The Only Way Is
Up!
Colgan Looks For A Run Of Form As Hibs Gain
Momentum
HIBS FANS WILL GO TO WORK this morning with a smile on their faces
which has been all too sadly lacking over the past few weeks at Easter
Road. The first home win that has been so elusive - defeats to Aberdeen,
Rangers and Dunfermline meaning the last victory came against Motherwell
on 21 April - meant that this performance was all the more welcome, and
one must pray that this will be a definite turning point rather than the
false dawn heralded by the win against Motherwell!
Over the past twenty years one area of the park in which Hibs have
possessed strength has been goalkeeping. Three Scotland
internationalists - Rough, Goram and Leighton - along with solid
performances from John Burridge in the early 1990's meant that Hibs were
in safe hands until around 1998.
The arrival of the haphazard Ollie Gotskalkson at the start of the
season which culminated in relegation signalled something of a demise in
that tradition, although the emergence of Nick Colgan as the Hibs No.1
during that season helped to restore that custom to an extent.
Colgan may not have had the most consistent period while at Easter Road,
finding towards the end of last season and the start of this term that
Tony Caig had dislodged him of the first team jersey, but his form has
been enough to alert Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy, the
former Chelsea stopper making his international debut earlier this year.
Colgan showing he is not
afraid to marshall his defenders (sns)
If the form shown on Saturday from Nick - who made a world class double
save in the second half - and the rest of the team can be
continued over the next few months then perhaps this season will have
more promise than was initially envisaged - while the play from the Hibs
side was not in any way attractive to watch, what mattered most was the
three points being secured, and few Hibs fans would have any complaints
with more of the same.
A similar display might just be what
is necessary on Tuesday evening against Alloa, where determination may
matter more than skill in the tight confines of Recreation Park.
Fortunately, the Hibs side came through Saturday's clash with no injury
worries, Tam McManus being the only scare but the youngster should make
it.
