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PAUL Hanlon reckons Brian Graham’s drive and determination can help help shoot Hibs to promotion this season.
The pair got the goals that kept the Easter Road side top of the Championship at the weekend with a 2-0 win over Dumbarton.
Hanlon has chipped in with two strikes in the last four games, whilst Graham netted his fifth for Hibs – and his 11th of the season – against the stuffy Sons.
It was a relief for Neil Lennon’s side following the 1-0 defeat to Dundee United that allowed their title rivals to pull level on points at the top of the table in the previous outing.
But Hanlon believes Graham – who was Ross County’s top scorer when he made the switch south in August – can be Hibs’ deadly weapon as they seek to pull away at the summit.
He said: “His record speaks for itself – he scores goals.
“It was a great finish from him but if you look back to the last time he scored, against Queen of the South, it was more of a scrappy goal.
“So, he’s got them all in his locker. He puts himself in the position to miss them and to score them, and he doesn’t let his head go down.
“Even when he’s dropped out of the team, he’s always come on and helped us.
“So, I’m delighted for him as well.”
SQUAD
Neil Lennon introduced Graham and Jason Cummings to his starting line-up in a bid to bounce back from the defeat to United and was forced into a further change with keeper Ofir Marciano ruled out with a knee injury.
With the talismanic John McGinn and fellow midfielder Fraser Fyvie also currently sidelined with knocks, Lennon is finding his pool stretched.
But Hanlon believes the players being drafted in are good enough to maintain the push for the Championship title.
He added to Hibs TV: “It’s all about the squad and we’ve got players to come in.
“We’ve got injuries to players who are big players for us but the boys coming in are doing the job well.
“So, the manager will utilise the squad when he feels he needs to and we just need to keep going.”
