Still time to save Hibs' season but Dickoh admits every game counts

The Danish-born star admitted he'd never felt so low as he did in those mind-numbing few minutes after the Easter Road side had fallen victim to a Scottish Cup giant-killing act, shocked by the part-time players of Ayr United.

"Embarrassing," was the word the 28-year-old used to describe events at Somerset Park but today, he insisted, he and his red faced team-mates had to get over the hurt of that 1-0 defeat as they fight to avoid an even greater humiliation – relegation.

Out of the Cup to a Second Division team and hovering just four points above bottom place in the table certainly wasn't what Dickoh anticipated when he moved from Dutch club FC Utrecht to Edinburgh last summer.

But now he's found himself in that predicament he's determined to do all he can to ensure better days lie ahead for Colin Calderwood's squad, one which, he argued, hadn't fulfilled it's potential.

The Ghanaian internationalist said: "Obviously we should be in a different position, but the table doesn't lie and, likewise, I didn't expect us to go out of the Cup in the way we did.

"It's the lowest I have ever felt because our potential is greater than we are showing, everyone is playing below average and without confidence, it seems to me."

Dickoh revealed he's never been on the receiving end in such an upset throughout his career, an experience he admitted he's in no hurry to repeat.

He said: "I've played in cup games in Denmark and Holland and been to places like Somerset Park before – you don't get to play in stadiums like Ibrox and Celtic Park every time. But I've come out a winner every time before so Tuesday night was a shock, embarrassing was the word I would use.

"Yes, we had three taken off the line and their goalkeeper had a fantastic game but we didn't take our chances and lost a sloppy goal, so there are no excuses.

"However, for all the hurt we are feeling we now have 18 league games left, every one of them a cup final and we have to focus on winning those matches and lifting ourselves up the table."

Hibs haven't won since they defeated tomorrow's opponents, Motherwell, 2-1 at Easter Road on November 13, having also beaten the Steelmen on the opening day of the season but, Dickoh insisted, those results will have no bearing on tomorrow's clash at Fir Park.

He said: "You can reminisce but that last game against them seems so long ago.

"As far as I am concerned tomorrow is a new game, a chance to start getting that cup defeat out of our system and to start all over again."

Dickoh conceded, however, that talking of getting back on the winning track was easier said than done, as recent events have shown, Hibs having won just four of 20 SPL matches so far this season.

He said: "We simply cannot go saying next week, next week or next game, next game. We have to start doing it and now because all of a sudden you find yourselves running out of games.

"We know the fans are hurting every bit as much as we are, we let them, the club and ourselves down the other night and everyone needs to pick themselves up – that's what you must do if you are a professional football player." Having been capped 13 times by Ghana, Dickoh is well aware the African nation not only have a new coach in Goran Stevanovic and a friendly against England at Wembley at the end of March but, he insisted, he's pushed any thought of an international recall to one side as he concentrates on securing Hibs status in the top flight.

He said: "Of course I want to get back into the international set-up, but right now I have more important things on my mind, that's my club football.

"Hopefully we can improve, start to climb the table and if I end up back in the Ghana set-up then that would be a bonus."

Dickoh takes the same attitude when the subject of his future is broached, the big central defender having signed a season-long deal under former Hibs manager John Hughes and one of more than a dozen Hibs players who will be out-of-contract in a few months.

He said: "It's not my focus right now, it doesn't prey on my mind.

"I knew the situation when I signed, that it was for one season. I came here to try to impress people, to get myself back on track and I do feel that, other than results, I have played some good games. Hopefully that will continue."