Nick Montgomery jokes HE almost pulled on Hibs boots as injury hit side survive Scottish Cup scare

It was a narrow win for the Scottish Premiership side as they saw off League Two side Forfar in a 1-0 win.

Relieved Nick Montgomery joked Christian Doidge had saved him from having to pull on his boots for extra time as threadbare Hibs squeezed into the fifth round.

The Easter Road boss admits he read a half time riot act to lift his side against Forfar - down to the bare bones with four injured and four on international duty - out of a first half slumber. Doidge’s fifth goal of the season sent the bumper 3000 travelling support back to Leith with the cup dreams still in tact. But up until the Welshman’s 69th minute intervention, the Hibees had been living on the edge of disaster.

Home keeper Marc McCallum, the hero in the first half as he brilliantly saved Joe Newell’s spot kick, will be kicking himself for missing a punch at Doidge’s decisive moment. But so will Seb Ross who was foiled by a brilliant David Marshall save onto the post after just three minutes then blazed wide while one on one with the keeper early in the second half. Montgomery - who handed 17-year-old midfielder Rudi Molotnikov his first start but could only name six subs - admits he had to tell a few home truths at the break. He said: “I’m glad you weren’t standing outside the dressing room at half-time!

“We made it difficult for ourselves but the boys responded second half and I told them afterwards we have to start better. I’m really happy for Doidgey to get the goal and to get into the next round.

“He’s had a tough season with an eye injury then the groin injury but he’s always a threat in the box. He times his jumps well and that was the perfect Doidgey goal from a good ball from Jair Tavares.

“What we didn’t need was extra time today. I think myself and David Gray would have had to pull the boots on because we are really struggling for numbers at the minute.

“I think it shows how stretched we are. There is no-one else available. Kanayo Megwa came back from loan but is cup-tied. Myziane Maolida will hopefully have his paperwork through, so that gives us another couple of bodies.

“We are looking at bringing players in to give us options on the bench. But having the academy players involved today gives them a great experience.”

Montgomery admits he can’t bank on any of the £500,000 sell on fee Hibs are due for Josh Doig’s €6million move from Verona to Sassuolo bumping up his January budget. He said: “I wish it was that simple. Maybe the transfer’s done but there’s still a few weeks left and a lot going on at the club.

“I knew this window was going to be tight. I don’t think any of that money will be in the budget. I’ve said it many times, I won’t bring in players who aren’t going to have an instant impact. What I need is players to have an instant impact on the team, creating competition for places.

“If not, they’re just going to sit on the bench and block the path for young players. It’s a balancing act. The first signing is an exciting one. Myself and Brian McDermott are on the phone every single day. We were really close to a defender last week, then all of a sudden his circumstances change at his club and he wasn’t available the next day.

“It’s a day-by-day thing that we have to monitor. We’ve got a couple of weeks and we’re working really hard to find the right re-enforcements for the second half of the season. We need players.”