'We like the pressure' - Hibs starter embraces Easter Road expectations as Sunderland loanee digs for victory

Under pressure? Just the way they like it. And, while Hibs players may reserve the right to change their opinions AFTER tomorrow’s home fixture against Ross County, there’s no denying that being in a tight spot gives an otherwise low-key contest a certain tang.

“The size of the club puts that pressure on us, and we like that pressure because it demands results and that's what you want in football, results,” is how Nectar Triantis sums up his team’s current plight, the on-loan Sunderland midfielder adding: “We have to have that mentality to go and win every game; you have to otherwise there's no point of playing.”

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It's fair to say that Hibs have fallen some way short of even the lowest expectations in a campaign slowly turning itself around after a calamitous start. But a win here will lift them off the foot of the table – and could see them end the weekend sitting as high as eighth in the Scottish Premiership. Heady days, indeed.

Against a County team who haven’t won a league game away from home since last September, there is obviously going to be an expectation on the hosts at Easter Road, although Triantis cautions: “Hibs are a good team and we're on the wrong end of the table, so you can't disrespect any team and have to give full focus and attention to every team. Each game is just as important as the next.”

As for whether Hibs deserve to be where they are in the standings, the midfielder confessed: “It's a tough question. I think we've been unfortunate at times and at times we've got what we've deserved. It's just how the league goes, and we have to take every game 100%.

“You can't lack in any game and as you've seen in the table, late goals have cost us and we're trying to fix that. We've had a couple of good performances now and we're trying to build on that and get the right performances and results.

“It's a very competitive league as you can see. One game, you can jump positions in every game. It's very competitive, very physical and I enjoy the battle.”

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Now in his second loan spell with Hibs, Triantis feels he’s learning all the time, the 21-year-old saying: “I've really enjoyed it, especially as a young player. Every game I'm sort of growing and developing and I can thank the boys and the staff around me where they've helped me grow so much in the last 12 months. I'm really thankful for that.

“I’m learning in all aspects because of how young I am and also a new position where I've gone into the midfield, and I've really grown and adapted into that. I’m improving all aspects of my game because I’m never going to be the finished product at 21.”