Hibernian

Scott Allardice, Jack Baldwin, Ross Callachan, Will Nightingale remain out for Ross County.

Australia winger Martin Boyle misses out for Hibs after being left concussed by a collision in the Scottish Cup loss to Rangers.

Midfielder Nathan Moriah-Welsh is suspended following his dismissal for violent conduct against Rangers but left-back Jordan Obita, who received two bookings in that game, is available as his suspension applies to the next cup match.

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• Ross County have won just one of their last six Scottish Premiership matches against Hibernian (D2 L3) and are without a win in their last three (D2 L1). In fact, Ross County’s last league match was a 0-2 loss to Hibs, making this match the first time the Staggies have ever played the same opponent in consecutive matches in the Scottish top-flight within the same season.

• Hibernian have only lost one of their last five Scottish Premiership away games against Ross County (W2 D2), going down 1-0 in November 2021 under Jack Ross.

• After losing three home league matches on the bounce between December and February, Ross County are unbeaten in their last two (W1 D1) and are looking to make it three unbeaten at home for the second time this season – also doing so between November and December 2023.

• Hibernian have drawn each of their last three away matches in the Scottish Premiership, they haven’t drawn four in a row on the road since May 2018.

• Ross County defender Ryan Leak is the only player in the Scottish Premiership who has made 100+ clearances (124), won 100+ duels (184), won 100+ aerial duels (119) and made 40+ interceptions (44) this season.

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

It’s hard to know where to start with Hibs’ Scottish Cup defeat to Rangers at Easter Road on Sunday night.

The team played well, particularly in the second half, and competed against a strong Rangers team, only to yet again be on the wrong end of some questionable refereeing decisions.

We’ve had four big games over the course of the last month or so, with the results against Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, and Hearts all hinging on controversial refereeing decisions.

VAR is supposed to support the referees, but I’m writing this wondering how, with Martin Boyle can be booked for diving against Celtic, while Rangers get a penalty for a near-identical incident. It certainly bamboozled Nick Montgomery as he reflected on it post-match.

The referee’s handling of the game on Sunday night has sparked outrage amongst the Hibs support. We joked before the game about guessing the minute and the reason for Rangers’ penalty. It shouldn’t be funny.

Not that I want to side with Hearts on anything, but after their League Cup semi-final, Steven Naismith questioned why, after sending his player off for a perceived dive only for VAR to intervene, the referee’s instinct was to give the decision in favour of Rangers, and not Hearts, before letting VAR check.

The referee’s calls were littered with such decisions on Sunday night, as Rangers seemed to routinely get the benefit of the doubt before VAR had a look to see if a clear and obvious error had been made.

As a supporter, it’s infuriating. The referee lost control of the game, Hibs were reduced to nine men, with both red cards debatable, and the game was killed as a contest.

I send my thoughts for a speedy recovery to Boyle, who was taken off on a stretcher after suffering a concussion in being knocked unconscious in the first half.

Hibs chief executive Ben Kensell commented that Hibs would look to act on sectarian singing when asked about it at the club’s AGM at the end of February.

After the despicable singing from Rangers fans aimed at Boyle, Hibs have now confirmed they will reduce ticket allocations for away supporters with the exception of Hearts. The club are to be applauded for taking such decisive action.

Matty Fairnie can be found on the Longbangers podcast, external.

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Myziane Maolida says he is more than ready to take on Ross County, as the Hibs winger prepares to play through the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

The Hertha Berlin loanee began fasting during daylight hours on Monday, but will be able to eat before kick-off in Dingwall on Wednesday.

Maolida is also unable to drink during the day, but says the focus on his faith is good for his personal wellbeing.

“It’s not a difficult thing because I am prepared to do Ramadan," Maolida told Hibs TV. "I did it last year so for me it’s a very good moment.

“I am feeling very good in my body and head so it will be a good thing for me to do Ramadan.

