Lewis hoping for a big return to winning ways at Hibs

It's hard to believe barely more than five years have elapsed since Lewis Stevenson made his debut for Hibs, the fresh-faced youngster taking to the pitch at Somerset Park only a few months after signing on at Easter Road.

Since then he's packed in more than 100 first team appearances, among which the highlight remains being named man-of-the-match aged just 19 as the Edinburgh club lifted the CIS Cup with an emphatic 5-1 hammering of Kilmarnock at Hampden.

Ibrox, Celtic Park, Tynecastle and, of course, Easter Road have become as familiar to him as the back of his hand but, as he prepares to face Ayr United again, Stevenson admitted tonight's Scottish Cup fourth round replay is as important as any game he's played.

Colin Calderwood's players make the long journey well aware the cameras of Sky Sports will be there hoping to capture a Cup shock, the Second Division side having earned a merited second bite at causing an upset following a no-scoring draw in the Capital ten days ago.

Since then the confidence of Brian Reid's side has soared even higher, Willie Easton's goal against Alloa Athletic at the weekend sending them to the top of the Second Division, while Hibs' season of misery continued unabated with a comprehensive 3-0 defeat at home by SPL leaders Celtic.

It was a seventh successive SPL match without a win for Hibs, a run which has seen them slide to tenth in the table, hovering precariously above basement outfit Hamilton, a record which hardly inspires confidence.

However, Stevenson, who turned 23 earlier this month, today insisted a little reverse psychology may now come into play with virtually everyone outwith Easter Road expecting Ayr to emerge victorious. The little defender said: "We are fully aware the TV cameras will be there for one reason only.There's a shock expected but I think that can work in our favour."

Although it took a finger-tip save from goalkeeper Mark Brown in the last minute at Easter Road to deny Ayr substitute Andy Rodgers a sensational winner, Stevenson believes the chances Hibs themselves created have been overlooked.

He said: "We've looked at the video, we had a lot of possession and chances, what we need to do tonight is turn that into more clear-cut opportunities and if we can do that then I am sure we can get the result."

Stevenson admitted, however, he was returning to the scene of his debut in a green and white shirt in vastly different circumstances to that night in September, 2005, when two goals from Derek Riordan earned Tony Mowbray's side a League Cup win, although it wasn't all plain sailing as a late goal from Ayr's Gareth Wardlaw ensured a nervy ending.

The Fife-born star said: "I'd only come into the club that summer and even although I was training with the first team, I was only 17 and didn't give playing a thought.

"I can't even remember when I was told I was in the team, whether it was the night before or that morning. I do recall being out there warming up and being very nervous.

"Other than that, the game is something of a blur. I don't think we turned in the best of performances but we got the win and I'm sure we'd settle for the same again tonight.

"I've played all over the place since, and if you'd told me that night I'd go on to play as many matches for Hibs in the next few years I'd have bitten your hand off.

"But tonight is probably as big a game as I have been involved in. At the moment every game is a big match for us. We all know the Cup is a massive thing for the club, our fans are always talking about it and we need to go down there, get a win at all costs. No matter what sort of performance we turn in, winning the game is the most important thing."

Stevenson, who hopes to shake off a toe injury to play, claimed that although he remembers little of his debut, he'll probably spend much of the journey to Ayrshire contemplating on events since that night.

Only Stevenson, Riordan, now in his second spell with Hibs, and Chris Hogg - although the defender has found himself sidelined in recent weeks - remain at Easter Road while Calderwood is his fifth manager following in the wake of Mowbray, John Collins, Mixu Paatelainen and John Hughes. As such, Stevenson is now second only to Hogg in terms of continuous service, Ian Murray having also returned to Easter Road for a second time.

He said: "It's a bit scary when you think back over all that has happened in what is a pretty short period of time, all the players that have come and gone and managers too,

"But I have enjoyed every minute of it and hopefully we can win tonight and we can go on to enjoy the rest of the season. It might just take this one victory to reignite our season.We thought we'd done that in beating Rangers and then Motherwell but we weren't able to keep it going as well as we could have. A win would certainly lift confidence."

As much as he has enjoyed playing for Hibs, Stevenson is one of many first team players facing an uncertain future, their current contracts rapidly heading towards their expiry date but, he insisted, that particular issue hasn't been a problem.

Speaking purely for himself, he said: "I think it would be different if I was the only one but there are so many in the same boat you just have to get on with it. For now all I am focused on is tonight. I have happy memories of Somerset Park having made my debut there and I can only hope they are just as happy at the end of today."