Nish calls for United front at Hibs

HIBS striker Colin Nish today admitted he'd been floored by Motherwell's stunning second-half fightback – but insisted he and his team-mates can still reach the heights of Europe.

When he should have been celebrating his first hat-trick in almost five years, the Easter Road star was the picture of dejection after Lukas Jutkiewicz grabbed a last-gasp equaliser to ensure Craig Brown's side remain favourites to take fourth spot in the SPL table.

With it goes the final guaranteed place in next season's Europa League, although fifth could also bring that prize provided Dundee United beat First Division Ross County in next weekend's Active Nation Scottish Cup final.

Nish, however, insisted he doesn't want to be forced through a nail-biting afternoon awaiting the outcome of that Hampden showdown, much preferring some direct action by winning at Tannadice on Sunday.

Even then, Hibs will be left looking for a favour, hoping champions Rangers can celebrate their title party in style as Motherwell visit Ibrox for their final game of the season.

A draw on Tayside might possibly be enough depending on events in Govan thanks to Hibs' superior goal difference but, Nish conceded, John Hughes' players should never have found themselves in such a nerve-shredding position.

Four goals to the good with only 25 minutes to play, Hibs should have found themselves in the driving seat in the race for Europe, leaving Motherwell needing nothing less than a win against Rangers. But, in one of the most incredible collapses in recent history, the Easter Road outfit contrived to throw away their 6-2 lead, having to settle for a share of a dozen goals, the most ever scored in a single SPL match.

It was the latest setback to the hopes and aspirations of all those in green and white, who only a few weeks ago seemed assured of third place – and possibly even better – only to find their season hitting a brick wall, Hughes' players having notched just two wins in their last 17 matches.

Such a calamitous run of results would normally have ended any club's pretensions of European football, the fact Hibs go into the final weekend of the season still in contention testament to their scintillating form in the first half of the campaign.

And, today, Nish urged his team-mates to take full advantage of the final opportunity presented to them. He said: "I'm gutted, I just cannot believe we have put ourselves in this situation but it is our fault, we are the ones on the park and we are to blame.

"The fact we were 6-2 up and had to settle for a point makes it feel more like a defeat than a draw. It was unbelievable we didn't manage to take all three points.

"As professional players, playing in the top league in Scotland, 6-2 up with so much riding on the game and not to come away with a victory, leaves you feeling embarrassed."

Again, though, it was Hibs' propensity for losing late goals – a trait which Motherwell boss Brown revealed he had highlighted to his players – which cost them so dearly, winning positions against Celtic and Hearts having also been meekly surrendered over the course of the past month. Even so, Nish was adamant that, while confidence has taken another battering, there's enough within the Easter Road squad to bounce back from their Fir Park debacle.

He said: "We managed to lift ourselves after a disappointing result against Hearts and we have to do it again.

"We shouldn't have lost all the goals we did against Motherwell but hopefully come Sunday we'll manage to score a few again."

Nish acknowledged that Rangers may be distracted to some degree by the carnival atmosphere which will greet their latest championship win but he also argued that United may also be less than fully focused with their big day out at Hampden only a few days away. He added: "Rangers are more than capable of scoring against any team and, if we have managed six against Motherwell, you'd expect Rangers to also score against them – and perhaps not concede as many as we did.

"United might have half an eye on the Cup final and might want to rest a few players but they have a big squad, a good squad so it will be tough for us regardless. But we know what we have to do. If we do what we did for the first hour at Fir Park then we will finish fourth, provided Rangers do us a favour."

As such, Nish refused to countenance the "safety net" of fifth, arguing: "It might be enough depending on the Cup final but I don't want to think about that because we can't influence it. Our aim before Wednesday night's match was fourth place and that's what it will be again on Sunday."

Nish admitted, though, that he was still struggling to comprehend exactly what went on at Motherwell, the hitman having claimed only the second hat-trick of his career, the first coming when he netted three for Kilmarnock against Livingston in August 2005.

The 29-year-old, who also hit the post and had strong claims for what Hughes described as a "stonewall penalty" turned down by referee Willie Collum when Hibs were leading 4-2, said: "I was enjoying my hat-trick up until ten seconds to go. We've lost so many goals in the last ten minutes of matches it's unbelievable. Every time I looked round Motherwell seemed to be scoring.

"We should have defended better and when I say that I don't just mean the defence.

"I felt Anthony Stokes and myself didn't hold the ball up well, the whole team took the foot off the pedal so it's not just the back four who are getting the blame.

"It was gut-wrenching really, I've never played in a game like it. But it's done and dusted and we have to look forward to what is a big, big game on Sunday.

"Depending on what happens at Ibrox, a draw might be enough but we aren't looking at it that way, we'll be going to Tannadice looking to win.

"We'll give it our all and, hopefully, come the final whistle, we'll have taken fourth, be in Europe and be looking on the season as a success."