Giving Hart and soul to Hibs

MICHAEL HART always believed his first match as a Hibs player at Easter Road would be one to remember, now he's hoping for a night which will never be forgotten.

And, while most will already have written off Hibs' chances of overturning a three-goal deficit to keep their Europa League dream alive, the defender insisted no-one within boss John Hughes' squad believes they'll be chasing a lost cause against Slovenian aces NK Maribor tonight.

Hart wasn't foolish enough to dismiss the task facing him and his team-mates following the disappointment of the first leg of this third qualifying tie in Maribor's Stadion Ljudski seven days ago, admitting "we've got a mountain to climb." But, he declared, Hughes' players retain an inner-belief that they can make tonight's second leg a memorable occasion, adamant Maribor hadn't seen anything like the sort of performance Hibs are capable of.

The former Aberdeen, Livingston and Preston North End star said: "We know we played badly over there while Maribor played really well. You'd like to think we can't play as badly again while you ask yourself can they produce the same sort of performance again.

"We know we can play better than that; Maribor didn't see anything like the sort of football we are capable playing. Everyone in the squad knows we can play so much better but it is up to us to produce it on the night."

Hibs, of course, face something of a dilemma, knowing they need to score three times over the course of the 90 minutes while ensuring Maribor don't get the goal which would effectively end the Edinburgh club's hopes of being in tomorrow's draw for the competition's play-off stage.

Hart acknowledged that striking a fine balance between attack and defence will prove pivotal but agreed that at some point Hibs may be forced to throw caution to the wind.

A veteran of Aberdeen's memorable run to the group stage - and beyond - of the UEFA Cup two years ago in which he faced the likes of Dnipro, Panathinaikos, Lokomotiv Moscow, Atletico Madrid and FC Copenhagen, Hart said: "Obviously, an early goal or a goal at any time would be great as long as we don't lose one.

"If they were to do that then, with the away goal, we'd need five which would obviously make a difficult task even harder. Even if we were to get to half-time with no-scoring we'd still be in with a chance although we all realise how tough it is going to be right from the offset. However, we do believe we are capable of getting a result.

"We didn't pass the ball well enough or quickly enough in Maribor and that's something we'll be looking to do tonight. If we can get it up to our strikers then in Anthony Stokes, Derek Riordan and Colin Nish we have guys we know can get the ball in the net.

"Over there we didn't manage to put them under any sustained pressure, which was disappointing, so it will be interesting to see how their defence and goalkeeper cope if we can do so tonight. An early goal would certainly test them and perhaps put a bit of doubt into their minds.

"It will also be interesting to see how they approach the game, being 3-0 up there might just be that wee feeling at the back of their minds that the tie is already over which could work to our advantage."

Hughes will, as ever, be urging his full-backs Hart and Ian Murray to bomb forward as much as possible to make full use of an Easter Road pitch which has been widened by four metres, but the 30-year-old admitted he'll have defensive duties uppermost in his mind, conscious of the fatal blow an away goal would deliver.

He said: "I'm the sort of full-back who likes to attack as much as possible but I'm well aware I'll have to choose the right moments to do so. First and foremost I am a defender and, in Maribor, we saw how their wingers didn't track back when Ian and I went forward, happy to stay up the pitch in the space we'd left."

While Maribor, naturally, will most likely see Stokes, Riordan and Nish as the dangermen, Hart believes tonight's match could be one for an unlikely hero to emerge.

He said: "Obviously, we'd be delighted to get the goals from anywhere, if it's the front guys, as most would expect, then that's fine but I'm sure no-one will be too unhappy if they come from others you normally wouldn't see among the goals."

Having played against Hibs many times at Easter Road, Hart believes the home fans can play their part in salvaging the club's pride even if the impressive new 6,400 East Stand will lie empty tonight.

He said: "I think the supporters have a huge role to play. I'm sure they'll be right behind us from the start but we also need to give them something to cheer.

"I know from my own experiences of playing here just how difficult the Hibs fans can make it for opposition players. If the team is playing well the supporters get right behind them, make a hell of a noise which lifts the players again.

"We are all in it together tonight. As players we believe we can do it but we also need every single supporter who comes along to also believe we can do it. Even if we don't get the early goal we'd all like, we need the fans to stay with us."

Given the enormity of the task ahead, Hart said he'd happily settle for 30 minutes of extra-time, believing if that scenario were to arise then the tie will have swung in Hibs' favour. He said: "Of course, getting the three goals is going to be the hard bit. But, if we can do that in 90 minutes, then I think the momentum would be with us, their confidence, you'd imagine, would crash while we'd be flying.

"I'd take that scenario right now, but we'd all be overjoyed to see our name in the hat tomorrow, no matter how we get there.

"Nights such as these are special, European football under the floodlights, the sort of game you don't see every week, matches with their own unique atmosphere.

"The ground is looking magnificent with the new stand, the pitch is in terrific nick so it's all set up to be an amazing night."