Kevin Nisbet: Hibernian's season could be revived by Scotland striker
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Watch: 'Brilliant to see Hibernian's Nisbet back'
Almost every time Kevin Nisbet touched the ball in the Motherwell box, he scored.
The Hibernian striker was the definition of clinical at Fir Park as his hat-trick ended his side's dreadful run of six straight away defeats.
He is now his team's joint top-scorer in the league with five goals, having only played five games since his comeback from a nine-month lay-off with a knee injury.
So could he revive Hibs' season? The man himself is keeping calm.
"I think it's something to build on and we can't get too far ahead of ourselves," he told BBC Scotland.
"It's only one win and we have a lot of big games to come. A big three games coming up with two in the league and one in the Scottish Cup (against Heats)."
Nisbet is right of course, it was only Hibs' third win in 12 league games. Motherwell still scored twice and could, on another day, have taken something.
But a week after manager Lee Johnson professed himself "sick of the mediocrity" in front of goal, his main striker delivered the goods.
It was a textbook display of penalty-box finishing.
He slipped away from his - admittedly sluggish - markers for his first, got in the right place for a tap-in to score his second, and sprinted across Sondre Solholm Johansen to finish first time for his second treble for Hibs.
Four touches in the box. Three goals.
"For him to be out for such a long time and get a hat-trick - they were terrific finishes," former Hibs manager John Collins said on Sportsound. "If Hibs can create, he'll score goals."
Another man who will be delighted to see Nisbet return to fitness and form is the Scotland head coach Steve Clarke.
Nisbet has one goal in his 10 caps and will add to his country's striker pool again, which is no small thing in a position the national side are short of numbers.
"You look at him and the work Lawrence Shankland's doing across the city (at Hearts) and it gives options," former Scotland striker Steven Thompson said on Sportsound.
"It's great for Steve Clarke to have these players scoring regularly for their clubs. And for Nisbet, it will do his confidence the world of good."
The supporting cast
No number nine can prosper without service of course, and Nisbet's supporting cast stood up at Fir Park.
Aiden McGeady, on his first start of the season because of his own injury problems, was excellent for Hibs. He set up the opening goal and created more chances than any of his team-mates.
Nisbet himself said Hibs are a "better team" with McGeady involved.
"As a striker you don't have to do too much in the box because you know the ball is going to be there," he said. "You could see that for the first goal, I just took a touch and tapped it in."
Collins also thinks McGeady will be instrumental for Hibs' prospects.
"He's going to make a difference to this team," Collins said. "He always receives it in tight situations and takes care of the ball, and plays those little passes through for Nisbet.
"If Hibs can keep him fit, the fans will enjoy watching him."
Johnson feels keeping his attacking players - Martin Boyle, who is out for the season, aside - could be the key to looking up the table rather than settling for their current seventh place.
Though there are still frailties at the back, particularly if Ryan Porteous leaves the club in January.
"I've always maintained our front line, when fully fit, is really dangerous for this level," Johnson told BBC Scotland. "That then relieves pressure on the backline.
"Magennis, Nisbet, McGeady, every time they come through a set of minutes, it makes me happier because I know we're going to step on further as a football club."
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