MONTY: OUR SIX SHOOTERS FAILED TO FIRE
BOSS Nick Montgomery admits Hibs failed their biggest objective after seeing their top-six hopes blown apart by the late equaliser at Motherwell.
The Hibees looked set to jump two points above Dundee and into the box seat for the last spot in the top half after Myziane Maolida’s 65th-minute penalty put them ahead.
But Montgomery’s men caved in with just 20 seconds left when Shane Blaney thumped home.
It condemned both sides to bottom-of-the-table finishes and Hibs left the park to boos from their 2300 travelling supporters.
Montgomery, already under pressure from fans before the match, said: “It’s not good enough for Hibs. 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.
“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.
“It’s 20 seconds away from 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.
“The performance here was deserving of three points. They gave their heart and soul.
“I have to pick the players up now. If you are in that dressing-room now and saw the devastation on the boys’ faces, the hard work we’ve put in this season, to be 20 seconds away from the top six...
“In the next five games, we have to go out and win every one of those.”
Montgomery accepted the fans were within their rights to vent at full-time.
He said: “I understand, for sure. It has been a frustrating season. We’ve had a lot of challenges – and the fans don’t deserve some of the stuff that’s happened this season.
“I thought they were great in this match, they got behind us. And with 20 seconds to go, if we hold out, there would have been fantastic scenes at the end.
“So of course, a game you should win, you drop points and it costs us a place in the top six, I totally understand the frustration.”
Well manager Stuart Kettlewell praised his players for another late show but admits they ultimately left it too late in their push for the top half.
The Steelmen had scored three times in the final 15 minutes at Dundee last week to give themselves a real chance of sneaking in.
Kettlewell now wants his side to pip HIbs to finish best of the rest. He said: “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 some points.
“I remember this day last year, all the talk was about being the best of the rest.
“It’s a challenge because there are teams like Hibs and Aberdeen with their resources.
“I won’t be accepting anybody coming in with an attitude that they can take it easy for the run-in. We need to kick on and I can assure you that we will be all guns blazing.
“We will give everything for this club.”