“We have to eat in the morning at four o’clock and after prayers you cannot eat any more, you have to wait until six and you eat after sleeping again. If you eat well in the morning it’s very easy.

“The more difficult thing is not to drink but when it’s normal for you it’s not so difficult.

“We have some days to prepare for this during the year, so you can sometimes do a fast to prepare your body for the month of Ramadan.”

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Nick Montgomery says referees being part-time is an issue in Scottish football, and believes full-time officials would make a difference.

The Hibs head coach said the referees had a "bad day" against Rangers, when he saw two of his players sent off.

“I just don’t want to comment on last night, I’m probably a little bit disappointed in some of the decisions but it is what it is," Montgomery said.

“[VAR] definitely does help the game. There are positives and negatives to it and it’s easy to talk about the negatives. The positives really are when a goal is scored to double check the goal should stand.

“We have to be honest, with part-time referees, it’s a full-time job reviewing and learning and like anything you don’t learn overnight.

“It’s a process that takes a little bit of time so you have to give a period of time for people to get used to something new. It’s like anything. We just want consistency.

“It's not for me to rule whether it should work or shouldn’t work but we should be talking more about the football other than incidents and I think that’s what frustrates everybody.

“For sure [full-time referees would help]. It’s probably not fair in referees at times. They have part-time jobs and have to go to other jobs.

“How can you focus full time on being the best you can as a referee and in a league as big as the SPFL with teams who have huge budgets and play Champions League football as well?

“That is something that is talked about year in year out and it definitely would help out the referees and the officials to spend more time on reviewing the games and the decisions.”

In a reverse of Hibs' previous league fixture, they travel away to Ross County in the Scottish Premiership.

The previous match at the start of the month ended 2-0 to the Easter Road side, but should Nick Montgomery make any changes after the Scottish Cup defeat to Rangers?

Tell us your preferred starting XI here.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland

Hibs head coach Nick Montgomery has been facing the media ahead of their game against Ross County on Wednesday.

Here were his main points:

• Says he spoke to Martin Boyle when he was still "a little bit groggy" this morning after his injury against Rangers, and admits he was concerned there was possible neck damage as a result of the fall.

• With Boyle now home from hospital, Montgomery confirmed the winger will not be available on Wednesday for the game against Ross County but would not rule out a return for the weekend against Livingston.

• Says he stands by his comments on the referee's decisions last night - he remains "disappointed" by some of the decisions.

• On VAR, he believes it does help the game, but when asked if full-time referees would help his answer was: "for sure".

• Believes his side can take some positives from the performance in the 2-0 loss against Rangers, and should help his side finish the season strongly.

• Says it is "a learning" for Nathan Moriah-Welsh who will be disappointed with his red card against Rangers, but says he has a "great attitude" and is a "real crowd-pleaser" with bags of energy.

• Despite Moriah-Welsh set to miss Wednesday on suspension, believes Nectarios Triantis was "outstanding" against Rangers, and adds with Dylan Levitt returning from sickness and a "consistent" Joe Newell available, he has a lot of options in midfield.

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Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland

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Chris Cadden admits to bittersweet feelings on his first start of the season, with his injury comeback ending in Scottish Cup quarter-final defeat to Rangers.

The Hibs right-back ruptured his Achilles tendon in the Edinburgh derby on the final day of last season and had to undertake a long and painful recovery journey before finally reclaiming his place in the strating XI at Easter Road on Sunday.

"It’s great to be back," Cadden said. "It’s been a long nine months of hard work and sacrifice but it’s good to be out there again.

"To get 90 minutes under my belt is a big tick in the box for me this season. It’s just unfortunate the way it turned out."

"It was a horrible injury. It’s tough at the start, trying to get your strength back. The strength you lose is wild. I can’t really ask for much more from the club. They’ve been great. There’s been a lot of hard work to get here so hopefully I can have a good end to the season now and stay injury-free."

