Hibs don't want to make same mistake Hearts did against Rangers

If their own match against St Mirren did not serve as an adequate reminder of the damage that can be inflicted when chances are not taken, the way rivals Hearts were unpicked at Ibrox just over 24 hours later offered Hibs another cautionary tale of how fortunes can quickly turn.

Shaun Maloney takes a Hibs training session ahead of the trip to Rangers.

The Gorgie side had a wonderful opportunity to equalise on Sunday before Rangers added their second and then piled on the embarrassment by scoring another three. That sliding doors moment illustrated just how quickly things can run away from teams who are not at their clinical best when tackling the defending Premiership champions.

“At places like Ibrox you are generally not going to get as many chances as you do elsewhere,” acknowledged wing-back Chris Cadden, who has been sending threatening balls into the danger areas on a consistent basis in recent weeks. But goals have remained hard to come by. “They are a really good team. Any time you go into any game in Scotland, but especially one at Ibrox, you do need to take your chances when they come. We are not going to shy away from that.

“I think you have to take those moments, in every game,” agreed manager Shaun Maloney, who is relishing a return to the ground where he made his Celtic debut more than 20 years ago.

“When we look back to the weekend we created more than enough chances to win the match.

“And when we play the best teams in our league, Celtic, Motherwell, Hearts, you won’t create as many chances and we have to be as clinical as we can.

“I have to say that but I also have to support the more attacking players. I do believe at some point it is going to change, for sure.”

Kevin Nisbet scored in Hibs’ first trip of the season to Ibrox but, reduced to ten men, the visitors were eventually overcome. At Hampden, the capital side were easy victors, while the most recent head-to-head, at Easter Road, was another that could have gone Hibs way. Instead they conceded a late penalty.

“It was a good result at Hampden,” recalled Cadden, who also believes that things are about to click for Hibs in front of goals. “And, in both league games we were well and truly in them. The one at Ibrox I was on the pitch and felt comfortable, really comfortable. Obviously, the sending off changed things in that game. At Easter Road I thought we were comfortable and played well all night and were just unlucky. But it helps our confidence to know that if we play to the best of our ability then we can cause Rangers problems.

“Since I came to Hibs, there have been big games where we’ve beaten Rangers. So that does create a bit of an edge.

“The recent history between the clubs has caused that. But we’re going there to enjoy the atmosphere and try to get a result.”

And, considering previous performances, there is a belief that belies recent results.

“Whenever we have played against teams above us, we have performed, in parts of the game, very well,” stressed Maloney. “But, against the top teams in this league, chances are normally fewer so it’s even more imperative we take them.”

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