fitness in his last couple of outings in a Hibs jersey, and seems in dire need of a confidence restoring goal. His decision making in the derby invoked the ire of the Hibs support, only too aware that failing to take your chances in this particular fixture usually ends up coming back to haunt you.

On this occasion, however, Hibs weren't left to rue that mistake. In fact, as the game edged into injury time Hibs again found themselves outnumbering the Hearts defence when DjeDje turned Öztürk before clipping the ball through to Farid El Alagui who was calmness personified as he dinked the ball over the diving Alexander to seal Hibs' win. It was fitting for Hibs fans that it was Öztürk's woeful defending that let DjeDje in, given the pre-match complaints about Hibs from the defender. 

The victory, of course, had no bearing in the title with Hearts already crowned champions, but make no mistake - Hearts came to Easter Road to win. In fact, the game was almost a carbon copy of the previous Easter Road derby, only this time it was Hibs rather than Hearts that scored the injury time goal. The balance of play in both games had been distinctly in Hibs' favour, and if anything Hearts were better in this derby than in the first one. So don't be misled that there was any suggestion of Hearts players being in holiday mode. 

They, like their fans, and by Robbie Nielson's own admission, had come to Easter Road to win. Neilson's post match comments to the BBC told us that Hearts 'should be coming to Easter Road and winning, it's what we do'. Well, that's not strictly true, Robbie, is it? You've yet to win at Easter Road as Hearts' Head Coach, so again, a little humility wouldn't go amiss. 

As it was, there was no sign of the Hearts party, and from demanding a guard of honour there were barely any Hearts fans left to clap their league winning heroes from the pitch at the end of the match. The green and white half of Edinburgh, however, headed off into the April sunshine in celebratory mood, off to find parties of their own. 

Taking Results For Granted

Hibs were firm favourites ahead of last Sunday's tie with Rangers. The two sides' form going into the game suggested that the favourites tag was well deserved. Hibs were on the back of six straight successes, while Rangers had drawn their last five games as they failed to capitalise on their games in hand on Hibs.

Hibs had the opportunity to put some real daylight between themselves and Rangers, and few would have bet against Hibs to do exactly that. I've lost count of the number of people who have approached me, texted me, or emailed me to say "See your bloody team!" having seen their coupons burst by Hibs failure to grasp that opportunity. 

It is worth starting by giving Rangers credit for the win. As easy as it would be to criticise Hibs for an abject first half performance, and it would be easy to question Alan Stubbs' tactics which failed to address Lee Wallace's marauding runs down Hibs' right hand side. To do so would be a dis-service to Rangers. They deserved the win, although it is also worth noting that the result was given a very helpful nudge in their direction by referee Willie Collum, who must have been the only person inside Easter Road to miss Wallace's foul on Paul Hanlon in the build up to Rangers' second goal.

Stuart McCall set up with a 352 formation, and in doing so stifled the attacking threat of Lewis Stevenson and David Gray. Without the width provided by Gray and Stevenson, the midfield trio of Fyvie, McGeouch, and Allan had very little influence over the game in their first half. Starved of service, the front pairing of Malonga and Dja Djedje were completely anonymous. 

Rangers took the lead towards the end of the first half, enjoying the break of the ball in the box after a sweeping counter-attack. There hadn't been much between the sides until that point, but on balance of play Rangers were probably worth their half time lead.

David Gray had to be replaced at half time due to injury, which meant Keith Watson taking up the right-back position for the second half. If Alan Stubbs had considered countering Rangers' 352 by going toe-to-toe with the formation, the enforced change probably denied him the option of doing so, as Gray would likely have played as a right wing back with Watson, Hanlon, and Fontaine forming a back three. 

As it was, Hibs started to take a grip of the game and were looking much closer to the side that put four goals past Rangers back in December. Dja Djedje squandered a great chance to draw level when he found himself through on goal with only Bell to beat, however instead of taking a shot, he elected to try and slide the ball to Malonga for a tap-in, however the pass was intercepted and the chance was lost. 

The pivotal moment in the match came late in the second half, Kenny Miller clipped the ball into the Hibs penalty box. Paul Hanlon cleared, and was wiped out by Wallace. It was as clear and blatant a foul as you will see all season. That is unless you are Willie Collum, who decided to waive play-on as the Hibs defence hesitated, waiting for a whistle that never came. 

Kenny Miller, to his credit, did what you're taught from school-level football. He played to the whistle and collected the ball before sliding it past Oxley to seal the win for Rangers. Hibs' players were justifiably incredulous at the turn of events, and Paul Hanlon was booked in the aftermath of the incident. 

It was an immensely baffling decision by Collum, TV replays show he had a clear and unobstructed view of the 'foul' and chose to waive play on. When observing Collum's approach to awarding free-kicks throughout the game, the decision was at best inconsistent. Rangers' tactics of spoiling the play, giving away free-kicks, and time-wasting was accommodated readily by Collum. It took until the 70th minute for Collum to produce a yellow card to the visitors. The BBC stats show that for Rangers' 17 fouls, Collum dished out two yellow cards - one of which was given to Kenny Miller for his celebration following the winning goal.

