Don’t win so we’ll give it a real go
strikers in this division and we always try to score goals.
“We’re the highest scorers in the league this season which tells that we go and try to score goals.
“We just need to make sure we lock that door at the back.”
Falkirk are undefeated in neIL LennOn reckons Hibs are a victim of their success insisting it’s “surreal” they are forced to face their crunch clash against Falkirk without two key players. Lennon last night confirmed John McGinn will be remaining with the Scotland camp ahead of Sunday’s World Cup qualifier against Slovenia, dashing his hope the combative midfielder may be released if it became clear he would not feature at Hampden. It is a hammer blow for the Hibees who will also be without No.1 keeper Ofir Marciano tomorrow, with the towering Israeli set to reclaim his international place between the sticks for tonight’s mouth-watering encounter against Spain. There is a Premiership break during the international dates but Championship fixtures all go ahead and rules require three players to be called up for a club to request a postponement. Lennon said: “It is a bit of a surreal their last six matches away to Hibs in a sequence going back to 2009.
Their last five trips to Easter Road have ended in draws and they played for 65 minutes with just 10 men after Tom Taiwo was red-carded in November when Hibs needed an equaliser seven sport@dailyrecord.co.uk situation really that we have to go ahead with the game – a really important game – with two of our most important players going away with their country.
“I’m not sure if you would call it a punishment but it is definitely a hindrance.
“It just shows what a good season we are having that it has got Ofi back in the Israel manager’s thinking and John McGinn has been involved for Scotland.
“I spoke to John after the Canada game and he seemed in a good place.
“He has another cap in front of his home crowd so that is pretty special.
“He will obviously be involved in some capacity in the game on Sunday which is fantastic for him. It’s not great for me.
“He is under Gordon’s jurisdiction with Scotland, he’s their player and if Gordon wasn’t going to use him I’m sure I would know by now.
“Ofi has had a very good season and, once he got over his injuries, has been very consistent.
“It’s strange, really strange. But we are prepared for it. We minutes from time in a 1-1 stalemate.
Houston added: “It’s a ground that has been good to Falkirk, certainly since I’ve been back at the club.
“We’ve had wee breaks at times, wee bits of luck and we’ve had some good play as well.
“It will need to be the have a good deputy for Ofi in Ross Laidlaw and some good midfielders while John is away.”
Lennon was in attendance for Scotland’s turgid 1-1 draw against Canada as McGinn won his third cap with a late cameo.
While he was delighted for his young midfielder the Northern Irishman admits it was a player in red who caught his eye – with Falkirk winger Fraser Aird scoring his first international goal and tormenting the hosts all night.
The ex-Rangers starlet will be out to turn in a similarly impressive display in Leith tomorrow when the Bairns visit.
And Lennon, who is adamant the much-maligned Easter Road surface “should be fine” after going to pitchside following the friendly to size up the damage, admits the dazzling showing gave him plenty to chew over.
Lennon said: “Fraser Aird was excellent, certainly Canada’s exact same this week. I never set the team out to get a draw from a game, I always set them out to win games.
“And we’ll go to Easter Road on Saturday and hopefully get them rocking, like Dumbarton did and other teams have earlier on in the season.” best player. He was a threat the whole night and I was very impressed.
“He scored a good goal and made some great runs.
“It definitely gave me some food for thought.
“There will be a confidence and familiarity now for him going into the game on Saturday at Easter Road.
“I’m not sure if he’s been playing that well for Falkirk!”
Lennon knows the next four days could prove a defining period in the Hibees’ quest to return to the Premiership at the third time of asking, with Falkirk and Morton both visiting Easter Road as they seek to eat into the capital club’s ninepoint advantage.
Lennon, who confirmed skipper David Gray is a doubt with a tight hamstring, added: “The Falkirk game will take care of itself.
“There is some historic rivalry there and we know if we win it will be almost impossible for them to catch us.
“Morton is another huge game so this is a big week for us.”
ALAN MARSHALL I’m not sure you’d call it a punishment but it’s definitely a hindrance NEIL LENNON