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. 

Got the Bottle?

Consecutive league defeats have led to some questions being raised amongst some members of the press, and some Hibs supporters, asking whether or not the Hibs squad have lost their bottle in the race for second place in the Scottish Championship.

It would be fair to say that the Hibs support have good cause to question the mental strength of the team. Hibs are a side who have in recent times, crumbled at the first sniff of a bit of pressure. Cup final? Bottled. Relegation battle? Bottled. Countless derbies? Bottled.

Prior to this season, Hibs were almost renowned for their lack of fight and grit. Visiting managers would talk about how Hibs were a soft side, and even incoming managers referenced the need to toughen up the squad. Both John Hughes and Pat Fenlon tried to instil a mental toughness to the football side. Neither could lay claim to having been successful in their task.

Terry Butcher was desperate to add bottle to a demoralised squad, but only succeeded into making a side already bereft of confidence and swagger, even more introverted and scared. Butcher and Malpas roared their players to defeat after defeat, and when the chips were down, Hibs folded under the pressure and were relegated.

This season's Hibs squad have been something of a different kettle of fish. A sticky start to the season had the support again analysing the mental fortitude of Stubbs' side. The first test of Hibs' resolve came in the opening derby of the season, and they fell short. Liam Craig had an opportunity to put Hibs in the lead with a first half penalty, which he pulled wide of the post. The miss clearly played on Craig's mind, and he was ineffective up until the half time whistle. In the second half, Scott Robertson conceded a penalty and was then sent off in what was a personally disastrous second half for the player. Hibs played OK, but ultimately came up short. The culprits of the piece were players who had fallen out of favour with the support from the relegation season. Neither Robertson nor Craig could have laid claim to being fans' favourites at that point. The questions remained about the team's bottle, and crucially, whether the players who had come down with the club would ever have the bottle for the Championship season.

The stuttering start to the season didn't do Hibs any favours, and you sensed that teams fancied their chances against Hibs far more than they did Hearts or Rangers. There were, I feel, two significant games that shifted opinions of Hibs, when the Hibs squad started answering the questions around their ability to withstand pressure.

The first of those was the 1-1 draw with Hearts at Easter Road. Hibs out-played the visitors on the day, controlling much of the match and limiting Hearts to very few chances. Hearts scored with almost the last kick of the game, and though they undoubtedly took a huge lift from avoiding defeat, Hibs also took many positives from that game. Hibs had played without fear and went toe to toe with the best side in the league, and were unlucky not to take the three points. It was the first real sign that Hibs might not be the shy-boys of the league after all.

The second game was the 4-0 rout of Rangers. With the Sky cameras at Easter Road and the match being beamed live on Sky Sports, Hibs brushed Rangers aside with style and strength. The scoreline was a fair reflection on a game that Hibs completely dominated. Rangers couldn't cope with Hibs in that form, and Hibs knew it. Crucially, the rest of the league knew it as well.

Hibs went to Tynecastle and again were unlucky not to come away with all three points in a close game. If there was a game to bottle it, the New Year derby would have been the one Hibs would have chosen to do so in seasons gone by. Not this season though. Hibs answered all the questions asked of them.

Stubbs' side were to go through to March before tasting defeat, clawing back a huge points deficit on Rangers to overtake them and claim second place in the league (a spot they still hold ahead of the Easter fixtures this weekend.) There was no question of Hibs' bottle during this time.

So why now, when Rangers won at Easter Road, and Hibs lost at Raith, do these questions come up? Alan Stubbs was clearly annoyed at the questions around Hibs' bottle in his Hibs TV interview. He has, in my opinion, every right to be.



Last week's defeat at Raith had nothing to do with bottle. Bad finishing and bad defending, absolutely. No bottle? No chance. Hibs created enough chances to win that game three times over. A team that bottled it would not have done that.

Hibs' bottle  wasn't to blame for the defeat to Rangers either. There is a legitimate question around whether or not Stubbs chose the right tactics for the game, but his players didn't bottle it.

Hibs go into tomorrow's game against Queen of the South needing to once again prove that they have the mental strength to dust themselves down and get a result when it really matters. I have no doubts in my mind that they have the bottle and resolve to do so. That doesn't mean that they'll win- there are no guarantees in football, but if they lose it will not be down to a lack of mental resolve or bottle.

Much has changed at Easter Road in the time since we were relegated. This is a different football club to the one which limped out of the SPL with a mere whimper.

We are stronger, better, and tougher. We are not the finished article, and there will be - I'm sure - another loss on the way to the end of the season, but I am confident that Hibs will take the race for promotion right to the wire, and when the players need to stand up to be counted, they will be the ones asking the questions of the opponents, and not the other way around.

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.  

