Lennon tells new Socceroo hero Boyle to up his game for the Hibees

NEIL LENNON hopes new Socceroo Martin Boyle has a spring in his step after taking just two games to equal his own international scoring record.

Boyle hit a double on his first start for Australia last week in a 3-0 win over Lebanon after making his debut as a sub for Hibs teammate Jamie Maclaren in a friendly against South Korea.

Former Northern Ireland midfielder Lennon wasn’t renowned for hitting the back of the net and scored twice – against Armenia and Moldova – in a 40-cap career.

And he admitted Boyle, capped for Scotland at Under-16 level, returned to Edinburgh on a high with his double making headlines in a game supposed to be all about Tim Cahill’s farewell.

Lennon now wants to see Boyle carry his form into domestic action after admitting his game had been affected by his call-up before he travelled Down Under.

Hibs have picked up one point from a possible 12 to drop to eighth in the Premiership and Lennon wants Boyle to help get BY GAVIN BERRY them back on track against the winger’s former club and bottom side Dundee today.

Lennon said: “Martin got a huge boost and it was a huge boost for the club. It shows the progression he has made over the last couple of years.

“It’ll do his confidence the world of good, playing at international level and scoring. He has already matched my international scoring record and I did it in 40 games! He only needs one more to beat me.

“It’s fantastic and we’re all really pleased for him. He’s made a huge impression. I got a text from Graham Arnold this morning thanking me and saying they were pleased with his performances.

“So long as he brings that form to us, that’s the main thing, because he’s been a bit off colour in the past couple of games. His mind was a little distracted.

“We have nine games between now and the end of the year and he is an important player for us. We need to get back to winning ways and the style of football we have shown over the last couple of years. We need all the players back and at it.”

Steven Whittaker admits there hasn’t been much in the defeats and said: “They were games lost on small margins and games that could have gone either way.

“We’re just missing that little bit just now but we hope to put that right in the run of games that are coming up.”