Hibs 'buying into manager's message' but improvement a necessity against Hearts

Demetri Mitchell scored the opener for Hibs against Livingston.Demetri Mitchell scored the opener for Hibs against Livingston.
Demetri Mitchell scored the opener for Hibs against Livingston.
Hibs manager Shaun Maloney said that thoughts of tomorrow night’s derby had not entered his mind until the game against Livingston concluded but given the way that game went, few in the stands will have been so blinkered.

A match they were in control of for much of the first half, the fact they were unable to stop the West Lothian visitors forcing their way back into proceedings and ultimately acquiesced will have troubled many Hibs supporters. Not just because it prevented them leapfrogging Motherwell and moving into one of the European spots but because what they saw prompted fear ahead of the second derby meeting of the campaign.

The sixth-minute goal, courtesy of former Hearts man Demetri Mitchell gave them the early impetus but instead of tightening their grip, they allowed the adaptable Livingston, who work for each other and with each other, to come back at them.

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“It was great to get a goal so early in my career here especially in front of the fans at home,” said the former Manchester United starlet. “But the most important thing was the result and we never got that.

“It was a good start. We played some good football in the first half. But it was a game of two halves and it’s definitely not the result we were looking for.

Ayo Obileye equalised in the 18th minute when a ball rained down on the Hibs box and goalkeeper Matt Macey failed to deal with it effectively. But Hibs got their noses back in front before half time when Chris Cadden, who along with Mitchell had been an effective attacking threat on the flanks, sent in a cross come shot, which dipped into the net behind the beaten Max Stryjek.

But, in a disappointing second half, they lost two goals as Livingston worked to their strengths and snuffed out Hibs’ and any hope of gaining a share of the points.

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Still honing a new style of play, Maloney and his players have called for patience as they fine-tune the possession football the new boss wants. But, fairly pedestrian in their build up, there is a lack of pace and cutting edge. Combined with defensive issues on Saturday, that cost them as Jack Fitzwater and then Alan Forrest netted.

“The second half never went to plan. But it’s a work in progress,” said Mitchell. “We came out after the break and they had changed a few things tactically.

“I never saw as much of the ball as they pressed a bit higher and made it difficult.

“But there really is no better game to bounce back. It’s a huge game on Tuesday. When I signed, I was looking through the fixture list for the derby to see where it was.

“Hopefully we can get a result and play some good football.

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“I’ll get a warm reception, I’m pretty sure of that. I’m ready for it though. I’m a Hibs player now.

“I have had a bit of stick for coming here ([from Hearts fans]. That’s part and parcel of being a footballer. I know how big the game is.

“We are all buying into the manager’s message. We are working hard every day in training. Hopefully we can show it against Hearts because there’s no better game to bounce back in.”

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