Michael Stewart impressed by Hibs transfer business as two recruits catch his eye in dominant Kilmarnock win

Michael Stewart senses Hibs have hit form at the right time - as two winter recruits take headlines from the weekend win over Kilmarnock.

After arriving earlier this calendar year, Owen Elding, Felix Passlack and Ante Suto all struck in Saturday’s 3-0 Premiership success. It means David Gray’s side have lost just once since January and their bid for fourth place - the final automatic European qualifier spot - has gone up a notch with Motherwell’s 3-2 defeat versus Falkirk.

The Steelmen have gone off the boil with three defeats out the last four and the gap between them in fourth to Hibs beneath them is down to just three points, albeit they hold a superior goal difference. Elding up top has impressed Stewart in a campaign filled with good recruitment, with Passlack also lauded after a goal and an assist for the Irishman’s opener inside a minute of play proceeding. He notes Easter Road frustrations this term but insists there are signs of them coming good.

What signings at Hibs have impressed Michael Stewart

“If you look at all the stats and the metrics over the game and also just watching it, you get a sense of it was a fairly comfortable afternoon for Hibs,” Stewart told Sportscene. “The early goal obviously helps massively but a disallowed goal for Killie as well. All those little moments that helped to sort of give Hibs that feeling of dominance and comfort, and it certainly is building up a nice head of steam for Hibs as it's coming into the post-split fixtures.

“The chance to perhaps just close that gap even more on Motherwell and try and jump ahead of them. It's a dream start, absolutely, and I think Owen Elding's got a wee bit of something about him. Good physicality, very direct, you see him there. He just wants to get into the danger area right from the get-go. You watch him here, he's highlighted, bursting run.

“Sees that gap and gets right into the penalty spot area, and it's a lovely little slide-through pass from Passlack, perfectly weighted so that Elding can step on it at one touch and then gets his strike away quickly. Then it's effectively passed Kelly Roos before he can really react, and it's a dream start for Hibs.

Michael Stewart on Hibs chances of Europe

“You know, I've said this all season long, when you look at that Hibs team, I think they've recruited well right across the summer and January. They're a good team that have shot themselves in the foot so many times throughout the campaign and there's an element of frustration that this season could be better. But they're certainly building up to a good run of form at the end here to potentially be able to get themselves into the hunt for fourth spot.

”I've highlighted the two centre-backs here. You've got Robbie Dees and Stanger, and clearly they've vacated the centre of the defence. And as we've spoken about before with Hibs in the first goal, they had a real intent to get in behind, running power. You've got one wing-back here in Jordan Obita playing it for the other wing-back, Passlack, to knock it into the back of the net.

“I think that just perfectly illustrates what the performance was like for Hibs. Players wanting to get forward. Players wanting to get into dangerous areas and in the end it becomes an easy finish for Passlack. A lot of it was down to poor defending.”