Nish happy with a point at Tynecastle

Published on Monday 9 November 2009 08:56

HIBS striker Colin Nish reckoned his side had to be happy with a share of the spoils at Tynecastle, because they put in one of their worst performances of the season against Hearts.

The big striker admitted Hibs were not as potent on Saturday as they have been in recent weeks, although he felt that the defenders were yet again on top form.

Both sides passed up chances to bag a victory and Nish said: "If you don't play that well and you're still not getting beaten, I think that shows what we have got as a team in terms of spirit.

"I think that the goalkeeper and the back four, the defensive players were brilliant on Saturday. The attacking players could maybe have shown a bit more quality but it was a tough game, which it always is. These things usually end up a bit of a battle and that can take some of the quality away from the match."

The former Killie player got involved in something of a shouting match with manager John Hughes during the match and conceded that the first half had proved to be a hard shift playing up front on his own, adding: "It was hard, sometimes if you win a header you wonder where everybody is, but it is hard for them as well because they're being asked to go back and do a job as well. We have got a point though and have not been beaten for a while so I think we'll take that.

"It was just a heat of the moment thing – he (Hughes] was telling me that if I fell on my arse again, he would put me on my arse!

"We changed the formation a bit and went 4-3-3, and that meant wee Ranks, Liam and Kevin McBride started to get on the ball a bit more and passed it about. We had a few chances – I still can't believe my header didn't go in."

With Sol Bamba limping out of training on Friday, Ian Murray was drafted into the centre of defence, alongside Chris Hogg Nish said: "I thought Ian Murray was brilliant when he started in there alongside Hoggy and the two young boys at wingbacks, they were great to be fair too. But they have been brilliant all season. We've not lost many goals.

"It was a tough game, but that's just what you expect coming to Tynecastle."