The Hibernian Way

Hibernian couldn't have timed the release of next season's season tickets any better if they'd tried. A run of five consecutive victories sees Hibs sitting second in the league, and with a Hampden Scottish Cup Semi-Final against Falkirk to look forward to.

A comfortable, if unspectacular, 4-0 victory over ex-Hearts midfielder Colin Cameron's Berwick Rangers ensured Hibernian had their name in Sunday's cup draw, and left the Hibs support with a growing optimism which Hibs will hope to capitalise on in greater season ticket numbers.

For me, not renewing isn't an option. As soon as I got home from work this afternoon, the purchase was made for me and my son, with a text message sent to my Dad to remind him to renew his seat beside us. It hasn't always been an easy decision to renew, we're never flush for cash so it is a selfish purchase in that it's only really me and Josh that benefit from the season tickets. My wife and daughters attend occasionally but mostly it's me, Josh, and my Dad at the football. 

Last season, when things started to slide at Hibs it would have been easy to skip the renewal and pick and choose the games I went to. In fact, Hibs have been poor for a number of seasons and so it's not hard to understand why season ticket numbers have dwindled. Consecutive cup finals in 2012 and 2013 bolstered numbers as a season ticket guaranteed a cup final ticket, but without the  lure of cup final tickets,  the numbers dropped drastically for this season. 

The quality of football is only one factor in the decision to renew, the league we are in as another - last season an early renewal meant paying SPL prices for Championship football. Personally, it's not something I'm that fussed about - it's Hibs I go to see more than it is the opposition. I also appreciate that the more people buy a season ticket, the more money Hibs have to put a squad together. This season, that money has been used fantastically well, with almost every signing Alan Stubbs has brought to the club demonstrating great value for money. 

Crucially though, it's time I get to spend with Josh and my Dad that I otherwise would struggle to get. I remember the rare occasions that my Dad took me to the football when I was wee. Geography and finances (and my Dad's inability to drive) meant that I didn't get to many games. After we moved to Edinburgh I started seeing more of Hibs, when I'd go with either my Dad, my cousins James and John, or my Aunty Anne and Uncle Danny (in fact, it tended to be my Uncle Danny's season ticket in the old North Stand that I used, so I attended more with my Aunty Anne than anyone else. 

I loved going. Easter Road was a very different place to the one that I take Josh to, but it's still an immensely special place to me. We moved seats recently, the seats we had were in a quiet section of the lower West Stand, close to the away end and away from the livelier sections of the ground. On the biggest of games where seats were at a premium, the seats were decent, but most of the time it felt like we were away from the action. Ironically, we moved further away from the pitch, to seats in the penultimate row of the upper tier of the West Stand. We are fairly central and there are very few seats spare in our section. The atmosphere is much better and the feeling at games is much closer to the one I experienced as a kid in broadly the same area of the stadium. 

Taking Josh is special, he takes it badly when Hibs lose and buzzes when we win. Seeing him crushed after a bad defeat makes them harder to take for me as well, but the need to lift his spirits helps me get over the bad ones quickly. It's special going with my Dad as well. Circumstances dictate that I rarely get out for a pint or a meal with him, so the ritual we have now of me picking him up from his house, anticipating the game in the car and reviewing it on the way home is as much a part of the decision to buy a season ticket as the football itself. 

The other big factor in my season ticket purchase that is really specific to this moment in time is the revival of the football club under Leeann Dempster. Following the disastrous cup final in 2012, I attended a Let's Work Together meeting at Easter Road, This was a forum for Hibs fans to engage in a meaningful way with the club to try and improve things. 

At that meeting, there was a question and answer session with then-Chief Exec Scott Lindsay. I asked who at the club set the culture, and the answer was that it was down to the manager. I asked how that could work with managers changing every year and a half (give or take). There was an admission that it hadn't really worked, and that there was no definitive culture at the football club. That amazed me, but in hindsight, it was hardly surprising. 

Over the next year or so, I worked with a smaller group of supporters within the Working Together team, and with Non-Exec Director Brian Houston to put together a piece of work with the working title "Winning the Hibernian Way". We looked at the whole ethos of the football club, how it set targets, what the values were, how standards were set. 

There was some fantastic input from the group, I was lucky to work alongside some very talented people and I had the opportunity to present their work to the board of directors at a board meeting at Easter Road. 

Despite some good feedback on the presentation, there was little more said or done on "Winning the Hibernian Way" for some time, in fact the project had more or less been put to bed. I heard from Brian about a year later, to say that the club were looking to dust down the project and bring it to life, changes were afoot at the club that would mean they were in a position to make it work. 

