Lennon lets rip at players as Sons earn point

HIBERNIAN head coach Neil Lennon insists he is ‘sick’ of his team failing to heed his warnings after they were held to a draw at home to Dumbarton yesterday.

Lennon accused the players of only giving ‘30 per cent’ in a first half that saw them trailing after a penalty which was tucked away by Christian Nade.

A half-time ear-bashing from Lennon sparked an improvement and Hibs levelled when Sons defender Daniel Harvie scored an own goal.

Robert Thomson then fired Dumbarton back in front before Hibs striker James Keatings had a penalty saved by visiting keeper Alan Martin.

But Sons keeper Martin went from hero to zero after his 83rd-minute blunder allowed Martin Boyle to snatch a point for the Easter Road side.

Lennon, whose team have won only one league game in six matches, said: ‘We were pedestrian, clumsy, sloppy, all the things we gave them warnings about before the game and they just go out and do it.

‘I’m sick of them doing this and I am sick of us dropping points at home for not approaching games the right way.

‘I feel it’s not me you should be asking, you should be asking the players because I sound like a broken down record. We gave them all the warnings how to approach it properly.

‘Then we go at 30 per cent, I’m not even sure if they had a sweat on at half-time, but they certainly did after I finished with them.’

This game was indicative of Hibs’ agonising quest to try and finally get their hands on the Ladbrokes Championship title as they put their fans through the wringer in this absorbing stalemate.

A humdrum first half was livened up when Nade put the visitors in front in the 37th minute from the penalty spot after Marvin Bartley was penalised for a rash challenge on Andy Stirling inside the area.

Hibs were a different animal after the break and duly levelled when Sons defender Harvie unwittingly diverted John McGinn’s cross into his own net from close range.

But, incredibly, the parttimers retook the lead five minutes later.

Martin’s kick-out was knocked down by Nade and Thomson drilled a first time shot into the corner of the Hibs net.

But after brilliantly getting down to save Keatings’ penalty, Martin allowed a simple ball forward to slip through his hands and Boyle was on hand to nod into the unguarded net.

‘Alan is gutted because he has been outstanding for us since he came in,’ said Sons boss Stevie Aitken.