AFTER spending nearly five months out due to a medical issue, it was understandable if Scott Allan wasn’t quite at his brilliant best for Hibernian in the Betfred Cup semi-final on Saturday.

But the midfielder, who brought a difficult spell on the sidelines to an end when he replaced Jamie Murphy in the second-half at Hampden, knows there can be no excuses for the Easter Road club’s abject all-round display against St Johnstone.

Jack Ross’s players failed to convert their scoring chances when they were on top and then were unable to defend a corner and a free-kick when their opponents were in the ascendancy.

Allan, who came on shortly after Hibs had fallen 3-0 behind, admitted his comeback had been a bittersweet occasion for him because of the poor performance and disappointing result.

“On a personal level I had mixed emotions,” he said. “First and foremost I am devastated by the result. I was just really happy to be back out there, sharing a changing room with my team mates again and back on the ball.

“I don’t really want to go too much into my personal issues over the past five months. I was just delighted to get minutes under my belt. It was the first proper game I have been involved in since August 30.

“I felt okay and that’s the positive. I felt tired, obviously. It’s been a long time, so I was really happy having come through it and having come through the last five months.

“You can train as much as you want, but nothing will replicate a game of football, never mind a semi-final of a cup with the chance to get to a final. I think I have shown the manager the hunger I have had to get back involved, and he obviously still has the trust in me to put me on.”

Allan feels that Hibs deserve the criticism they have received in the wake of their second semi-final defeat this season and must respond to it quickly in the Premiership match against runaway leaders Rangers in Leith on Wednesday night. 

“We’ve not done the basics,” he said. “We have not defended set-pieces and we have got sloppy after we conceded the third goal as well. We didn’t threaten enough, we just didn’t do the right things.

“You can forgive people when they try to do the right things, but we made some poor mistakes and we have been punished.

“The coaching staff put in a lot of time and effort, especially into defending set-pieces. But you have got to be a player who wants to stand up and be counted and take the game by the scruff of the neck. We didn’t do that.”

All added: “Listen, fans, pundits, media all have a right to question us because it’s twice that it’s happened now. And twice in big games where we were probably favourites going into them.

“You have to be able to handle that and put your personality on the game and want to be the player everyone is talking about, who won the game for their club. We haven’t done that on two occasions now, two big, big games. It’s really frustrating.

“We still have a lot to play for, we have a chance to get to Europe, the Scottish Cup when it comes back around. But we have to nip this in the bud.

“It’s very disappointing from a club perspective. We need to show a bit of character now, big time. It doesn’t get any easier. We have Rangers on Wednesday night now. They are in really good form as everyone knows. We’re going to need to put our bodies on the line.”