For comparison, Hibs picked up three bookings for ten fouls (and one of the bookings was for Hanlon's complaints for the second goal). 

That's not to say that the referee was to blame for Hibs' defeat. To do so would do a disservice to Rangers, and would also mask Hibs' shortcomings in the match. 

Hibs haven't been found wanting in a big match for some time, this was their first defeat since December, so it would be unfair to be overly critical. It was always going to be a massive and unlikely task to win all the games through to the end of the season. It is unfortunate that the defeat came in this tie, against this opposition.,

Second place remains in Hibs' own hands, however. A superior goal difference means that as things stand, even if Rangers were to draw level on points with Hibs by winning their remaining game in hand, Hibs will hold on to second place. 

Alan Stubbs said that this result will make Hibs stronger, and he has to ensure that he does. Hibs cannot afford any more slip-ups through to the end of the season. They must be relentless, they must be clinical and focussed. Of the two sides, it appears as though Hibs have the more favourable run-in to the season's end, though they also have the welcome distraction of a Scottish Cup semi-final against Falkirk,

I would hope that this defeat will provide the jolt that halts any thoughts of complacency in the coming games. Rangers' stuttering results and numerous dramas over the last couple of months, coupled with Hibs' resurgence which saw the Edinburgh side not only claw back the points deficit between themselves and Rangers, but create a gap themselves for Rangers to claw back, probably lent itself to Hibs expecting to win on Sunday and going on to clinch second place at a canter. 

I would expect the worst of Rangers' woes to be over for the season. McCall has shown himself to be a more than capable manager at Motherwell, and if his side can reproduce the levels that they showed on Sunday then they will be taking the race for second place right to the wire. 

Crucially, Rangers will now harbour less fear should they meet Hibs in a play-off. Had Hibs embarrassed them for a fourth time this season, there would have been serious doubt in the Rangers' players' minds that they were able to get the better of Hibs. Now, they know that they can.

For Stubbs, he has to pick the side up and take a good look at what went wrong. He can't afford to pin the blame on the referee, as much of a role in the final result as Collum had. Stubbs has to look at how he can adapt his tactics for the next meeting of the sides to not only counter Rangers' strengths, but to get his match winners to influence the game in a way that they struggled to do on Sunday. 

Hibs still remain on the brink of a great season, given the circumstances. With Hearts winning the league with months to spare, Hibs can spare their supporters some summertime grief by ensuring that they will be meeting Hearts in the top flight next season. If (and, given Hibs' Scottish Cup record, and the challenging semi-final that awaits them it is a big 'if'), Hibs can also deliver - finally- the Scottish Cup back to Leith along with promotion, then the majority of the support would see that as trumping Hearts' impressive Championship win.  

Two sides to Hibs.

Hibs have shown two very different sides to their play in their last two games. A hard-fought and gritty win at Ibrox was followed by an entirely dominant and comfortable win at home to Dumbarton, and these two games are perhaps a good taster of what to expect from Hibs as this season draws to a close and we start to look forward to next season over the next couple of months.

So let's start with the win against Rangers. For possibly the first time in my lifetime, Hibs headed west to Glasgow as favourites. The aggregate league score between the two sides ahead of the game sat at 7-1 in Hibs' favour, and few would argue that was anything other than indicative of how one sided the fixture had been in the first two meetings this season.

The game was a different affair to the previous two. Rangers started on the front foot and looked in the mood with an early Kenny Miller shot being headed off the line by Liam Fontaine, with Hibs keeper Mark Oxley well beaten. Alan Stubbs had changed from his favoured midfield diamond in a 4-4-2 formation, to go with three centre-halves in a 3-5-2 set-up.

The change in formation meant that Hibs gave up a lot of possession, which has been the backbone of Hibs' play throughout the season, and for the first time since Stubbs took over, Hibs spent more time on the back foot than on the front.

As a supporter, it was frustrating to watch - recent (and no so recent!) experience of watching Hibs has taught me that when Hibs look like conceding, they probably will concede. However, we took the lead thanks to a sublime piece of vision and guile from Scott Allan, as he spotted Jason Cumming's run and picked him out with a fantastic pass that eluded the Rangers defence. Cummings effort was blocked by the stand-in Rangers goalkeeper, and Scott Robertson was first to the ball to put Hibs in front. Robertson had been far from the favourite to be first to the loose ball, and the goal was as much about his attitude and desire to get to the ball first as it was about the quality of the pass.

That goal encapsulated the change in Hibs since Stubbs and his backroom staff joined the club. A steeliness married with quality that was sadly lacking last season under Pat Fenlon and then Terry Butcher.

Once Hibs took the lead and had something to defend, they did a good job of keeping Rangers at arm's length, with the Glasgow side largely restricted to half-chances and long range efforts that were well dealt with by the Hibs defence.

Rangers had a fairly good shout for a penalty turned down, and the game was over a few moments later as Hibs broke forward with a passing move that culminated in a fine volley from Lewis Stevenson beating the Rangers keeper and nestling in the net.