While Cadden has been out, Hibs have struggled for consistency, although the signs since several new arrivals came on board in the January transfer window have been more encouraging, with the Scottish Cup defeat the capital club’s first reverse in six games.

"We’ve been in a really good place the last couple of weeks," Cadden said. "You can see where we’re going, there’s a real style and identity there. It’s exciting times, I feel, at Hibs.

"It was great to get back out there from a personal point of view and get involved. There’s a big end to the season coming: top six and after that, go from there. We know that and that’s our full focus."

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• Rangers have now won their last six meetings with Hibs, and are unbeaten in their last eight since a 3-1 League Cup semi-final loss in November 2021.

• The Ibrox side have won those last six games with an aggregate score of 19-4.

• This is the first time two red cards have been shown in this fixture since Alfredo Morelos and John Lundstram - who netted in the weekend's win - were both shown red in the 2-2 draw in August 2022.

• Hibs have now not beaten Rangers in 13 meetings at Easter Road, their last win being in April 2016 in the Scottish Championship.

Nick Montgomery bemoaned "unnecessary drama" after his Hibernian side had two players sent off in the Scottish Cup loss to Rangers. (Scotsman - subscription required), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip

Hibs manager Nick Montgomery discusses Martin Boyle's condition, and his side's performance against Rangers in the Scottish Cup.

There won't be another Hampden trip for the Hibees.

What did you make of the performance and the big moments in the game? Did Hibs deserve to be down to nine men?

Give us your thoughts.

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Hibernian boss Nick Montgomery told BBC Scotland: "Proud of the boys' effort, little bit frustrated with the way the game went and some of the decisions.

"We probably should have scored a goal or two, we limited them to very little. They're a top side. We gave them a real tough game.

"The officials had a bit of a bad day today, but everybody can have a bad day."

On Martin Boyle: "He's landed on his head, probably a bit of concussion, bit of a sore neck and that's something you have to worry about. I'll call him tonight and hopefully get an update."

On the red cards: "I haven't seen [Jordan] Obita's second yellow. I thought Nathan's [Moriah-Welsh] is really harsh, he's gone across [John] Lundstram. I don't think he really contacted.

"For a strong player like John to go down the way he did... I'm surprised the referee didn't go to the monitor. I'm just bemused by some of the decisions."

Sean McGill
BBC Sport Scotland

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For Hibs, it's a sense of frustration as Hampden eludes them on this occasion. There wasn't much between the sides for much of the affair, only for their lack of discipline to effectively end the contest.

Again though, their winter signings showed why fortunes have turned in recent weeks, with Nectarios Triantis thriving in the frenzy occurring in the middle of the park.

Focus must now shift to securing a place in the top-six before the split comes around.

Achieve that, and sneaking into Europe isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

Nectarios Triantis had a clanger of a start to life in a Hibs jersey.

But since being taken out of the backline, the Sunderland loanee has found comfort in the middle of the park.

Against the league leaders, the Australian stayed cool and composed while others around him lost his head.

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Nick Montgomery makes two changes to the Hibs side that defeated Ross County last Saturday.

Chris Cadden makes his long-awaited return to the starting line-up, 288 days on from his last start.

He replaces Lewis Miller as the more defensive-minded Nectarios Triantis comes in for striker Dylan Vente.

• Follow our live coverage

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Hibernian: Marshall, Cadden, Fish, Rocky, Triantis, Obita, Moriah-Welsh, Newell, Marcdones, Boyle, Maolida.

Substitutes: Wollacott, Hanlon, Levitt, Youan, Mayenda, Stevenson, Le Fondre, Tavares, Whittaker.

Rangers: Butland, Tavernier, Goldson, Souttar, Yilmaz, Lundstram, Diomande, Lawrence, Sterling, Silva, Dessers.

Substitutes: McCrorie, Davies, Balogun, Barisic, McKinnon, Raskin, McCausland, Matondo, Roofe.