Past experience suggest Hibs will soon collect points

Just as all good things come to an end so, too, reasoned Hibs goalkeeper Graeme Smith, must all things bad.

Given the miserable run the Easter Road have endured in recent months, Smith's logic appears totally misplaced.

The statistics make grim reading which ever way you care to look at them, whether it's two wins in 16 for boss Colin Calderwood or 11 games without a win including a shock Scottish Cup exit at the hands of Second Division Ayr United.

But, argued Smith today, he has past experience of how even the most dire looking situation can quickly change for the better in football, recalling: "I remember being bottom of the league with Motherwell one Christmas and then we went on a run of 12 games unbeaten.

"It's not looking good at the moment but it can happen, whether it's from a horrible, horrible performance which results in a 1-0 win with the ball hitting someone's backside and going in, or whatever,

"Maybe it will just take something like that to get us going again."

At the moment long-suffering Hibs fans would probably be happy enough just to see Calderwood's side score a goal, the Edinburgh side having now gone six entire matches, 540 minutes and more when you take into account time added on at the end of each game, without forcing the opposition goalkeeper to pick the ball out of his net.

Smith conceded failing to score and displaying a propensity for offering opposing teams gift-wrapped goals was "a dangerous formula," with on-loan Celtic kid Richie Towell falling victim on his Hibs debut to a habit which has plagued his new team-mates as far back as any fan would care to recall when he rolled the ball into the path of Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic.

His error allowed Jelavic to ensure there would be no way back for Hibs, already trailing to Madjid Bougherra's opener, another defeat resulting in them slipping further behind St Mirren with only Hamilton, three points worse off but with two games in hand, between them and the relegation spot.

Smith, however, insisted no-one was pointing the finger at the Republic of Ireland Under-21 star, insisting: "Of course Richie was hurting, but we have all been there so we'll rally round.

"There was no need for him to apologise to us, take that goal away and I think he showed he'll be a good addition to the squad."We've got another couple of good right backs so there will be added competition for a start while Richie wasn't fazed by what happened, he went on to have a good game."

Like everyone at Easter Road Smith is well aware of the predicament in which Hibs find themselves but, he insisted, a close-knit dressing room can hold the key to easing the increasing anxiety which has descended upon the club.

He said: "This is a great club and what has happened just isn't good enough. But I hope the fans realise that as a group we are hurting just as much.

"The manager is working hard with us to try to get the right formula for the team to be winning, there's no lack of effort. Sometimes you need that rub of the green but I always believe you make your own luck as well. If we go and head things, clear things, perhaps be a bit more aggressive at both ends of the park then hopefully things will change.

"I honestly believe that once we get that point, one result then we will go on to win more and more.

"The squad is as strong as it has ever been, there are no splinter groups or the like, we are all together despite the run we have been on."

Evidence of Calderwood's battle to find that elusive winning formula has been the number of changes the manager has made from match to match, the former Scotland defender surprising everyone by ditching Mark Brown, who had been in goal for his first 13 matches, in favour of Smith who hadn't featured since the home leg of the Europa League tie against NK Maribor.

Smith, though, insisted the club came before the feelings of any individual, adamant the discussions which have taken place between Calderwood, himself, Brown and Graham Stack will remain strictly between them. He said: "The manager has had a conversation with all of us, we know what is going to happen over the next couple of weeks. While I've obviously been happy to be back in goals the big disappointment is that over those three games we haven't managed to get the win we are all craving."