Hibs saw the match out, and deserved the victory for their resilient defending and quality on the break, though it was a very different win to the 4-0 win at Easter Road in December. The victory saw Hibs leap-frog Rangers into second place, with Rangers having three games in hand.

Stubbs commented that he'd rather be in Rangers' position, chasing second but with the situation in their control. Hibs still have to rely on Rangers dropping points if they are to finish second, and more importantly, Hibs have to keep winning.

Rangers played on Friday night and deservedly beat Raith Rovers to move back into second before Hibs faced Dumbarton on Saturday. It was an interesting situation for Hibs to be in, having had opportunities earlier in the season to secure second place and not taken advantage, the visit of Dumbarton was going to be a test of their resolve and an indicator as to how much the team have progressed under Stubbs over the course of this season.

If there were any doubts, Hibs put them to bed with as competent a performance as I've seen from them in some time. On the front foot throughout the game, Hibs showed intelligence and creativity in their play. Despite missing Scott Allan, Jason Cummings, Liam Craig, and David Gray from the starting line-up, Hibs play was as fluent as you might have expected it to be had those players been present. Fraser Fyvie was particularly impressive in the midfield and was at the heart of most good things that Hibs did on Saturday.

Two goals from Malonga and one from Djedje gave Hibs a 3-0 win, and it could have been many more, a poor off-side decision halted Djedje when he was through on goal, two clear penalty appeals were waived away by the referee (who, it is fair to say, was appalling throughout the match), and a Paul Hanlon header was cleared from the line. According to the BBC stats, Hibs racked up some twenty-one shots at goal throughout the 90 minutes, that's a shot every four minutes or so, which gives some idea of how dominant Hibs were.  

Dumbarton, for their part, were very poor. They seemed content to sit back and even when behind there was little from them to suggest that they could come back into the game at any point. Hibs were professional and proficient throughout, and at the moment look as though they have the quality throughout the squad to compete for second, and crucially now they look as though they have the temperament for it.

For so long, Hibs have looked fragile, have been seen as an easy target or a possible scalp for other clubs. Right now, I'd think that there are very few clubs in Scottish football that would be relishing facing Hibs in a make or break tie.

In fact, in the last 10 league games since losing to Falkirk in December, Hibs have scored 26 goals and conceded 6, taking 24 points from a possible 30. To put that into context, league leaders Hearts have the same points from their last 10 games, but have conceded 4 more goals, and scored 5 fewer than Hibs. It's worth pointing out that in those ten games, Hibs faced Rangers twice as well, while Hearts abandoned match against Rangers isn't included in their run. There is also one derby, that ended in a 1-1 draw.

Some other stats from those 10 games, Hibs have totalled 139 shots (just shy of a 14 per game average), and averaged 56% of the possession.

Hibs have every reason to be confident at the moment. There's an away game to Alloa coming up, then Hibs have an excellent opportunity to get to the Scottish Cup Semi-Final with a home tie against Berwick Rangers following the Alloa match, and on current form it's hard to see past Hibs in that tie. There is a resilience and confidence about this Hibs side that Stubbs is moulding, standards have been set and bars raised, and crucially the quality of the squad means that if someone's not at their best, they can be replaced without dropping the standards of the eleven on the pitch.

The change in some of the players that survived the pre-season cull at the club has been remarkable. Scott Robertson, for example, came in for criticism last season, and when he conceded a penalty before getting sent off in the derby at the start of the season, it looked as though the writing may have been on the wall for him at Hibs. However, he's relishing the role he's playing and the freedom he's been given, and he has been at the backbone of a strong Hibs midfield. Liam Craig, too, is slowly but surely showing why Pat Fenlon brought him to the club initially.

A comment from Robertson in an interview I read caught my eye, I can't remember the exact quote but to paraphrase he said it was good to be instructed to get on the ball rather than being told to chase the ball and win 'second balls'. It goes to show how much damage a bad manager can do to a good player by using tactics that don't play to the team's strengths.

This new-found strength in depth is going to be crucial if Hibs do manage to progress in the cup, as the play-off place looks increasingly likely, Hibs could find themselves with a lot of games to play between now and the summer. From a purely selfish point of view, I hope we do, because this current side is as entertaining a Hibs side as I've seen since Mowbray's team, and the more I get to see of them, the better.

Two steps forward, one step back.

Since my last blog, Hibs have successfully launched the share issue that will - over time - see 51% of the club owned by the support, thrown away points at home to Raith from a winning position, and progressed to the Quarter Finals of the Scottish Cup (more on that later.)

Hibs have had a habit of taking two steps forward and one step back this season, it's frustrating from a supporter's point of view because for the vast majority of the time, Hibs have looked well above the level of opposition they have faced this season, with the notable exception of Hearts, where there has been just one goal between the teams over the three meetings between them, that goal in the opening derby of the season going in Hearts' favour.

We have shone against Rangers, dominated games against Falkirk and Queen of the South without taking the points (exceptions being Falkirk away, where Falkirk were the better team and deserved their victory, and Queen of the South away early in the season where an abject Hibs lost on the artificial pitch, and could have no complaints about the result.).

