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SportHibsNeil Lennon urges Hibs to disprove accusations of slipping into 'old ways'...

Neil Lennon urges Hibs to disprove accusations of slipping into ‘old ways’ with Hamilton Accies defeat

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NEIL LENNON admits Hibs will have to work hard to shake off accusations they have slipped back to their old failings with Saturday’s defeat to Hamilton Accies.

The Easter Road outfit were riding high going into the game following progress to a Betfred Cup quarter-final against Livingston and back-to-back wins in the league.

The capital outfit’s 3-2 victory over Rangers at Ibrox won them plenty of praise and suggestions it was proof they could compete for second in the top-flight this term.

However, they were taught a lesson in their comprehensive 3-1 loss at home to Hamilton at the weekend when they turned in a display branded ‘abject’ by Lennon.

And the former Celtic manager has urged his side, who face Dundee on Sunday, to prove they have moved on from the days when they could raise their game one week and fall completely flat the following.

He said: “We’ve done brilliantly so far and we have to take that and learn from it.

“We’ve got a week to discuss it but I’m not going to over-analyse it.

“We’ve had a brilliant start to the season and I don’t want people thinking this is the old Hibs – going to Ibrox and winning and then losing to Hamilton.

“But that accusation is going to get thrown at us and we have to change that.

“We have to be far more consistent and if we are not going to win the game then make sure we don’t lose it.”

LEARNING PROCESS

Lennon accepted responsibility himself for Hibs’ sub-standard display at the weekend.

The Northern Irishman admitted he had not been on the backs of his players as much as usual in the build-up to the game and fears that may have played a part in the defeat.

He added on Hibs TV: “We thoroughly deserved to lose the game and that is bitterly disappointing. Maybe it’s part of the learning process.

“I don’t know if all the praise of the week got to the players. We looked flat and I could sense it.

“I didn’t think there was much wrong with the team selection. We wanted to get Danny [Swanson] in, because we thought we would have more of the ball than we did at Ibrox.

“But in all departments we were poor.”

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