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

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