St Mirren 0-1 Hibs: Style sacrificed for vital points

Rarely are relegation battles the most edifying of spectacles, the need for a win and the precious points gained in doing so over-riding any other consideration, particularly how aesthetically pleasing proceedings may have been perceived.

So, it will come as little surprise to find those Hibs supporters who view their club and those who play for it as among the game's artisans, a cut above the rest, victory with a bit of style expected rather than hoped for, murmuring darkly about the lack of elan currently on display. The more pragmatic, however, will appreciate the no-nonsense, sleeves-up, win at all costs approach currently adopted by Colin Calderwood's players, one which has elicited three successive victories for the first time in a year, a run which has rapidly lifted the spectre of a lingering flirtation with the threat of First Division football next season.

While that particular worry may not quite have been finally extinguished, Francis Dickoh's late, late goal against St Mirren has certainly eased the nagging worries which had been gnawing away at every Hibee, his header completing a hat-trick of wins which began with the Buddies visit to Easter Road at the beginning of the month.

The irony that it was the Ghanaian internationalist who had claimed the winner wasn't lost on Dickoh himself, the defender having been set to miss the game after being sent off in the intervening fixture, the 2-1 win over Kilmarnock, but released to play after an appeal against his controversial red card was upheld.

Dickoh was as convinced as many that assistant referee Keith Sorbie had got it all wrong in persuading match official Steve Conroy that his challenge on Kieran Agard was illegal, adamant he'd got the ball rather than the man, a decision which, fortunately, didn't affect the outcome of that particular game even if it left Hibs with a nervy 19 minutes to negotiate, a man down and their two goal lead halved.

His anguish, however, turned to joy as he was first exonerated by the SFA and then rose above three Saints defenders three minutes from time to nod the ball home after Paul Hanlon had headed Callum Booth's deep corner back into the six yard box. It was, declared the former Utrecht star, an even sweeter moment than his only other goal for Hibs, the third in that remarkable 3-0 win over Rangers at Ibrox back in November.

"Definitely," he insisted, "We've got ourselves a bit more distant from the relegation spot. It was a bit ironic that I scored, I only found out on Friday that I was eligible to play."

The importance of winning, though, wasn't lost on anyone in a green and white shirt, the trip to the other end of the M8 fraught with danger, Hibs boasting - if that's the right word - the worst defence in the SPL and in the full knowledge their last win in Paisley had come 12 years ago, the mere mention of Mixu Paatelainen and Paul Hartley being the scorers that day simply underlining just how long it had been.

Dickoh admitted that point also wasn't lost on him, happy to have that particular hoodoo, but at the same time insistent it was far too early to start making rash predictions as to whether Hibs, following all the travails of this season can make a late dash for a top-six finish.

He said: "Let's just take it one game at a time.

"At the moment we are not playing the best football but we are grinding it out, getting the three points which is important in the state we have been in and the state we are in."

In making that observation Dickoh summed up Hibs' current position perfectly, they've been in a dark, dark place for many weeks and only now are they beginning to see a glimmer of light.

They are, however, conscious of the fact that a ray of sunshine can just as quickly be extinguished. Had St Mirren won what was a hard-fought encounter heavy on effort and commitment but sadly short on free-flowing football, they'd be level on points with Hibs today, instead they lie six points behind with Hamilton Academical now a seemingly distant 11 points adrift of the Edinburgh club.

The fragility of that advantage, though, has to be recognised with Accies enjoying a couple of games in hand and the two clubs due to meet at New Douglas Park a week tomorrow.

In between lies a clash with Inverness Caley in the Capital this weekend, Dickoh hinting that with fewer and fewer changes being made from game-to-game, Hibs are finally hitting that bit of consistency they've been striving to achieve for months.

Pointing out that Killie's contentious penalty apart, Hibs have not conceded a goal in 270 minutes of football having been seen as a soft touch far too often, Dickoh said: "We've started to get a rhythm in the team, it's not changed so much so that helps and, as a defender, to have kept a clean sheet and to have scored makes me very happy."

Not so cheery, though, was Saints boss Danny Lennon, the former Hibs midfielder accusing his players of having "choked" once again when confronted with the chance to improve their own situation, although he admitted he felt the best his side deserved was a point.

On the number of chances created Lennon had a valid argument, with Hibs goalkeeper Graham Stack only having one routine save to make, while his own No.?1 Paul Gallacher distinguished himself with a smart stop from a close-range effort from Dickoh five minutes before the defender had the last laugh.

There again, Hibs would reflect on the fact they enjoyed the upper-hand for most of the match, at least in terms of possession, while midfielder Martin Scott twice hit the woodwork in the opening 45 minutes, watching his first header crash off the post and a second clip the top of the crossbar.

All-in-all, it has been a pretty profitable couple of weeks for Hibs, a period which has seen them take huge strides towards retaining their SPL status which, if everyone was to be honest, was certainly the only target in mind at the start of this month.

There may still be a few anxious glances over the shoulder, but at least now they can perhaps start to turn their gaze on those clubs immediately ahead of them. Progress is going to be slow, but if Calderwood's players can reel in Aberdeen in the first instance, perhaps even St Johnstone and thereafter possibly Dundee United, there will be room for optimism.

Finishing top of the bottom six was certainly not on the agenda at the start of the season but given the events of the past few months and the precarious position Hibs found themselves in only a few days ago, it would represent progress - of sorts.