Neil Lennon: Hibs are lacking quality in the final third

Posted Thursday, January 24, 2019 by PA

Hibernian head coach Neil Lennon admits his side do not look like they are going to score after they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Motherwell.

David Turnbull’s well-taken 43rd-minute goal was enough to earn Motherwell three Ladbrokes Premiership points and left Hibs seven points off the top six.

The visitors struggled to test goalkeeper Mark Gillespie despite dominating second-half possession and Daryl Horgan missed an excellent chance on the hour mark when he dinked the ball wide with the Motherwell goalkeeper committed.

It was the eighth time in 13 league games that Hibs have failed to score.

Lennon’s frustration was compounded by the fact centre-back Ryan Porteous went off with a recurrence of a knee injury in the 28th minute.

Lennon said: “We had good domination of the game, particularly second half, and failed to score again.

“We had to rejig the team with Ryan going off and that gave impetus to Motherwell, and that’s when they got their goal.

“It was average from us first half, second half was a lot better, but we are lacking quality in the final third.

“We had two or three great chances, not only to get ourselves back in the game but also to win it, and we are failing at the minute.

“At the minute I’m not getting the feeling from this team that we are going to score. There’s a lack of belief there.”

Lennon fears Porteous could be missing for a “considerable period of time”.

“His knee has popped out,” he added. “We don’t know the extent of it yet.

“It might have been (the same injury as before) but it looks a bit more severe this time.”

Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson made five changes following their William Hill Scottish Cup defeat by Ross County and his selection paid off.

“The performances were night and day,” Robinson said.

“I said it and it’s not an excuse, we looked like it was a pre-season game (against Ross County) with people getting back to fitness and I’m first to hold my hands up, I didn’t get the team right, but we got it right tonight.

“There were some very, very good performances. Our energy levels were superb, but also our quality.”