Johnson holds hands up after another sorry show from Hibs
LEE JOHNSON strode on to the St Mirren turf, advanced as sheepishly as several of his players in the direction of the travelling support then thought better of inching any further.
As the venom from visiting fans was clear, he held his hands up by way of apology and about-turned before feeling any more heat.
While a ‘sorry’ was appropriate for Hibernian’s latest underachievement in public, Johnson made his way to the away dressingroom for a lengthy exchange of views behind closed doors.
Five Premiership games into a new era and Hibs’ latest attempt to return to high rank in the division is spluttering badly.
There was a dire lack of cutting edge in the final third, they were no midfield match for the energy and desire in the Paisley side and the soft concession of the goal sums up the defensive plight.
Rocky Bushiri is set to miss three months with injury and Johnson hinted the best he can hope for in the coming days is a loan replacement.
As he vowed to correct the many issues plaguing the start of his Easter Road tenure after an extensive post-mortem with his players, Johnson (pictured) stressed: ‘At the end of the day, the boys have got to step up individually — they have to demand for themselves.
‘They know because we just had all that in the dressing-room. You can have all these call-to-arms conversations but sometimes you have to let the lads speak.
‘And sometimes you have to let the ones speak that don’t usually speak because we are trying to create something here.
‘Rightly, we are going to get stick. We deserve to own that today, myself more than anybody else because I pick the team, I put the team out there.
‘For whatever reason, not enough produced their best game. I’m massively disappointed.
‘After last week’s comeback and a good week in training, this was an opportunity for three points. We failed on it miserably.’
Keanu Baccus struck early to give St Mirren a lead to defend. They managed the game well to emerge with a third win and third clean sheet in a row.
Stephen Robinson rued the fact the margin of victory wasn’t more emphatic as it made for a nervy finish against a team with a habit of scoring late.
The Saints boss saw matchwinner Baccus and sub Eamonn Brophy pass up two great chances apiece to put the game to bed as the home side flourished on the counter attack.
However, Robinson reckons his team has clicked after two early defeats and believes there’s better on the way.
‘The game should’ve been out of sight with one against ones and hitting the woodwork,’ he said.
‘You always think something is going to happen at the end. But we defended brilliantly. It’s no surprise with the type of boys we’ve got — organised, disciplined, hard to break down.
‘Martin Boyle is a very good player and he hardly threatened. And Brophy, normally, would put them away. Keanu could’ve had a hat-trick.
‘That was a real disciplined performance without us being at our very best. There’s a lot more to come from us, I believe.’ Robinson has been touting Baccus and Ryan Strain for international honours. Watched by an Australian FA representative, they teamed up to score the sixth-minute winner. Strain clipped the ball over Marijan Cabraja on the right and enjoyed ample time and space to fashion a delivery to match his colleague’s arrival into the area.
Baccus confidently swept home first time from 10 yards. ‘They’ve done themselves absolutely no harm in terms of that World Cup squad,’ Robinson declared.
‘We’ve been working on Keanu’s finishing, so I’m glad he kept that shot down. The other two didn’t hit the target.
‘But our players gave everything, there’s an identity about us and the fans have got behind us and willed us over the line. I wish they’d sucked the ball into the net a bit sooner and we could’ve relaxed a bit more.
‘But, together, we can achieve good things as a team and a crowd.’
Christian Doidge went closest to a first half reply for Hibs, rising to flick a Ryan Porteous cross narrowly wide.
But, just as in their last away game at Livingston, they only came alive after half-time.
Even then, the bright period passed. Elie Youan scuffed a superb opportunity straight after the restart and right in front of Trevor Carson.
The keeper was only seriously tested once, when he turned a fierce Joe Newell dig from 22 yards round his right-hand post.
Declan Gallagher, Charles Dunne and Marcus Fraser rode out the storm.
And with Alex Gogic back in the fold as a screening substitute late in the game, Saints shut up shop and threatened on the break.
Brophy is still searching for his first St Mirren goal at the stadium after eight in away games.
Threaded through by Curtis Main, he tucked his effort beyond David Marshall’s reach but off the base of the far post.
Both Brophy and Baccus fired fine chances over the crossbar as five minutes of nervous stoppage time approached.
If nothing else this season, Hibernian have been the masters of the 90th minute strike.
But it was Saints who should have enjoyed the last word.
Clean through on goal, Baccus dragged his effort wastefully wide but still emerged a hero for his side who move up to fifth.