Hibs cup hero Lewis Stevenson in desperate fight for fitness ahead of Hearts clash

Hibs look increasingly likely to head into Saturday’s Scottish Cup semi-final against Hearts without the man who already has two cup winner’s medals with the club.

Hibernian’s Lewis Stevenson is in a race against time to prove his fitness ahead of Saturday's Scottish Cup semi-final derby. Photo by Craig Foy/SNS Group

Lewis Stevenson, who was part of the League Cup winning side in 2007 and one of the men who will go down in history after he helped end the Leith side’s 114-year Scottish Cup drought, in 2016, hobbled away from Rugby Park in a protective boot after he rolled his ankle in the 1-0 triumph over Kilmarnock last weekend.

Jack Ross, who won one and lost one of his first two derbies as Hibs manager, had hoped that the injury would improve in time for the trip to Hampden, but the prognosis is not looking good and the 32-year-old left-back looks set to miss out on the Capital derby.

Overshadowed by young Josh Doig when the Premiership season got under way, the veteran defender had forced his way back into the starting line-up at the beginning of October.

But, in what could be the only derby of the season against Championship Hearts, Scotland U-19 starlet Doig now looks likely to step back in.

In more positive news, the Hibs boss is hoping to have at least one of his wingers back to bolster his attacking options.

Drey Wright and Jamie Murphy, who are recovering from groin and hamstring niggles respectively, came close to being in contention for the game with Kilmarnock, but it was decided not to risk them due to the plastic pitch. Their rehabilitation remains on track, though, and there is an expectation that at least one of them will feature against Robbie Neilson’s Hearts side.

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