Montgomery left licking wounds after late leveller
Hibs forced to settle for bottom-six finish as Slane sucker-punch casts doubt over manager’s future
HIBERNIAN found themselves consigned to a second bottom-six finish in three s e a s ons after conceding an injury-time goal to draw 1- 1 with Motherwell at Fir Park in the final pre-split fixture.
Myziane Maolida’s penalty on 65 minutes after Will Fish was fouled by Stephen O’Donnell gave Hibs the lead and for 29 minutes or so, the visitors hung on and hung on. And then, deep into injury time, a throw-in wasn’t properly cleared and centreback Shane Blaney of all people struck a wonderful finish into the far corner.
Motherwell incredibly could have won the game and secured a place in the top six but former Hibs youngster Oli Shaw was unable to get his effort the right side of the post at the death.
The heavy rain that had battered North Lanarkshire ahead of kick-off gave way to sunshine and a strong breeze that wasn’t conducive to freeflowing attractive football and the swirling wind nearly caught out several players in a first half that was short on quality and incidents of note.
Elie Youan had Hibs’ first real chance after Nathan Moriah-Welsh, Maolida, and Emiliano Marcondes had linked up well but the Frenchman swept his effort high and wide of Liam Kelly’s goal. Chris Cadden then came close against his former club with Kelly getting fingertips to his fierce drive after Martin Boyle’s lay-off.
Theo Bair slotted home just after the hour mark but the in-form striker was offside and moments later Hibs were awarded their penalty. But they passed up a number of chances to add to their lead and despite the hosts looking dead and buried, Blaney’s strike broke Hibs hearts.
Here are four things we learned in Lanarkshire.
No surprises here
There was almost a crushing inevitability about the outcome of this game. Hibs, having done well to take the lead from the spot, passed up several chances to increase their lead and if there is one thing we’ve learned about this collection of players this season, it’s that they can rarely be counted upon to hold onto a lead.
The sense of foreboding in the South Stand packed with close to 3000 travelling fans as Motherwell won a late throw-in level with the penalty spot was palpable and Blaney’s well-struck leveller seemed to fly past David Marshall in slow motion.
Credit to the hosts who kept going and might even have sneaked an unlikely victory late on when Shaw bundled just past the post from close range, but this game was Hibs’ season in microcosm: some good passages of play and some resolute defending but profligacy in front of goal and an inability to see a game out.
The jeers that greeted Nick Montgomery and his players as they applauded the healthy travelling support after the game were entirely predictable and expected – and probably deserved.
Hibs have had worse performances this season – last week against St Johnstone, and the 3-0 pasting by St Mirren in early February spring to mind – but the fans have backed the team in their numbers this season and have rarely had much to shout about. This was so nearly the outcome Hibs wanted. Another 20 seconds and it might have been. Unfortunately, nearly doesn’t get you anything – and it certainly doesn’t get you a top-six finish.
A tale of two subs – or not
As soon as Myziane Maolida stroked home the opener from 12 yards, Nick Montgomery introduced Dylan Levitt for Nathan Moriah-Welsh.
It was unclear if it had been planned before the penalty award or whether it was a reaction to the fact that, going a goal down, Motherwell would almost certainly be changing up their approach and the dig and engine of Moriah-Welsh – who was on a yellow card – would be required less than Levitt’s ability to pick a pass.
There had been some debate last week about the decision to start Nectar Triantis over Moriah-Welsh against St Johnstone but with the Australian not involved at Fir Park, perhaps the former Bournemouth man’s inclusion was always on the cards.
It would be fair to say that there have been some odd personnel decisions and substitutions during Montgomery’s time at Hibs but bringing on Levitt to try to help Hibs stay on top looked like a smart move.
But with Hibs continuing to pass up chances in front of goal, it was strange that neither Adam Le Fondre nor Dylan Vente were thrown on to try to add to the lead.
Granted, Vente might have been rusty having missed a few games through injury but this was exactly the sort of game for Hail Mary decisions - and both players, you imagine, would have been champing at the bit to get on to help the cause.
As it was, Josh Campbell was given his first appearance of 2024 after recovering from an injury picked up during the Edinburgh derby on December 27.
The boyhood Hibee brings energy and a bit of a goal threat but he was understandably a little off the pace – more so than Le Fondre might have been.
Is Montgomery at risk?
Motherwell’s late equaliser coupled with the goalless draw between Aberdeen and Dundee at Pittodrie consigned Hibs to a bottom-six finish for the second time in three years – and even last season they were fortunate to sneak into the top half via the back door on the final day.
Understandably there is considerable excitement among the fans ahead of Bill Foley’s investment this summer, but the fact remains that
Hibs have been in a state of flux for far too long. It’s hard to know where the club goes next.
Perhaps the investment will help; maybe the summer transfer window and a pre-season will help Nick Montgomery to hit the ground running. The former Central Coast Mariners head coach was adamant speaking before the game that he would be in his role come the start of the 2024/25 campaign. But much depends on what the club’s hierarchy decides to do. There are probably arguments for starting afresh, and arguments for seeking a bit of stability. But there are a lot of unknowns as well. The final five games of the season could end up being pivotal – one way or another.
“It’s not good enough for Hibs,” Montgomery admitted after the match. “You have to earn the right to get anywhere in football. You have to earn the right to get into the top six. As a club we have failed to hit one of our targets and that was the top six.
“The other two were progress in the cups, which we did to a good level. But the big target was to try and get into the top six. I’ve tried everything I can to get there. We’ve had stuff that’s
probably been challenging for us, but as a club, yeah, we have to look back at the start of the season, before preseason, and how we’ve ended up in this position where we’re going into the last game 20 seconds away from the top six. It’s 20 seconds away from not being good enough and unfortunately the results – last week as well – have gone against us and it’s really hard to explain how that’s happened.”
Salvaging another point
Mother well manager St uar t Kettlewell praised the mentality of his side after another late goal salvaged a draw.
“I thought we snatched it at the end,” said Kettlewell. “It’s probably no surprise to myself or anyone in the room as we’ve become renowned this season for playing to the last whistle.
“We want to be ahead in games but we always rally and we have four strikers and two attackers on the pitch at the end – it was all out attack.
“I thought Oli had put the ball in the net, that was my gut instinct, when he got across the front post. But we left it late over the course for the top six but I can only credit my players. People had written us off for the top six and looked at us more towards the bottom of the table but we’ve shown brilliant personality and picked up points.”