Hibs instant analysis: Huge chance missed in turgid display

Despite results elsewhere going in their favour, Nick Montgomery's side succumbed to second-half goals from Adama Sidibeh and Tony Gallacher, either side of Chris Cadden's equaliser. Hibs were off the pace throughout, toiling to trouble a packed Saints rearguard, and looking vulnerable on the counter-attack.

Dundee losing to Motherwell means Hibs can still finish in the top half, but it remains out of their hands with the Dens Park side ahead by a point, and holding a game in hand.

Patrick McPartlin and Liam Bryce were in Leith to provide the instant analysis.

Huge opportunity missed

A late Motherwell comeback at Dens Park - taking all three points despite being two goals down with 10 minutes to play - means Hibs hopes of finishing in the top six are somehow not yet extinguished. It's as you were before kick-off - Dundee still hold apoint advantage over the Hibees, and they have two remaining fixtures before the Premiership splits in half. All Montgomery's side can do now is beat Motherwell at Fir Park next Saturday and hope Dundee do not take anything from consecutive matches against Rangers and Aberdeen. Their meeting with the Ibrox side comes this Wednesday evening - weather permitting - and a shock result there could put paid to Hibs' season, essentially. Motherwell's late show on Tayside makes this defeat all the more galling at Easter Road. It goes down as a massive missed opportunity for Hibs to seize the initiative, and put their destiny back in their own hands. It's not over yet, but it needs to be miles better than this in a week's time.

Liam Bryce

Turgid performance punished

The first 45 minutes here were oddly flat considering how imperative a victory was for Hibs. Creative inspiration was at a minimum and, as tends to happen in such a situation, that then evolves into misplaced passes and errors. The conditions were certainly a mitigating factor, with the four corner flags put under far greater duress by the swirling wind than either goalkeeper in the opening period. St Johnstone's setup was also stiflingly negative, albeit that should not have come as any great surprise to the Hibs players.

Saints were, in fairness, very effective in stopping Hibs playing; crowding central areas and looking to cut out slack passes, and springing to press when the ball went out wide. They pressed especially aggressively every time the ball went to Chris Cadden, and it halted Hibs making any sort of progress down that flank. Their task was made simpler by how slowly Montgomery's side moved the ball, shifting it side to side without much intensity at all - the cardinal sin when up against such a low block.

There was a greater urgency in the second period, but it was fuelled by the sense of desperation caused by Sidibeh breaking in behind an absent Hibs defence and slotting past David Marshall. The equaliser was well-worked, with Nathan Moriah-Welsh providing the spark with a driving run through midfield, and the loose ball from Myziane's resulting effort fell to Cadden for a cool follow-up finish. It wasn't enough, though, and the longer Hibs toiled, the more you felt Saints might snatch one up the other end, as they duly went and did as Gallacher punished more lax defending to nod in from a corner.

Liam Bryce

'Moriah-Welsh a positive

The departure of Will Fish at the break and the introduction of Nathan Moriah-Welsh had a slightly two-pronged effect in that the defence, with Nectar Triantis alongside Rocky Bushiri, looked a lot less comfortable but the midfield had a renewed vigour. It was a bold call from Nick Montgomery to move Triantis back into defence after his struggles there earlier in his Hibs tenure, and the hosts looked nervy at the back any time Adama Sidibeh looked to counter. 

But the switch helped Hibs gain the upper hand in midfield and Moriah-Welsh played a big part in setting up the equaliser. His driving run and well-weighted pass for Myaziane Maolida teed up the in-form attacker for an effort that was saved well by Dimitar Mitov but only into the path of Chris Cadden, who slotted into the far corner. The former Bournemouth man was heavily involved in the second half and going by this display, you wouldn’t bet against him dislodging Triantis in the midfield for next weekend’s huge game at Fir Park. 

Patrick McPartlin

Mentality questions?

For a while now, Hibs have had a real problem getting themselves up for big games that don’t necessarily involve rivals Hearts - and even then, some of their derby performances haven’t been at the appropriate level. 

Nick Montgomery and Élie Youan spoke ahead of the game about the importance of three points in the race for top six, but the first half was drab and short on chances and while the weather certainly played a part, it was concerning that Hibs didn’t seem to be able to raise their game for such an important fixture.

It wasn’t individuals either; it was a collectively flat performance that only really found something resembling urgency after Cadden’s equaliser.

Dimitar Mitov had an impressive game in goal for the visitors, denying Adam Le Fondre and Myziane with fine saves, but Hibs would have wanted to test him more. 

Montgomery said that the players didn’t need told how big a game this was. Going by the evidence on the park, perhaps he did. 

Moses Ebiye’s late goal for Motherwell at Dens Park means it’s still all to play for in terms of the top six - but if ever there was a time for Hibs to put in a performance befitting the magnitude of the fixture. 

Patrick McPartlin