However we remain behind struggling Rangers, who despite having lurched from one crisis to another this season, have managed to keep results going, and the gap between Hibs and Hearts shows no sign of diminishing any time soon.

An away win to Queen of the South gave Hibs the opportunity to put pressure on Rangers, who's postponed and abandoned games have given them a fixture backlog later in the season. Hibs went into their next game against Raith hoping to increase that pressure further by moving into second spot while Rangers waited for their games in hand, however an almost inevitable late Christian Nade goal saw Hibs snatch a draw from the jaws of victory. It would be easy to criticise Hibs for the performance in the Raith game, however to do so would only serve to illustrate just how fickle football fans can be. Make no mistake, Hibs battered Raith during that game, registering over 20 shots on goal over the course of the 90 minutes. Goal line clearances, the cross-bar, the post, disallowed goals, and sitters missed all contributed to Raith staying in the game right to the death, where a late corner gave them the opportunity to show Hibs how important it is to take your chances when you get them.

It is a lesson Hibs really need to learn, and soon. Too many games this season have seen a wasteful Hibs pinned back and punished during one of their opponents' rare forays forward. Hibs haven't had masses of defending to do this season, and when they have, they stats show that they have been far from convincing.

Of course, it has clicked at points for Hibs, and you only need to look at the scoring records of Jason Cummings and Dominique Malonga this season to see that there are goalscorers at the club. The additions of Martin Boyle and Franck De Djedje, and the nearing return to fitness of Farid El Alagui gives Hibs enviable attacking options, so the failure to put teams away must be more frustrating for Alan Stubbs than it is concerning.

The habit of hammering teams but not winning is a habit that Hibs can ill-afford with time and matches running out for this season. Hibs have had a mere one defeat in their last twenty-one games, a fantastic record, but the number of draws in that run are the side's Achilles' heel. Hibs' final standing this season and ultimately where we play our football next season will largely rest upon the team's ability to consistently turn pressure and chances into goals and wins between now and the end of the season.

Ironically, one of the sides Hibs have managed to convert their chances against is Rangers, the side immediately above Hibs in the league. Hibs head to Ibrox on Friday evening with a 7-1 aggregate score in their favour from the last two league meetings, a goal difference which is testament to the gulf in quality between the teams in their head to heads.

Rangers are, it would be fair to say, in a terrible state. Board Room battles, financial woes, a caretaker manager who has tendered his notice to resign, and an influx of seemingly unwanted player loans from villain-of-the-piece Mike Ashley's Newcastle United were the backdrop to Rangers crashing out of the Scottish Cup in an insipid 1-2 defeat to Raith Rovers at the weekend - ironically, it was Christian Nade's late goal that inflicted the fatal blow to Rangers' cup dream this season, though if truth be told their own performance did far more damage to their chances than Nade's close range finish did.

Hibs should be looking on this game as a 'must win'. Rangers will undoubtedly be up for the game, but so too will Hibernian. A cursory glance on a Rangers forum during the week highlights the nervousness surrounding the Rangers fans regarding this fixture, they lack the confidence that they have the either the players or the management to navigate the game successfully.

I hope that Hibs travel to Ibrox full of confidence and not complacency. A Hibs side playing at its peak will again prove too much for Rangers to cope with. A Hibs side off its game, however, will provide Rangers with the ideal opportunity to re-ignite their season and deliver a hammer-blow to Hibs' hopes of finishing second.

Looking back at the weekend's game, Hibs saw of Arbroath comfortably enough, coming back from a goal behind to win the tie 3-1. It was no more than Hibs deserved. The match was captain-for-the-day Lewis Stevenson's 250th appearance in the green and white, and on a personal level I was delighted for Lewis that he's hit that landmark, and I sincerely hope he goes on to rack up many, many more appearances for Hibs.

In an (and at an) age where it's rare to have a favourite player, Stevenson is a rarity as he is exactly that. For many this season, Scott Allan, David Gray, Dominique Malonga, and latterly, Dylan McGeouch have found favour with the Hibs support, but for me there is no single player more valuable to Hibernian at the moment than Lewis Stevenson. For many players, technical deficiencies can be masked by hard work and endeavour, and they earn their reputations and living as grafters. For me, Lewis is one of the few players whose hard work and tenacity probably stop him getting the credit for the technical side of his game that he deserves. Without wanting to sound over the top, Stevenson embodies all that is good about football, a quiet and unassuming guy that doesn't hit the headlines for the wrong reasons, that puts everything he has into every game of football he plays. Footballers are often cited as role-models but rarely live up to expectations, Lewis Stevenson is the exception.

The landmark 250th appearance aside, Saturday's game was more importantly (sorry Lewis) about progressing in the Scottish Cup. I don't need to write about Hibs' record in the competition, a record which by now has become far more important to Hearts fans and sneering journalists than it has to Hibs fans well used to not winning the competition next year. It would be fair to say that most Hibs fans approach the competition with an air of inevitability rather than excitement, we all know the script by now.

