Source: FOOTYMAD
Hibs Hope Change of Competition Will Mean Change Of Fortune
Some clubs in indifferent form get a boost from cup games. Can Hibs break the losing habit today? Michael Hart is a doubt as Hibs prepare for today's Scottish Cup fourth round game with Second Division side Ayr at Easter Road. Right-back Hart has not trained this week due to illness and could join Graham Stack (back) in missing out, but Merouane Zemmama and Darryl Duffy, who made his first Hibs start at Tynecastle, will continue to be involved. Sol Bamba's departure to Leicester means Francis Dickoh and Paul Hanlon are set to continue in central defence, while Liam Miller is available despite picking up a yellow card in last Saturday's Edinburgh derby defeat at Hearts which means he is suspended for the next two league fixtures. Meanwhile, defender Dickoh has admitted he does not even know where Ayr could be found on a map. But Hibs manager Colin Calderwood is not too concerned. He said: "The Ayr that he's got to know about will be in the opposite half on Saturday'' Dickoh, who signed for Hibs in the summer from Utrecht in Holland, said he would not be able to pinpoint Ayr on a map and is happy the game is at home. The Ghana international said: "I would probably point to Denmark. They're playing at Easter Road, so it's good for me.'' Hibs hope the cup can provide a welcome break from their struggles in the league, where they lie 10th. Following last Saturday's 1-0 Edinburgh derby loss at Hearts, which took Calderwood's record as manager to two wins and seven loses in 11 games, Dickoh admits Hibs are in a relegation fight. He said: "The table never lies, so at this point we are. At this moment we are sitting in a hole. We need to stick together. At the moment we're letting ourselves down and we need to pick it up. It's good timing that we have a cup game. It's a game we really want to win, but on the other hand we don't want to lose too much focus as we need some points in the league. We need to dig deeper and try to redeem ourselves on Saturday. I really do want to try and do something big with this club and the Scottish Cup is a massive competition. We want to win this game, not only for the fans, but for ourselves, for the belief in the dressing room that we're not just saying we can play football, we have to show it.'' Ayr United are again without the injured pair of Bobby Donnelly and Dean Keenan. The Honest Men are also without on-loan Kilmarnock striker Danny McKay, who has not been given clearance to play by the Rugby Park club. However, Jonathan Tiffoney is available after a ban and Somerset Park boss Brian Reid is hoping that a large black and white following will help inspire his men. Reid said: "I am not getting fooled by the recent results Hibs have had as we are still massive underdogs for this game. We will have over 1,000 fans backing us and I reckon that will give our boys a massive lift so we will try and put on a good show for the fans.'' Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba net)This is Scottish-Fitba.Net
