Porteous pleased to see Hanlon gain international Recognition at last
HE came back from international duty feeling ‘“rusty” through lack of match action, but Ryan Porteous could not have been happier after being pipped to a cap call by team- mate and mentor Paul Hanlon.
The pair were back in action together in Hibs jerseys in Dingwall on a day when defences were on top despite attacking intent and energy from both sides.
Hibs had four returning internationals against County
– Porteous, Hanlon, Paul McGinn and new Cyprus cap Alex Gogic.
And the young centre- half reckons the days of decrying our domestic game as a poor product on occasions such as Saturday’s stalemate should be over after the trailblazing efforts of Hanlon, Motherwell’s Declan Gallagher and Aberdeen’s Andy Considine in dark blue.
“I felt a lot better this time with Scotland, more ready and up to standard of the high- intensity training,” the 21- year- old said.
“Maybe there was a bit of stick beforehand with people saying we haven’t got the quality at centre- half but Gallagher and Considine have shown that the quality in this league is just as good as anything down south.
“Anybody can go in if they are ready, but the high standards mean it’s a tough team to break into at centre- half.
“It was brilliant for Paul getting on because we were saying before the game it would be me or him, and I’m more than happy it was Paul.
“He’s guided me through games since I came into the Hibs team and helped me develop. Hopefully he gets more caps going forward.”
Perhaps it was the Scotland feel- good factor or maybe just a growing familiarity among players of playing in empty stadiums, but Saturday’s contest was full of action and endeavour.
Hibs, overall, held the greater threat, with Kyle Magennis cracking the inside of the post amid an early barrage of Hibs pressure, but County had their moments too.
In the end, it was a wasted chance for both sides, with the Edinburgh club letting slip an opportunity to extend their advantage over Aberdeen and close in on Celtic.
“Aye, it was a missed opportunity,” Porteous acknowledged. “We started well and had chances, and maybe could have had a penalty.
“But we were sloppy in
the first half and looked like a team who hadn’t played together for a few weeks.
“We were never under real threat to concede a goal, but it is two points lost.”
Martin Boyle cut a couple of chances wide from decent positions and the early pressure continued with Kevin Nisbet’s low- strike knocked off the line by County defender Alex Iacovitti with keeper Ross Doohan, in for dropped Ross Laidlaw, beaten.
Magennis struck the post and, eight minutes into the second half, Hibs howled for a penalty after Regan CharlesCook’s saving tackle left Kevin Nisbet writhing in pain, but referee Nick Walsh seemed to call it right in waving away appeals as the game finished goalless.
County’s on- loan Celtic keeper Ross Doohan did well with several strong saves and says he knew he would be tested by the men from Leith.
“I knew I could be busy and I knew it would be a tough game, but I relished the challenge,” he said. “I’m just happy with the clean sheet and being able to do my bit to help the team. To make the saves was good. When the chances came for Hibs, I had to be ready.
“But I think the defence’s performance and the team as a whole made my job a little bit easier today.
“We were superb as a unit and it is a decent result to push us forward.”