However, this season has seen some big-hitters (and also Hearts) leave the competition early. Hibs have been drawn at home in the Quarter Finals, where we will play the winners of Berwick Rangers and Spartans. Neither team is expected to beat Hibs when the Quarter Final comes round, and both were widely regarded as the easiest fixture. This is the Scottish Cup, though, and Hibs cannot afford to be dismissive of their opposition. The history of cup competitions is littered with giant killers and favourites that ended up with egg on their faces.

I believe that in Alan Stubbs, Hibs have a manager that will not allow that attitude to infect his team, and it's for that reason more than any other that I (as a supporter) can afford myself a whimsical daydream towards the Semi-Final and the Final itself. With Dundee United at home to Celtic in one of the other Quarter Finals, one of the favourites for the Cup will definitely exit, giving everyone else a great chance of success.

At some point, Hibs will win the Scottish Cup. There is no such thing as a hoodoo or a curse, and more than there are zombies or vampires or werewolves. Hibs do not have to beat a hoodoo, we just need to win a few football matches. How hard can it be!?

It's shaping up to be a crucial few months in Hibernian's history - the share issue, the push for promotion, and the Scottish Cup. These next few months could break our hearts or have a seismic positive impact on the club that could change it for the better for the next generation at least.

Hands Off Hibs

It has been a busy week for Hibernian, with a lot of press noise from Hands on Hibs , One-time Hibs suitor, David Low, Hibs Supporter's Association Chairman, Mike Reilly, and BuyHibs, raising objections to the share issue put forward by Hibs, being met head on by Hibs Chief Exec, Leeann Dempster and with Hibs publishing details of their interest-free mortgage arrangement.

It has been a case of claim, and counter-claim. Most of it - in my opinion - fairly ill-informed, ill-judged, and more than a little irresponsible. Hibs have come through some very tough times over the last few years. It hasn't been a fun time to be a Hibernian soldier for a long time now. Poor football, poor results, and a support disenfranchised with the football club, and more specifically, Chairman Rod Petrie. who, to many, embodies the failure that led to the club suffering the embarrassment of dropping into Scottish Football's second tier. It has been a widely-held view that Mr Petrie's time at the club has long since run out, and I agree with that. Change is needed.

However, change has happened. Dempster's arrival, Butcher's departure, the overhaul of the football set-up at the club have all started in the short time since Leeann Dempster got her feet under the desk at Easter Road. These changes are starting to show results on the pitch, Hibs having picked up more points than Rangers and Hearts over their respective last six games, and at the time of writing Hibernian are Edinburgh's only unbeaten side in 2015, following Falkirk's impressive win at Tynecastle on Saturday.

Things have been looking up at Easter Road for some time now. The football is no longer turgid, the kick-the-ball-the-way-you're-facing style that Terry Butcher had the team playing has been replaced with an attacking, passing game with Stubbs' style clear to see coming to life on the pitch. Results, too, have picked up, with Hibs putting impressive runs together over the last few months.

I am of the opinion that we will shortly hear of Rod Petrie's plans to leave the football club, and I hope when that happens that the support can move on together.

As things stand, there is a split forming in the support. A very vocal minority are threatening to damage what is a very positive step for the club towards supporter ownership. Hands on Hibs have made all manner of allegations, and being given plenty air-time in the press to get their views over. Their objection appears to be that they don't think Sir Tom Farmer or Rod Petrie should benefit from the share issue. I wholeheartedly agree with that, so when I read that the re-arranged debt would be repaid interest-free, and that every penny raised from the share issue would go to the football club for 'sporting ambition', and that no share money would go to existing shareholders, I found it very hard to pick holes in the proposal.

In fact, I posted this response to Hands On Hibs and BuyHibs last week, and have yet to see a constructive response to counter the points raised. Hands On Hibs are pushing a very aggressive and in some instances, a mildly threatening manner. They have made a number of claims and have produced very little to back those claims up (Hibs planning on separating the stadium and training ground from the football club, being one of those claims).

I know that the people behind Hands On Hibs are hardcore Hibs fans, people who go home and away, and like the rest of us they want what's best for the club. I can understand that, and I can understand that they don't like the current regime. However, I can't understand their tactics and their position on the share issue. Perhaps if they came out with whatever evidence they have to give credibility to their allegations then people would take notice, as it is, they come over like noisy kids, with fewer and fewer people taking them seriously as time goes by. Especially with Hibs having a real change in tact with how they respond to the noise. In days gone by, the claims would have gone unanswered, but Hibs have hit back all guns blazing, and that's refreshing to see. Changed days indeed.

Meanwhile, Hibs capped a good week with a fine win in Dumfries, seeing off Queen of the South 0-2 with second half goals from Dylan McGeouch (or MaGoosh if you're commentating on Sky Sports!) and Scott Robertson. Hibs had struggled against the Doonhammers this season, and so to get a win against a team who are rivals for a play-off spot was especially rewarding and illustrates the improvements Hibs have made over the last few months. With the Cowdenbeath v Rangers game being postponed, and Hearts finally losing a league game, it was important that Hibs capitalised and gained/made up ground on the teams around them. Well done to Falkirk as well, for finally ending Hearts' fantastic run.

