Naismith to take heart from previous result

Ross County defender Jason Naismith will take confidence from their clean sheet against free-scoring Hibernian when they take on Neil Lennon’s side again this afternoon.

County are the only team Hibs have failed to score against in 12 matches this season, having held them to a goalless draw in the Betfred Cup.

The Leith side have scored three or more goals on seven occasions and Naismith is encouraged by their earlier display ahead of the Ladbrokes Premiership clash.

The former St Mirren player said: “We kept a clean sheet against them. With the amount of goals they have scored this season, they went to Ibrox and scored three, and I can’t remember them actually not scoring in a game.

“They scored three again the other night so we did well that game to shut them out.

“We need to impose ourselves from the start and hopefully execute the game plan and win the game.”

Meanwhile, Lewis Stevenson has hailed the current Hibs squad as the “strongest we’ve had” since he broke through at the club.

The former Celtic boss has added shrewdly to his Championship-winning squad, with Anthony Stokes coming in and firing straight away along with Simon Murray and several others.

That strength in depth has meant players such as Stevenson, a regular for most of his 12 years at Easter Road, have had to settle for being benched on occasion but the full-back is happy to play his role in what he regards as one of the strongest squads in the league.

“The manager has decisions to make,” he said. “I’ve said before that this squad is the strongest we’ve had, so there’s going to be competition for places. If you’re not performing well, someone is more than able to come in and take your place and that was the case.”