Tense Atmosphere Expected At Easter Road

Last updated : 07 May 2012 By Ed_Scottishfitba

Hibs v Dunfermline programmeFans of Hibs and Dunfermline will be advised to protect their nails tonight as the sides meet to effectively decide which one will be relegated to the First Division. A Hibs win or a draw means the Easter Road side are safe for another season. A win for the Pars and the decision is left to the last game of the season. Hibs are five points ahead of bottom club Dunfermline but that does not make life any easier for Hib's right-back George Francomb, who is on-loan from Norwich. He said: "I think it's going to be tense, a little bit nervous. Everyone knows how the big game is. Dunfermline are going to come straight out of the traps because they've got to win the game. We've just got to be professional, do what we've been doing the last couple of weeks and make sure we don't lose. A point is enough, but we're going to play for the win. If we play the way we have been playing I think we're going to be fine.''
 
Hibs beat Aberdeen 2-1 in midweek to open up a five-point gap, with the Pars only managing to draw in Inverness. Even if Dunfermline win tonight, they must also pick up all three points against Kilmarnock on Saturday and hope Hibs, who have a better goal difference, lose against Inverness. Francomb hopes it will not come down to that and Hibs can secure their survival before planning for the 19 May William Hill Scottish Cup final with Hearts. he went on: "If we get the points we need against Dunfermline then that's when we'll start looking towards the final. We would probably overlook the game against Inverness a little bit and start focusing on the final. We don't want it to go down to that game at Inverness.''
 
Dunfermline captain Gary Mason hopes can savour a win tonight at Easter Road. Hibs have only managed one win at home this season and the Pars managed a 1-0 win in Leith last November. Mason said: "We've been there before and won. We can do it. It's never an easy place to go, but if we can get an early goal and get their fans on their backs, that's what we'll be aiming to do.'' 

Mason has been in relegation fights before with Dunfermline, surviving in 2005 and failing in 2007, and rued the fact time is not on the Pars' side. he said: "It's not getting any easier. We've got two games left and there are still six points to be had. We know what we've got to do. We've got to go there to try to win the game. It will be a high tempo game, I'd have thought. I think it will be an open game and hopefully we can get the goals we need and take it to the last game.''