Hibs in a tale of two halves
Lennon fury after first-period display
FAIR play to Neil Lennon if he managed to keep himself from blowing a gasket at his players over the course of this wholly unexpected draw against an Ayr United side that has not won a league game since October.
The Hibernian manager admitted in midweek that he has toned down his approach in dealing with his squad, as he feels shouting has proven counterproductive.
His team’s display in this match, particularly in the first half, must have had him thinking twice about that policy.
He had left centre-forward Jason Cummings on the bench, giving others a chance to shine ahead of next Sunday’s Scottish Cup fifth-round trip to Tynecastle, but the disjointed, lacklustre nature of the performance until bringing on Grant Holt for Chris Humphrey at half-time and moving to a front two suggested he has some real selection issues to deal with.
It was the fourth-minute goal conceded to Robbie Crawford — cancelled out late on by Cummings — that must surely have infuriated him as much as anything, though.
The visiting midfielder was permitted to advance into the area as everyone in green and white not only gave him all the space he desired, but retreated so far that a few of them were in danger of ending up outside on the street.
When Crawford looked like he might have run into a cul-desac, he was then given time to re-adjust, find a little space and release a less-than-thunderous shot which squirmed under the right hand of goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw before crossing the line.
‘The goal sort of summed up the first half,’ said Lennon. ‘It was awful. Awful. If we’d backed off any further, we’d have been in the away end with the Ayr United supporters.
‘The second half was much better, but we should be winning these games, so I am not happy.
‘In their defence, I think our pitch is poor considering we haven’t played on it for a month. That is something I would like to address, as well.’
Hibs did create some chances before the interval.
Visiting keeper Greg Fleming made three good saves from James Keatings, Martin Boyle and Andrew Shinnie, with Shinnie also seeing a diving header from Fraser Fyvie’s cross go over the bar from a matter of yards out, but the boos at half-time spoke of a display devoid of cohesion and tempo.
Fleming’s goal would come under a more sustained assault in the second period, but not before Ayr had seen a strong claim for a penalty waved away by referee Crawford Allan.
On 51 minutes, home defender Darren McGregor was about to clear, only for the ball to bounce up and strike his right hand.
‘Listen, don’t get me started about the handballs,’ said Ayr manager Ian McCall.
‘I am sure even Lenny will say it. I don’t think the referee had a fantastic game.’
Paddy Boyle headed a David Gray cross off the Ayr goal-line just before Cummings replaced Shinnie to deliver his 15th goal of the season. Keatings swung in a cross from the right and Cummings got on the end of it, sending a header past Fleming.
It looked like Holt might have won it at the end when seeing a header from a Keatings corner cleared off the line by substitute Brian Gilmour, with the veteran insisting afterwards that the looming Edinburgh derby had nothing to do with the result.
‘There wasn’t one eye on it. I couldn’t care less,’ said Holt. ‘This is our bread-and-butter. We want the games against Rangers, Celtic and Aberdeen next year.’