Hibs verdict: It has to click in front of goal soon - Ibrox trip would be ideal time to start firing on all cylinders

Two points from 15, two league goals scored since Boxing Day – none by a striker – and the chance to go fourth passed up, again.

The jeering at full time as Hibs sunk to a second home defeat in three matches was predictable. Fans are getting fed up. The goodwill sparked by a battling Edinburgh derby performance had been washed away at a damp Easter Road by half-time on Saturday.

The worst part? Hibs are still creating plenty of chances but a combination of poor finishing, great goalkeeping, and the continued absence of Lady Luck is preventing them from finding the net.

Chris Cadden appears to have taken over Martin Boyle’s role as the key attacking outlet and to his credit the quality of his balls into the box is improving game by game, but something just isn’t clicking in front of goal.

Frustration for Scott Allan, left, and Chris Mueller after Hibs succumb to defeat against St Mirren

Chris Mueller is starting to show just why Hibs worked so hard to bring him across from MLS and the American had Hibs’ best chance in the first half, coming close to his first goal in green and white until a last-ditch tackle prevented him from pulling the trigger.

Jak Alnwick’s role in keeping Hibs goalless should not be overlooked – his first stop from Ewan Henderson was instinctive stuff and his second was spectacular but the uncomfortable truth is that the hosts just didn't trouble him as much as they would have wanted.

Speaking after the game Henderson admitted he should have scored one of his chances.

"We created a lot of chances but didn't take any of them, and it came back to haunt us. The gaffer told me before he put me on at half-time to try and create things. I created a few chances, had a chance to score myself which I should have scored but that's football.

"The St Mirren 'keeper's made an unbelievable save but I feel I should have scored.

"We'll need to bounce back on Wednesday and put in a good performance at Ibrox and get the victory.”

Henderson impressed during his 45-minute appearance and didn’t do any harm to his chances of starting against Rangers on Wednesday night.

"It's up to the gaffer, he picks the team. I just have to get my head down and work hard and see what happens.”

Boss Shaun Maloney has called on his team to put in the same performance as they did against Celtic but to take their chances. It is becoming a similar refrain.

The addition of Sylvester Jasper looks a shrewd bit of business. The on-loan Fulham youngster was understandably a bit rusty but showed fleeting glimpses of what he can bring to the team in the final third.

Maloney said: “I thought Sylvester had a positive impact, as did Ewan. Again, almost every time that Ewan comes on, he is a positive.

"It is still a really disappointing day, but those individual players can be happy with what they produced in a difficult moment.”

Rangers will be a stern test in midweek but the gut feeling is that things have to click at some point for Hibs in front of goal. If it all comes together at Ibrox, it should give the team the lift it needs to go on a more positive run of results.

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