Finally, I was saddened to hear of former Hibs chairman Douglas Cromb's passing last week. My thoughts go to all at Hibernian, and to Mr Crombs' family.

Bogey Teams Make a Point

The last blog I wrote followed a terrific (and it was terrific) Hibs win over Rangers, where Hibernian managed to whittle down the lead that Glasgow's newest team had over them to just four points.

Hibs were about to face the runaway league leaders in the New Year's derby and I - like most of the support - was looking forward to the game and the opportunity to claw that points deficit back a little more.

Between that game and now, Hibs faced Falkirk at Easter Road, having suffered two defeats to the Bairns already this season, Falkirk were fast becoming something of a bogey team for Hibs, and so Hibs would be hoping to put a bit of distance between themselves and Falkirk.

As things stand today, Hearts' lead over Hibs extends to the point where Hibs need significantly more than snookers to have any hope of finishing the season as champions, and Rangers have pushed on to take the gap between them and their Leith counterparts to eight points.

So, let's have a look at what happened, starting with the derby. It would be fair to say that for one reason or another, Hearts have definitely become a bona-fide bogey team to Hibs. For Hibs fans, Hearts represent the last team that we would want to hold a jinx over us. You really have to be unlucky to have your city rivals as your bogey-team.

There are a number of reasons for that, in recent history it's because Hearts spent significantly more than Hibs on their team, and derbies generally went with form. Last season, with Hearts in the doldrums and having a horrendous time of things, Hibs mustered only one victory against them, Liam Craig's penalty winning the New Year fixture at Easter Road, giving Hibs fans a lingering memory of what joy is possible from watching football as the rest of the season descended into disaster under Terry Butcher.

Hearts have carried a huge amount of favour over the last couple of seasons, Hibs having two perfectly legitimate goals chalked off in absurd refereeing decisions, but this blog isn't to highlight injustices or complaints about referees, and it's only fair to acknowledge that while big decisions like those played a part, so too did very lacklustre and abject Hibs performances.

When I was starting to attend Hibs games, Hearts went on a run where Hibs failed to beat them in twenty-two matches. The manager at the time, Alex Miller, appeared to have no idea on how to halt that record and derby days became depressingly predictable.

To this day, no matter how well Hibs are doing, I watch a derby waiting for the moment where Hibs contrive to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (or at least, snatch a draw). Meanwhile, Hearts are able to approach derbies knowing that no matter how bad things are, something will likely go their way.

There have been some exceptions, but they are few and far between. I know that back in the day, there was a period where Hearts couldn't buy a win against Hibs so it hasn't always been the case that Hearts have been a bogey-team, and I can only hope that now we're operating on a much more level financial playing field, with Hearts finally having to live within their means, that there will be more balance in the results between the teams.

That was the case at Tynecastle, Hibs were desperately unlucky not to take all three points in the previous derby at Easter Road, and showed that they were more than a match for the league leaders, and again Hibs put in an impressive performance with most neutral observers noting that Hearts could have had no arguments had Hibs won the match, instead of having to settle for a point.

Hibs took an early lead, a sublime cross from Scott Allan found Jason Cummings and his close range shot flew past Alexander in the Hearts goal. It capped a period of fairly sustained pressure from Hibs, with the visitors putting pressure on the hosts from the outset.

Cummings had a golden opportunity to put Hibs two goals ahead shortly afterwards, sending a free header just wide with the goal at his mercy. Hibs were to rue that miss, with Hearts getting an unlikely goal shortly afterwards.

The second half was a more even affair, with Hibs finishing the stronger of the two sides but unable to get a winning goal.

The result left Alan Stubbs frustrated as again, Hibs had somehow not got the win that their performance had probably deserved. This is a trait that Hibs have displayed throughout the season and can account for a large number of the points between them and the two sides above them. Hearts have played well in the vast majority of their games, and won most of them. Where they've not played well they've managed to take something from the games - and that's why they sit deservedly at the top of the table. Rangers, for their part, have been less impressive and seem to be stumbling from result to result, but those results tend to be wins, and for all that you couldn't pay me to go and watch them, I'd happily see Hibs take that winning habit from them.

Hibs have lost games we have dominated, and also lost the games we deserved to take nothing from. On Saturday, against Falkirk, Hibs should have won. Having started brightly, Hibs took the lead when Jason Cummings' shot was fumbled by Jamie MacDonald in the Falkirk goal. It's ironic that MacDonald was generally excellent when he featured against Hibs in derbies while he was with Hearts, and yet he looked suspect throughout the game on Saturday.

Falkirk took advantage of some seriously sloppy defending from Hibs to draw level, and only a very late flag from the Referee's Assistant (probably the latest offside decision I've ever seen given - but credit to the Assistant, she got it right) saved Hibs from falling behind in the match.

