Well we made it, folks. Same number of games, and we’re top of the table.
This was the outcome that Sevco fans were sure wouldn’t come about back when we dropped points at Kilmarnock.
For all they are boasting on their great defensive record, it is not going to matter if we keep on scoring and, more importantly, keep on winning.
Whatever else I might say of him, Neil Lennon builds points winning machines.
This was always the Sevco blind-spot when it came to our manager. They believed that because he doesn’t have the quality of Rodgers that they could see a path to stopping the ten; it was never likely, because both in his first term at the club and in this one, Lennon puts points on the board.
This season has a long way to go, but already Sevco has flubbed a chance to push clear. All the big talk in the wake of the Kilmarnock game about how they might soon be well in front of us would have been a lot more convincing had it lasted longer than a week.
Certainly, we took a lift from that. The pressure of being front runners is evidently too hot for them to handle. They go into tomorrow’s game knowing they need a win or the vice will start to tighten on them instead of us … and we know we can cope with it, whilst history has shown that they can’t.
There is no magic spell for them here; what wins leagues is the relentless winning of matches, week on week on week on week.
We are past masters at it.
And we know Sevco are past masters at bottling it big time.
Will they win tomorrow? Probably. Hibs blow hot and cold, and whilst they are one of the better teams in the league this season I’d prefer Sevco to be up against a team of bruisers who will take advantage of their recent injury problems to kick them off the park.
I’d prefer them on a plastic pitch where the opposition defends deep and hits on the counter.
Still, the pressure is back where it belongs; on their shoulders instead of ours. Whilst we’ve still got a game to play they know any points they drop prior to it will likely result in us leapfrogging them … and in that scenario, they could come apart rapidly as they did in January.
They know this, and they fear it.
Their worst nightmare of a few months ago was made flesh today when we edged back in front of them.
If we get ahead on points they know we could be over the hills and far away before they even get their breath back.
Tomorrow is going to be interesting.
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