Why do Hibs struggle with St Johnstone? Jack Ross' men get ready to lay ghosts of last campaign

Hibs have a strong sense of what they want to achieve this season and they have been making steady progress.

Through to another cup semi-final, they have also managed to inveigle their way into the top placings in the Premiership with an unbeaten start to the league campaign as they look to build on last season. Back then they challenged at the top and never dropped out of the top four.

Manager Jack Ross does not want to stand still. Instead he is seeking incremental improvements, in the hope that they add up to something special.

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Addressing their home form, knowing that it let them down at times last term, with fans back inside Easter Road they have picked up seven points from nine so far.

Hibs midfielder Scott Allan celebrates his goal with team-mate and fellow goalscorer Joe Newell during the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final victory at Tannadice. Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS GroupHibs midfielder Scott Allan celebrates his goal with team-mate and fellow goalscorer Joe Newell during the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final victory at Tannadice. Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group
Hibs midfielder Scott Allan celebrates his goal with team-mate and fellow goalscorer Joe Newell during the Premier Sports Cup quarter-final victory at Tannadice. Photo by Paul Devlin / SNS Group

“I have spoken about how we have stayed in the top four for something like 44 league games now but the nature of the league this season means that you can drop out of it quite easily as well. So, the only way to ensure we stay there is winning again. We wanted to make our home form better this season and we have started relatively well, so we want to continue that and keep picking up points but it will be a difficult match on Sunday.”That’s when they will come up against St Johnstone, the team who inflicted so much hurt last term. But part of the ongoing improvement works is finding a solution to the quandary they pose.

“Hopefully we have learned a few lessons on how to approach the game,” said Hibs midfielder Joe Newell, who joked that after scoring against Dundee United on Thursday he should now be referred to as a ‘goalscoring midfielder’.

“I don’t know what it was, but they’re a hard team to play against. They’re resolute, their very togetherness was really good last year and it was just an unbelievable year for them, to do the double. All credit to them, they fully deserved it. We didn’t deserve it. So I’m not sure how, but hopefully we get a bit of revenge on Sunday.”

If they are to protect their unbeaten home record they will have to buck the recent trend of meetings with the Perth side, who have not lost at Easter Road since 2012.

But, there have been changes in personnel and an injection of guile with Scott Allan’s return to the team. While Martin Boyle remains a major goal threat, there are additional dangers opponents have to counter, with goal contributions coming from across the midfield.

Kyle Magennis was on form in the early matches, while both Newell and Allan opened their accounts on Thursday night.

“That is big for us,” said Ross. “Last season I spoke about it. It didn’t end up having too much of a bearing on us because of the contribution Kevin [Nisbet], Christian [Doidge] and Martin [Boyle] made between the three of them, but we wanted the midfielders to do more of that. Kyle [Magennis] has done it early season, Joe should do more of it because he is a brilliant player. Add to that Scott’s contribution, and I am really pleased because we can’t be overly reliant on the same forward players.”

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