'Hibs have got to win sometime surely?' - Journalists' predictions for Hibs v Ross County

Lewis Stevenson keeps a close eye on the ball and Ross County's Josh Mullin during a previous encounter

Anthony Brown

Despite showing clear signs of promise amid their four-game unbeaten run over the past month, Hibs are still not displaying the required ruthlessness to see out a victory.

This sense of fragility when a match reaches its business end means it is impossible to be particularly confident about their prospects of defeating a sixth-place County side who were on an impressive run of form prior to last weekend’s 6-0 defeat at Celtic Park. Prediction: Draw.

Craig Fowler

Hibs have got to win sometime, surely? While it feels like I've been saying this for weeks, I reckon that time will come tomorrow.

Even though they didn't get all three points, there was a lot to like about the Hamilton performance. They were the better team without Scott Allan in the starting XI with Stevie Mallan and Joe Newell stepping up in attack.

And though Christian Doidge didn't score, having a goal disallowed, just seeing the ball hit the back of the net might just give him the confidence lift needed to halt his barren spell. County, meanwhile, could still be licking their wounds from last weekend's hammering at Parkhead. Prediction: Home win

Neil McGlade

Hibs will still be wondering how they failed to take maximum points from Hamilton last weekend. They dominated for long spells but couldn’t find that crucial second goal and, ultimately, paid the price.

Given Ross County’s slaughtering at Celtic Park, the onus will be on the home side to attack what is expected to be a vulnerable-looking defence. Hibs may be unbeaten in their last three league outings but the return of three points is nothing to write home about.

With a double header against County and Livingston to come - both at Easter Road - the target must be six points if Hibs are serious about pushing themselves back into top-six contention. I think it will be another frustrating afternoon for Heckingbottom’s men. Prediction: Draw.

Patrick McPartlin

I backed Hibs to win against Aberdeen and Hamilton, only to be undone by a late equaliser at Pittodrie and a soft penalty at Accies. So will I be backing the Easter Road side to get a result against a tricky opponent, with the script practically written for former Hibee Brian Graham to grab the winner in injury time?

Yes. Stevie Mallan's assertion that Hibs would end up giving one team a doing (or words to that effect) is probably not too far wide of the mark. Hibs have been doing a lot of the right things in the past few matches. All they need is a rub of the green - a shot going in off the post, or a fortuitous deflection - and that could set them on their way to a convincing win. Mistakes that have littered the draws-from-winning-position matches have to be stamped out and I think this is the game when they will be.

County are no mugs, and their early-season form put several other teams - probably including Hibs - to shame. However, they've not won at Easter Road since 2012, and that, coupled with the fact that a) Hibs surely can't take the lead in yet another match and chuck it and b) by the law of averages they've *got* to win some time, I'm going for a morale-boosting home victory. Prediction: Hibs win

Joel Sked

A visit to Hamilton seemed the ideal time to get three points and the first win in 90 minutes since the opening day of the season. Hibs looked in complete control before Stevie Mallan conceded a penalty and Accies equalised.

There were positives to take. They didn't concede many chances, while Joe Newell and Mallan impressed. Again, Ross County pose an opportunity to finally get a win but it is hard to trust Hibs to do it.

They have the players, the quality but there are still questions regarding mentality. If they get frustrated or go behind, can they come back? If they get in the lead, do they have it in them to hold out and protect the lead?

County will be looking to bounce back from the 6-0 defeat at Celtic Park but showed there are issues defensively. Prediction: Hibs win. Just.