Aside from a meet and greet meeting with Leeann Dempster on the day that a section of the Hibs support took to the West Stand car-park to protest against Rod Petrie, there was no further dialogue with the club about "Winning the Hibernian Way" and I had thought it had been forgotten about until I saw a comment from Hibs Chairman Rod Petrie in an interview around the time of the share issue, where he referenced the work (and the presentation!) that had been going on for some time. 

I like to think that this revival and feel good factor that is slowly but surely absorbing Hibernian has, in some way, stemmed from the work that group of people from Working Together spent months on, that even if it just planted a seed then that time was worthwhile. Even if it had nothing to do with that work, I think I'm fine believing it did, and that emotional investment makes the financial investment in the season ticket purchase all the more essential. 

Gritty Win Highlights Hibs' Progress

It's rare that an Alloa versus Hibernian match would be billed as 'the biggest game of the season', particularly when there was nothing other than three Championship points at stake. In fact, for anyone outside of Easter Road (or, indeed, Recreation Park) it's doubtful that any significance would have been given to this fixture, which is understandable enough. It's not the first fixture that one would usually look for when the fixture list is released at the start of the season.

When Rangers and Falkirk - both pushing Hibs for the play-off spots - drew with each other they presented the Easter Road side with an opportunity to tighten their grip on second place. Crucially, it gave Alan Stubbs' men a chance to show that the fragile, find-a-way-to-fail nature of the last few seasons was behind them. With games fast running out, Hibs could ill-afford any slip ups at a ground where they had lost earlier in the season.

In fact, the plastic pitch at Recreation Park held little other than unhappy memories for Hibs. An early embarrassing defeat was worsened with the injury to key striker Farid El Alagui, which left Hibs denied of the French-born Moroccan's services ever since. In a quirk of fate, January signing Fraser Fyvie was making his return to Alloa for the first time since he too suffered a severe injury on the artificial surface. 

With the pressure of needing to win adding to the recent history of the fixture, Hibs would not have welcomed the horrendous weather that hit Alloa on Saturday. Allan Stubbs admitted after the game, when speaking to Hibs TV's Cliff Pike, that the pitch and conditions were something of a leveller. Hibs' superior quality couldn't necessarily be relied on to see them through.

This was exactly the sort of situation Hibs would have contrived to screw up over the last couple of seasons - probably longer. Hibs, however, are a different beast now. There is a professionalism and pride about the club that has long been missing. Things are done properly, players understand their roles and are prepared properly for matches. Slip ups still happen (as we saw against Raith Rovers), but they are few and far between now. 

When Scott Allan's first half free kick found it's way through a crowded penalty box to nestle in the back of the net, I found myself sure that we would go on to win the game. Even as the match drew towards the 90th minute, I was relaxed and confident that Hibs would see it out, and see it out they did. 

It was a massive three points, and it means that Hibs now have a much better chance of finishing in second place. Rangers have three games more still to play, and sit four points behind Hibs as things stand. Hibs' worst case scenario is that Rangers win all three games and go five points ahead in second. That would leave Hibs needing to win their final fixture against Rangers (having already taken nine points from a possible nine against the Glasgow side, Hibs will fancy their chances of adding to that haul), and also needing to pick up two more points than Rangers in the run-in to the season's close (Hibs' superior goal difference would see them finish ahead of Rangers if the points totals ended level). 

On current form, Hibs would likely overturn a five point deficit. In reality, Rangers are unlikely to take nine points from their three fixtures, as they have to face champions-elect Hearts, and play-off rivals Queen of the South amongst those games. Neither side have made life easy for Rangers this season. With this in mind, Hibs' win on Saturday practically leaves second place in their own hands. 

To find themselves in this position at this stage of the season, after the terrible start to their league campaign, is testament to the work of Alan Stubbs and the backroom team at Hibs. The difference in the side is remarkable, players are much fitter than I can recall any Hibs side being (I would say we've looked fitter than any other side we have faced this season), there is a confidence and consistency in the side that grows by the game, and we have a squad and a system that can stand to see key players replaced with no discernible difference to the standard of the first eleven. That is a great position to be in, and has afforded Stubbs the opportunity to rest players that are going to be crucial for what is hopefully going to be a very busy end to the season.

Hibs have a wonderful opportunity this weekend to progress to the Scottish Cup Semi-Final, and fans like myself will be dreaming of having to fit in play-off finals and Cup Finals (fans are allowed to get ahead of themselves, none of this one-game-at-a-time clichéd nonsense!). If last Saturday's game was Hibs' biggest of the season, then this Sunday's cup game is even bigger, and the game after that bigger still. 

Hibernian do not have the luxury of being able to allow complacency to creep in. Every game is a must-win from now on, and I'd like to think that this Hibs side, with all the good work going on in the background - will have the ability and the attitude to not let standards slip.

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.