Garry Parker urges Hibs to play with no fear and entertain against St Mirren

Garry Parker has challenged confidence-shorn Hibs to come out all guns blazing against St Mirren tonight as they bid to reignite their season.

The Easter Road side have slipped from second to eighth in the Premiership after taking just two points from their last six matches.

In an effort to try and grind out a much-needed result at Rugby Park on Saturday, Hibs management sent out a team containing seven naturally defensive players, but the plan backfired as Kilmarnock roared to a convincing 3-0 victory. Assistant manager Parker explained that it will be a more attack-minded team that takes to the Easter Road pitch tonight as they bid to get back on track against a St Mirren side who have won only one of their last 15 matches. “We’re at home and we need to go and attack and try and score goals and win a game of football,” said Parker. “We’re struggling for confidence defensively and we’re not scoring goals. There’s a lack of confidence all round, you can see it. But I think against St Mirren we’ll be fine.”

Parker is adamant that he and manager Neil Lennon will steer Hibs through this difficult period.

Hibs assistant manager Garry Parker knows the team are low on confidence. Pic: SNS

“For the two and a half years since we’ve been here, it’s been going well, but this is a sticky patch,” he said. “It’s six games now, so it’s about time we put it right. It’s our job to get the players performing again. I’m sure we’ll turn it around, in fact I know we will. They’re a good bunch of lads, they know they’re making mistakes. But they need to go and play with no fear, express themselves and entertain.”

Hibs will be without influential captain David Gray, who continues to be plagued by the muscle injury that has sidelined him for the past six games. The skipper was pencilled in to start at Rugby Park on Saturday but pulled out on the morning of the game. He won’t play tonight and is doubtful for Saturday’s trip to Hamilton Accies. “He’s out for tonight, maybe for the weekend,” said Parker. “We’ll just have to wait and see.”