Hibs’ bottle earns salute from Stubbs
HIBS boss Alan Stubbs last night hailed his side’s bottle after they roared back from the dead at Tynecastle — then insisted the Leith club are favourites for the Scottish Cup replay tomorrow week. Trailing 2-0 to Hearts in the Edinburgh derby to first-half goals from Arnaud Djoum and Sam Nicholson, Hibs narrowed the deficit when Jason Cummings scored 10 minutes from time. A dramatic stoppage-time strike from Paul Hanlon then set up amazing scenes of celebration in the Roseburn Stand — and Stubbs vowed the League Cup Finalists won’t wilt in front of a capacity Easter Road crowd on February 16. ‘In the past, we’ve been questioned about bottle in big games,’ said the Hibs manager. ‘I think they have a cheek to
question my team. But today didn’t tell me anything I didn’t already know about them. ‘It’s other people who have questioned them. I said all along that I have 100-per-cent belief in the players. ‘They have great team spirit, a fantastic bond and ability. When you have all that, anything is possible. ‘Even at 2-0 down, I always felt we could get something from the game and so it proved. ‘We were fantastic in the second half against a really good Hearts team. ‘For Jason Cummings’ goal, he knew what he was doing but maybe a gust of wind helped his header. It gave us a platform and after that I don’t think anyone was surprised by the equaliser. ‘Are we now favourites for the replay? I do know we will have a fantastic support behind us. If that makes us favourites, then so be it.’ Hibs have not won the Scottish Cup since 1902 and it was calculated this week that if 2016 is not their year, they would crash through the million-hour mark since they last lifted that piece of silverware. So does Stubbs (below) — after this remarkable feat of escapology — feel Hibs’ name is on the trophy? ‘We deserve to be in the draw on Monday night. Whether our name is on the Cup, I don’t know,’ he said. Before yesterday, Kevin Thomson’s last appearance in a Hibs jersey was when Terry Butcher’s fragile side were relegated by Hamilton in the playoffs at Easter Road in May 2014. An early sub for Dylan McGeouch, the former Rangers and Scotland midfielder popped up at 2-2 to clear a header by Hearts defender Blazej Augustyn off the line. ‘We nearly lost it at the end — typical Hibees,’ grinned Thomson. ‘Luckily, I was in the right place at the right time. ‘But if the game had gone on three or four minutes longer we were more likely to win it. ‘Our character was terrific. There’s a real good feel about Hibs right now and we stood up well. ‘Our character was terrific. The boys deserve plaudits for that, especially our younger lads. ‘The manager is building a team capable of playing in the Premiership.’