Collins: fans won't force goalie swap

HIBS boss John Collins has insisted he won't let fan power sway his judgement in deciding the fate of goalie Zibi Malkowski.

The finger has been pointed at the Polish star after his latest derby-day gaffe, spilling Paul Hartley's free-kick to allow Edgaras Jankauskas to give Hearts a two-goal lead at Tynecastle on Boxing Day.

It was the latest in a string of blunders in derbies by Malkowski, with memories of errors in last season's Scottish Cup semi-final and when Hearts came back from two goals down to snatch a point at Easter Road in October still strong. Calls for Collins to axe Malkowski have been growing but today, while admitting he had some hard thinking to do, the Hibs manager was adamant he and he alone will make that decision.

He said: "I will never be swayed by outside influences, I make my own decisions - that is what I am paid to do - and people will have to wait until Saturday afternoon to see what I have decided."

Collins, however, faces a problem after former boss Tony Mowbray dropped Simon Brown after only the second game of the season, the former Colchester United goalkeeper having been replaced by 19-year-old Andy McNeil on the bench ever since.

The decision for Collins will be whether to re-assert his faith in Malkowski or gamble on the inexperience of McNeil, who has yet to taste first-team action at Easter Road. Brown's lack of activity over the past four months would appear to count against him.

Meanwhile, Collins expects to have skipper Kevin Thomson and striker Steven Fletcher back to face Dunfermline on Saturday after the pair missed the 3-2 defeat in Gorgie.

Fletcher, who suffered an ankle injury during the 5-1 victory over St Mirren, was expected to train today while Thomson was also expected to be fit.

Moroccan star Merouane Zemmama, however, will again be missing with another hamstring injury while Ivan Sproule will serve the last of his four-game suspension. And Dean Shiels is also likely to be available after Hibs decided to appeal against the red card shown to him following his clash with Hearts goalkeeper Craig Gordon.

Hibs have until three days after the game to lodge the appeal which will be backed by video evidence and given the lack of time it appears unlikely the SFA will be able to convene a review panel before the weekend.

If that is the case Shiels will then be free to play until his case is decided.

Taken from the Scotsman