Hibs seemed to take heed of the warning and stormed into a 3-1 lead, with Jason Cummings completing a first half hat-trick (as predicted, again, by  @Lmc2105 Lee McLennan - two hat trick predictions coming through this season!). Hibs started the second half brightly with new loan signing Martin Boyle first missing what was essentially an open goal, then having the ball inexplicably nicked from his toes as he was about to shoot by team-mate Scott Allan. Had either chance gone in, the game would have likely been out of reach for Falkirk.

Instead, the Bairns were lifted by the let-off, and they capitalised on some horrendous defending from Hibs to bring the scores back level. Hibs were not able to pull in front again, and a match that was there to be won ended with Hibs falling further behind the sides above them.

Alan Stubbs' post-match interview reflected a manager who was evidently frustrated and angered at his team's inability to win matches, and as pleased as he must have been with their recent performances, his criticisms of the side were entirely justified.

Hibs' right-back, David Gray, had been missing for this game in order to get a groin operation. Hibs definitely missed him, and it will be interesting to see if Alan Stubbs makes signing a right-back a priority while the transfer window is open this month. If he doesn't. there is much work to do to bring balance to a back four that comprised of four left-footed players, with Calum Booth playing out of position on the right side of the defence. Under pressure, the defence did not look comfortable at all. For all that Paul Hanlon and Liam Fontaine have been excellent this season, they looked disjointed and nervous without the steadying presence of Gray.

Mark Oxley in goal did little to help, the conditions causing all sorts of problems for the keeper who has just extended his stay at Easter Road until the end of the season. It was an uncharacteristically poor performance from Oxley, and one would hope that it was a one off that could be attributed to the horrendous weather.

And so Hibs look forward to Cowdenbeath visiting Easter Road on Saturday. It's an opportunity to get some points back on at least one of the two teams above them, with Rangers hosting Hearts on Friday evening. I'd love to say that I was confident that Hibs will do that, but Hibs just haven't got that winning habit just yet.

As for laying some of the bogey-sides to rest, Hibs get another shot at both Falkirk and Hearts before the season's out, so here's hoping that Hibs develop the knack of winning games they deserve to win between now and then.

Laying Down a Marker (or four...)

Hibs opened the season with a narrow defeat at Ibrox, losing 2-1 after extra-time to Rangers in the Petrofac Training Cup, having seen Danny Handling red carded for a relatively innocuous challenge in the second half.

The performance, though, was reason for the Hibs support to be optimistic about the season facing them. Hibs played attractive football, with players working hard for each other and competing with the early-season title-favourites on their own patch. Things were looking good for Hibs after the shambolic end to the previous season.

That proved to be something of a false dawn, however. Hibs stumbled through the first quarter of the season, struggling to adjust to the challenges of Championship sides intent on 'parking the bus' in matches. There were still signs that things would come good, but it was very much a case of two steps forward, one step back in the first round of fixtures. Meanwhile, Hearts and Rangers picked up points week on week, so much so that Hibs went into the post-Christmas fixture against Rangers seven points behind the Ibrox side, and a huge nineteen points behind their Edinburgh rivals. 

The second quarter of the season has been much more promising for Hibs, with their only points being dropped in draws against leaders Hearts, play-off hopefuls Queen of the South, and a defeat away to Falkirk (who were on an impressive run of victories themselves.). 

Hibs' pattern of play has been more evident in each game as the season progressed, helped in no small part by the improvement of Scott Allan has his fitness has improved, as well as a return to form for the much maligned Liam Craig and Scott Robertson, the three playing key roles in a midfield that has dominated the majority of matches they've played in over the last few games. 

So that takes us to Saturday's match against Rangers. It's fair to say that Rangers arrived at Easter Road in some amount of turmoil. Mike Ashley's bid to increase his control of the club had been rejected earlier in the week, and the bizarre situation regarding Ally McCoist's resignation had been resolved by the Ibrox board putting McCoist on gardening leave through to the end of his £750k-a-year contract. Kenny McDowell was promoted into McCoist's role, and he named an unchanged side from the one that McCoist sent out to record a 2-0 win over troubled Livingston the week before. 

However, turmoil or not, Rangers arrived able to field a team assembled on a budget several times higher than that of Hibs, and on paper at least, able to compete comfortably with any other Championship side.

Hibs, for their part, were also able to put out the same side that had comfortably seen off Alloa in their last match. 

What followed was one of the most complete performances I can recall seeing from a Hibs side. From start to finish the Hibs side out-thought, out-fought, and out-played a Rangers side who appeared unable to comprehend what was happening to them. 

The impeccable Scott Allan set the tone early in the match, brushing Ian Black aside as Black challenged for the ball, leaving the Rangers man on his backside as Allan strode forward confidently. It wasn't the last time that sight would be seen over the course of the match. The frustration became so great for Black that his own management team felt it necessary to replace Black after half an hour or so, Black having picked up a yellow card for a cynical foul on Allan as the Hibs midfielder breezed past him yet again. It was a challenge that many would argue was worse than that which saw a red-card flashed at Danny Handling in the Petrofac Training Cup match at the start of the season. 

