Friday, March 29, 2024
SportHibsNeil Lennon seeks Hibs ruthlessness and urges team to cope with expectations...

Neil Lennon seeks Hibs ruthlessness and urges team to cope with expectations after Dundee Utd draw

FOLLOW US ON TWITTER | FACEBOOK

NEIL Lennon has urged his Hibs side to become more ruthless and deal better with the expectations of being Championship favourites.

The Easter Road side let slip a 1-0 lead and failed to capitalise fully on an hour of domination as they drew 1-1 with Dundee United on Sunday.

The result denied the capital outfit the opportunity to regain top spot in the table and left Lennon frustrated as his team went a third game without victory.

The former Celtic boss insists Hibs should have extended the advantage given to them by James Keatings’ 35th-minute strike before defender William Edjenguele headed in United’s 68th-minute equaliser.

After defeat to Ayr United and last weekend’s goalless draw with Queen of the South, Lennon was critical of their failure to make their overall dominance count.

He said: “It is frustrating but that has been the story for the last couple of games now.

“We were in total control and then, all of a sudden, we get really slack under no pressure.

“We had opportunities to go 2-0 up and that would have killed the game as we were so far in the ascendancy.

“But we let teams back in and it’s our own fault.

EXPECTATIONS

“We want to get out of this division and the players have to deal with the expectation better than they are showing at the minute.

“It’s not a major problem at the minute as we are playing well but our game management has to be better.”

After league leaders Queen of the South drew with Dumbarton, Falkirk could only pick up a point against St Mirren and Raith Rovers lost to Morton on Saturday, a win would have allowed Hibs to go top but the draw leaves them a point adrift of the Doonhamers first place.

The Easter Road men have still only lost one of their opening eight matches but Lennon confessed that failing to see off one of their main title rivals has irritated him.

He added: “There’s a long way to go. That’s just the natural course of the game – if you don’t win, teams are going to close the gap on you.

“We had an opportunity after other teams dropped points.

“But it’s basically as you were from last week and that’s annoyed me.”

@IainCollin

Related Stories