NEIL Lennon believes new signing Mark Milligan, an experienced Australian international, will give Hibernian some much-needed strength in the middle of the park.
Hibs are a lovely football team but their manager hopes Milligan is just what his squad needs.
Lennon said: “I’m delighted. We need physicality. Looking at us today we look like the seven dwarves out there at times. He is 33 now but it means he is very experienced. He had a good World Cup and I like his composure on the ball.”
Lennon was also happy that his touchline ban is over.
He said: "It will be a novelty to be back there. I am pleased. It’s almost as if my season is starting now as well.
"I need a bit of time on the training field, which is a luxury I’ve not had for a few weeks, so hopefully I’ll get a bit of work into them.
Once we went back to the three we looked more comfortable. We didn’t start the second half well at all and I’ve got to take some responsibility for that.
"In the first half Martin Boyle had a couple of great chances to put us into a comfortable lead but we gifted goals."
Everywhere in Edinburgh was busy yesterday apart from Easter Road.
Were it not for my dedication to this profession and newspaper, I would have popped into one of these three shows: The Importance of Being Earnest as Performed by Three ******* Queens and a Duck, Timpson: The Musical or a performance based on blowing bubbles which is for adults only.
And, yes, what you are thinking is the reason that one isn’t for the kids.
That would have been a pity because this was an entertaining game.
The match was a whole five seconds old when Ross County’s Iain Vigurs was rightly booked for a bad foul on Stevie Mallon. It might well be a record. And within seven minutes the visitors were ahead thanks to a strange goal.
Sean Kelly’s in-swinging free-kick from the right was headed out of the box by Efe Ambrose, Michael Gardyne took on a volley first-time, the ball seemed to go through the feet of Ambrose which bamboozled Ross Laidlaw in the Hibs goal and the ball crept over the line.
Hibs didn’t sulk and on 14 minutes equalised.
A Lewis Stevenson corner almost beat everyone but Ambrose managed to get his head to the ball and direct it towards Daryl Horgan. He did well to get on the ball and drive towards the by-line, his left foot cross was a good one and David Gray rose well and guided his header into the corner of the net.
Just after the hour, the bold Efe had one of his moments. There was no real danger as he met a cross inside his own box but his control wasn’t great, he delayed clearing his lines and that allowed Declan McManus to nip in just as Ambrose belatedly swung his foot at the ball.
Referee Kevin Clancy gave himself a couple of seconds before pointing to the spot and Josh Mullin with some force scored the penalty.
“Efe has got to stop it, it’s a piece of nonsense that second goal and it’s just uncalled for,” groaned Lennon.
The Championship side came close to a third on two occasions but the game was level on 68 minutes when Mallan took advantage of a bit of space and his lovely shot left Fox rooted to his line.
County put so much into the game but Hibs came up with a winner a minute into added time.
Horgan got the ball onto his left foot outside the box and with supreme accuracy sent the ball into the bottom corner.
Stuart Kettlewell, the County co-manager, said: "We answered a few questions from the hangover from last season by acquitting ourselves well against a top Premiership side.”
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