Lennon loves hit-or-miss Hibs
Ayr vanquished in Cup but boss rues league showings
HIBERNIAN boss Neil Lennon admits his Jekyll and Hyde side are driving him potty as well as filling him with pride after making it to the Scottish Cup semi-finals.
The trophy holders have gone four Championship fixtures without a win, but bounced back from a midweek defeat at St Mirren by beating Ayr United 3-1 at home in the Cup thanks to an early goal from John McGinn, a Jason Cummings penalty and a late header from James Keatings.
Lennon is thrilled by the continuing possibility of marking his first season in charge with a double, but is struggling to work out how to make sure his players maintain a more regular standard of output.
‘I thought we were very good,’ said Lennon. ‘I thought it was an emphatic performance — and it’s driving me mental!
‘In our last three Cup games, we’ve been spectacular and, in our last four league games, we have been below par.
‘I am very excited and I am really proud of the players. We’re in a semi-final again and it’s something to look forward to, but I would swap it all for promotion.
‘It’s a semi-final, I’m going to Hampden again with a different club. I’m used to going there with Celtic for finals and semis. It’s very exciting for me to do that with Hibs now and I’m really proud.’
Lennon insists, however, that all thoughts of a successful defence of the Scottish Cup now have to be put to the side until the semi-finals on April 22/23 — with Championship rivals Dundee United next up at Tannadice on Friday night.
‘We need to transfer those (Cup) performances into the league because we are capable of doing it,’ he stated.
‘Ayr are a tough nut to crack at times and have had a brilliant time themselves over the last 18
months, but we looked head and shoulders above them. It could have been 5-0 or 6-0.
‘But for us to develop as a club, it’s important to get to the Premiership.
‘We need to park the Cup now and really concentrate on getting promotion, but we’re in both competitions. We are having a hell of a season.
‘You speak to the players, analyse it and try to get them to take it on board what it means to win games. We are not always going to do it playing fluffy football, but I was pleased with that performance.
‘Maybe I’m hard on them at times. They’re doing all right, but we’ve won nothing yet, though.
‘We have to replicate what Ross County, Inverness, Partick Thistle and Hamilton have done. They have earned the right (to be in the Premiership) and they hold their own.
‘If we can go up, I believe we can do more than hold our own with the potential that is here, but we have got to get out of this division first. That is the priority and always will be.’
Lennon also praised the performance of McGinn, who was on the receiving end of a high and late tackle from Scott McKenna late in the first half yesterday, which the visiting centre-back was sent-off for.
‘Listen, you’d need to hit John with a sledgehammer to put him out,’ said Lennon. ‘He has such strong legs and rides challenges. I thought he was magnificent, outstanding.’
Ayr United were upset at the award of the penalty-kick for Cummings’ goal, believing Daryll Meggatt had fouled Martin Boyle outside the box. Manager Ian McCall admitted he was unsure of other big calls made by referee Nick Walsh, too.
‘It was obviously very, very difficult because of moments in the game,’ said McCall. ‘I haven’t seen them yet, but I don’t know if it was a handball from Efe Ambrose (in the 58th minute), I’m not sure it was a penalty, I’m not sure it was a red card, but all three went in Hibs’ favour.
‘Going down to 10 men was very, very difficult with a depleted team.
‘The sending-off completely killed it for us. I didn’t think there was malice in it and there was a covering player. It looked like he tried to play the ball, but McGinn was too quick for him.’