HIBERNIAN claimed a massive three points as Kevin Nisbet hit a hat-trick at Fir Park to leave dismal Motherwell firmly mired in the relegation battle.
Substitute Stuart McKinstry briefly gave the home side hope with a well-taken finish to bring the score back to 2-1, but Nisbet claimed the match ball and ultimately the spoils for his team with a fine first-time finish.
Substitute Ross Tierney did pull another goal back for Motherwell, but it was too little, too late for the struggling Steelmen.
Here are five talking points as Steven Hammell’s woes continued and Lee Johnson saw the pressure on his shoulders ease with victory.
KEVIN NISBET COULD OFFER HIBS A WAY OUT OF THEIR CURRENT MESS
Nisbet’s recent return from injury couldn’t have come at a more opportune time for their manager Johnson and Hibs, and the striker has been slowly starting to crank into gear over the last few weeks. He had scored twice in the four games prior to this one, and it all came together for him here, as he ruthlessly punished some awful home defending.
His first and third goals were fine finishes, while his second was the type that all good strikers love, coming in at the back post to tap home from a couple of yards.
If Hibs can keep the frontman fit and keep the supply coming to him, then he very well could fire them back up towards the right end of the table.
MOTHERWELL’S COMICAL DEFENDING
In apportioning due praise to Nisbet for his clinical display of finishing, it has to be said that he will rarely come up against a defence quite so accommodating as Motherwell’s.
The concession of soft goals has been a recurring theme throughout this hugely disappointing season for the Steelmen, and it once again proved their undoing here, with almost comical defending allowing Hibs to seize the advantage.
Credit must be given to Aiden McGeady and Nisbet for combining to produce the first, with McGeady cutting in from the left and dinking a cross into the area, where the presence of Nisbet – Hibs’ main striker and dangerman – seemed to have gone undetected by anyone in claret and amber.
He had all the time in the world to take a touch and calmly finished low to Liam Kelly’s left, as the Motherwell players looked at one another in bemusement.
The second was just as poor from a home perspective, as a simple long free kick from Ryan Porteous down the right caught out Matthew Penney, allowing Elie Youann to stroll forward and roll the ball across for Nisbet to tap home unmarked at the back post.
His hat-trick goal followed a similar theme. With Rickie Lamie waiting on the ball, Nisbet instead made sure it was his, and rocketed a belting finish into Kelly’s top corner.
From an attacking perspective, Hibs will be delighted with their forward, but defensively the hosts were appalling.
THOUGH HIBERNIAN AREN’T MUCH BETTER
This Hibs win wasn’t exactly built on a strong defensive foundation mind you. In fact, they seemed determined prove just as porous as Motherwell at times.
It was a simple long ball after all from Sondre Solholm that caught out auxiliary right-back Josh Campbell to allow McKinstry in and drag the hosts back into the contest with a composed finish past David Marshall, and the Hibs defenders were like statues when Kevin van Veen poked one across goal in the dying embers for Tierney to volley home and offer Motherwell a glimmer of hope.
Indeed, Hibs were cut open again moments later as young Max Johnston got in down the right, and Ryan Porteous was fortunate that his desperate lunge didn’t end up with the ball ricocheting into his own net.
AIDEN MCGEADY’S LEADERSHIP COULD BE KEY
The winger hasn’t had his injury problems to seek since arriving at Easter Road, but he finally got his first league start here, and showed in flashes just what an asset he can be for Lee Johnson’s side.
He claimed an assist for the first goal and showed all his usual array of feints, tricks and flicks, but further to that – and this is meant in the nicest possible way – he was also his usual moaning-faced self, barking at his teammates and demanding more from them.
His leadership qualities and experience might just be as vital going forward to a Hibs side short on both counts as his undoubted attacking qualities are sure to be.
HAMMELL UNDER PRESSURE
Motherwell legend or not, Hammell must know that the current run of form that his team are on is unsustainable, and will either end in relegation or his dismissal if it is maintained. Perhaps both.
Since beating Ross County 5-0 in early October, Motherwell have lost eight of their last 12, drawing three and winning just once, away at Dundee United. Their home form over the season has been nothing short of woeful, winning just once at Fir Park all campaign, when a dubious penalty gave them a 1-0 triumph over Livingston.
That is relegation form in anyone’s book, and Hammell must look to strengthen his squad before next week’s titanic encounter against Ross County at Fir Park.