Black had been lucky that the referee had shown a high degree of leniency towards him following a couple of earlier fouls he had committed, that luck leaving the Rangers bench with the luxury of replacing him, rather than seeing him sent off. Black's exit was met with great delight from all four stands, the Rangers fans seemingly just as happy to be shot of him as the Hibs fans were to see that the occasion (and Scott Allan) had been too much for the former-Hearts man.

David Gray put Hibs in front, a good move finished with a sensational shot into the top corner of the goal from the edge of the box. From the back of the West Stand, I had a fantastic view of the shot flying in, it was the sort of shot that you knew was a goal from the moment it left Gray's boot. 

Hibs grew in confidence and had Rangers chasing shadows, unable to cope with the passing, movement, and work-rate of their opponents. Hibs had dominated teams like this already this season, but they could hardly have expected to be quite so comfortable against a team seven points ahead of them in the league.

That comfort increased when Jason Cummings bundled the ball over the line for Hibs' second goal. When I say he bundled it over the line, it perhaps gives the impression that the goal was fairly unimpressive, however that couldn't be further from the truth. The goal stemmed from some sublime play from Hibs down the right hand side, with Gray, Malonga, and Allan linking well before the latter picked out Liam Craig's deep run with an inch-perfect cross. Craig knocked the ball back over the head of Simonsen in the Rangers goal, leaving Cummings with the simplest of tap-ins to complete a fantastic move. 

Hibs saw out the first half in complete control, intent on keeping Rangers at arm's length. Hibs were completely dominant by this stage, and the frustration was starting to show in the body language of the Rangers players, and with some supporters who were already heading for the exits. 

Rangers brought on all-time SPL top-scorer Kris Boyd for the second half as they sought to get back into the game. Rangers clearly felt that the way back was to try and rattle Hibs, literally. Boyd's first involvement was to commit three consecutive fouls. I don't know if my memory's playing tricks on me, but I'm sure in the opening minutes of the second half, Boyd had more touches of Hibs players than he had of the ball, it certainly seemed that way!.

Rangers snapped into tackles and challenges, with the referee happy to turn a blind eye to many of the more robust encounters. Hibs, for their part, kept their cool - remonstrating at times with the referee but focussing on not getting caught up in anything that might see them booked or sent off. 

As the clock ticked down, Rangers' optimism dwindled - taking their enthusiasm and effort with it. Whether they sensed that they couldn't get back into the game or just gave up chasing spaces, they were soon punished with another Hibs goal right out of the top drawer. 

Scott Robertson won the ball at the half-way line and fed Scott Allan. Allan strode forward at the Rangers defence, before slipping a perfect pass to Robertson, who had continued his run into the box. So good was the pass from Allan, that it left the Rangers defender Foster on his backside and Robertson with only Simonsen to beat. Robertson duly obliged with a cool shot across goal to give Hibs a three goal lead, and kill off any hopes Rangers had of getting something from the game.

As much as Hibs were dominating, it was impressive to see that they stayed completely professional and focused on doing their jobs, and this couldn't have been demonstrated better than when Liam Fontaine thwarted a rare Rangers attack with a goal-line clearance before throwing himself at the loose ball to ensure Hibs kept a clean sheet. 

Danny Handling had a chance to get a fourth goal, however he placed his shot inches wide with the goal at his mercy. Liam Craig, however, wasn't so wasteful when presented with another perfect pass from Scott Allan, Craig met the ball with his weaker right foot, and directed a low volley into the bottom corner to send three sides of Easter Road into ecstasy. 

It was no more than Hibs deserved, the score-line reflecting an utterly dominant performance from Allan Stubbs' side. 

From front to back, Hibs were terrific. I struggle to recall a match where Hibs have been so comfortable, so dominant, and so ruthless against a side who we should really have no right to compete with, given the respective budgets. The CIS cup final where we beat Kilmarnock 5-1 was comparable, and I'd say that as good as this match was, we weren't quite as dominant as we were the night we put six past Hearts at Easter Road, however you'd struggle to point out where Hibs could improve on Saturday's performance. 

The Sky Sports pundits (and their BBC radio colleagues) were purring over Scott Allan's contribution in their analysis after the game, and as much as Allan deserves the praise (I've gone on record already to say that he's by far and away the best player in the Championship), I felt they could just as easily singled out Liam Craig, Scott Robertson, David Gray, Paul Hanlon, Liam Fontain, Lewis Stevenson, Dominque Malonga , Mark Oxley, or Jason Cummings. 

There wasn't a bad performance in that Hibs side, and that showing will definitely have given Hearts Head Coach Robbie Nielson food for thought ahead of this weekend's derby. The Tynecastle outfit will definitely go into the game as strong favourites, however Hibs have put down a marker to say that they're not here to make up the numbers. Hearts got out of jail in the last derby and will be approaching this weekend's derby with more caution than any other fixture so far this season. 

I'm not one for making bold derby predictions, it will be a tight affair and at the risk of using an age-old cliché, it really could go either way. Hibs though, have nothing to fear. It is hard to think about how any side at our level could cope with what Rangers faced on Saturday.