Hibs: We'll play with our hearts on our sleeve

Although Colin Calderwood's players go into the fourth-round tie as clear favourites, the Hibs boss has already gone on record as saying Ayr will regard his side as "vulnerable" given their recent form which has seen them slip to tenth in the league.

The Edinburgh club haven't won in their last six outings, taking just two points in the process, and that, claimed Ghanaian internationalist Dickoh, will concentrate the minds on ensuring he and his team-mates avoid being on the wrong end of a cup shock.

The former Utrecht defender said: "In the Cup every team can enter and when the luck of the draw gives you a lower-end team at home you go in as favourites.

"However, in our situation we have to take every game seriously and I can guarantee that all of us will be playing with our hearts on our sleeves. But it's 11 v 11, you need to respect your opponents as we do.

"It's not just another game, you have to win or you are out. In Holland I never got beyond the quarter-final stage but you know winning the Cup is a quick way into Europe and a lot of glory."

Hibs are obviously a long way from even dreaming of such an outcome but victory over the Somerset Park club would, though, provide players and supporters alike with a much-needed lift following recent events as Dickoh agreed, saying: "I'm not looking on it as a break from the league, you have to take every game for what it is and winning can give us a massive boost.

"It's been a long time since we beat Motherwell and we need to get that feeling of winning again, not just for ourselves but our supporters."

Danish-born Dickoh admitted he'll be going into this afternoon's clash having barely got over the bitter disappointment of losing the second Edinburgh derby of the season, particularly the manner in which Hearts sealed the points, a late, late goal from striker Kevin Kyle welcoming in the New Year.

But, he claimed, there were plenty of signs within those 90 minutes that Calderwood's side are heading in the right direction.

He said: "It took me until Thursday to get over it because it was such a massive disappointment. We've conceded some sloppy goals and again it was one we could have defended better.

"Whether we played 100 per cent technically or tactically, we gave our all and everyone showed a lot of character."I think when you are in a hole as we are then things don't go your way.

"I felt if we'd scored the first goal at Tynecastle we could have taken not just one point but all three but that proved to be the case for Hearts." Now, Dickoh insisted, he and his team-mates have to be prepared to show the same intensity against a team which has enjoyed just one match in the past six weeks because of the wintry weather.

Like most of Calderwood's squad, Dickoh has had to rely on the Hibs manager to fill in the gaps, but, he insisted, the outcome of today's tie relied more on the Edinburgh club playing to their potential than anything else.

The 28-year-old said: "Our fitness levels should take us through.

"We should be fitter, we are at home and it is up to us to show everyone we have enough to win the game."

While the Hibs support will be looking for the likes of Derek Riordan - who has been battling to shake off a cold this week - Colin Nish, Valdas Trakys and Darryl Duffy to supply the goals, Dickoh knows he and his new partner in central defence, Paul Hanlon, will also have to be at their best to see off Ayr.

Dickoh and the Scotland Under-21 captain first came together as Hibs narrowly lost out at Celtic Park earlier in the season but, with Sol Bamba's 250,000 transfer to Leicester City and club skipper Chris Hogg apparently on the fringes of Calderwood's plans, it looks as if the Easter Road club will be relying on the new pairing for the remainder of the season, injuries and suspensions allowing.

Now the senior partner, Dickoh insisted there were no worries on his part for what lies ahead.

He said: "First and foremost, it was a great move for Sol, he wanted to move and his contract was running out. The club have done a good deal.

"For me, you always want as much experience at the back as you can but Paul is already an experienced player. I thought he had a super game against Hearts and he can only get better.

"I think we can be as good, if not better, than before."

"It was a great move for Sol, he wanted to move and his contract was running out"

francis dickoh