Hibs 3-0 Inverness

Jan 13 2008 Euan Mclean At Easter Road

Shiels Comes In From Cold To Wow New Boss

DEADLY Dean Shiels repaid Mixu Paatelainen's faith with a stunning hat-trick then revealed he was desperate to quit Hibs until the new gaffer took over.

The Northern Irishman took months of pent-up frustration out on shocked Inverness who never looked at the races against a-fired up Hibs side desperate to get Mixu's reign off to a flier.

No one was more determined than star man Shiels who was finally given a crack at his favoured striker's role.

And he admitted he'd probably be leaving if John Collins was still in charge.

Shiels said: "It's great for the team to get through but fantastic personally too.

"It has been a frustrating first half of the season because I haven't been playing but the new manager has come in and played me in a role I prefer which was a great lift.

"When he gives you that confidence to play the way you want it's really good for any player. I'm pleased because had the previous manager still been here I would have been looking to leave this month.

"I respect Collins and he was a great player but it would maybe have been time to move on if he had stayed.

"However, now I'm looking forward because there's more to come. My last hat-trick was for Arsenal youth team so this is my first as a pro."

Shiels was not the only fringe player to re-emerge in a stunning performance where Hibs finally began to look like their old selves.

Merouane Zemmama was another stand-out but the biggest surprise among the six changes from last week was a debut for 17-year-old left-back Paul Hanlon.

He did well until a calf injury forced him off in the second half but there's no doubt who stole the show right fromhis fourth-minute opener.

Skinning Ross Tokely to drive into the box, Shiels fizzed a deadly finish across keeper Michael Fraser and inside his left post.

Zemmama almost grabbed a superb second for Hibs in 16 minutes when he worked a one-two with Shiels to storm forward on a 40-yard dash. Dodging inside Grant Munro on the edge of the box the Moroccan unleashed a rasping shot that Fraser did well to beat away.

But Inverness should have punished one moment of slackness when Rob Jones and ChrisHogg let Marius Niculae sneak between them to get on the end of Roy McBain's cross.

The Romanian, just named SPL Player of the Month, didn't produce an award-winning finish as his weak effort went straight to the keeper.

Abdessalam Benjelloun and Zemmama both came within inches of extending Hibees' lead with shots from distance before Filipe Morais was harshly booked in 35 minutes for challenging Fraser - unaware ref Steve Conroy had blown for offside.

But Morais was lucky to escape a second yellow for a pathetic dive over a fair Tokely challenge.

Another piece of individual brilliance saw Shiels bag a second in 52 minutes, this time nutmegging Munro on his way into the box to rattle a low drive past Fraser.

The frustration was too much for Ian Black who was soon yellow carded for a silly push on Shiels but the Caley man was the victim when Darren McCormack - a replacement for Hanlon on the hour - joined him in the book for a late lunge.

With 15 minutes left Hibs passed up a golden chance to kill off Caley.

Sub Mickael Antoine-Curier had only just come on for Benjelloun when Zemmama's cross found him in acres of space - but he somehow headed over from just five yards.

Shiels got his mate off the hook though as he completed his hat-trick with seven minutes left.

A blistering run and shot from Morais on the right deserved a goal but the ball smashed off the near post and straight to Shiels to roll home.

Then from Morais' brilliance to stupidity as he and Caley stopper Phil McGuire were sent off for a needless dust-up in 88 minutes.

McGuire had copped a booking for dissent so was daft to have a go at Morais when the winger appeared to dive again - and Morais' furious reaction was even more idiotic.