Nisbet’s treble gave Hibs a deserved win over the Steelmen and ensured that they can still focus on catching the teams above them but, according to home boss Stevie Hammell, the result means that Motherwell can no longer hide from the reality that they are embroiled in a relegation battle.

“First and foremost, I'm delighted for the boys,” said Johnson, who had gone into the match under real pressure to deliver and safeguard his job. “The win was the most important thing and the way the other results went, it launches us back in touch and gets us away from where we don't want to be. I didn't think the boys played with a lack of confidence which I’m really pleased with after last week when we all took a bit of stick and rightly so. I think we can really be successful this season but we’ve got to keep chipping away and getting our best players minutes.”

Nisbet’s return to form after a long-term knee injury emphasised that. Having shown patience to allow him to rehabilitate fully, he has hit the ground running and, since the World Cup break he has scored five goals in five games, and bolstered belief after a prolonged period where the team struggled to convert chances. “Remember those couple of games before the break when I was annoyed at myself and felt I maybe should have played him,” said Johnson. “That was the reason I didn’t. It allowed us to give him the extra month to hone his sharpness levels and I am really happy for him. You need your best platers fit at any club but especially at a club of our size. It becomes really important that those guys play and deliver.”

Hibs manager Lee Johnson celebrates at full time after the 3-2 win against Motherwell.

Johnson also gave starts to both Aiden McGeady – his first in the Scottish Premiership since 2010 – and the Irishman, alongside Nisbet, Elie Youhan and Kyle Magennis, galvanised Hibs’ attack. “That was a risk,” continued Johnson. “We had a high IQ today, and we had more gravitas but we lacked a bit of trust in the lungs. I went for it in this game because I wanted to try to go one or two up and potentially hold it, and it worked nicely. And, people are forgetting Martin Boyle in all this as well. That's a dangerous front four and it will be good to get all these guys fully fit. There is nothing better when you can trust that when you get the ball into that area you have strikers who are clinical and who can be composed. I am delighted for Nizzy. That's five goals in five games now and even half of that form will get us in a successful place by the end of the season.”

For Motherwell, it was a miserable afternoon, with Hammell admitting his men are now looking over their shoulder. “We were confident of getting a result and that would then take us to within touching distance of the group above us. We’ve not done that and Hibs peel away from us a little and we are involved in a fight with the teams round about us. That adds more pressure to next weekend [when they play bottom side Ross County] and the players and myself need to stand up to that.”

Lee Johnson revels in Hibs' win as manager says club can still have successful season after beating Motherwell