Hibs boss Nick Montgomery hails Martin Boyle as 'one of the best' players in Scotland

Nick Montgomery has hailed Hibs forward Martin Boyle as “one of the best” players in Scotland.

The Easter Road boss was speaking to the media on Friday following the Australia international’s double against St Mirren on Wednesday that helped them to a 4-2 cup quarterfinal win over St Mirren.

Boyle has scored six goals in 12 games this season after making his return from an injury that kept him out for most of last season, including the World Cup in Qatar.

And the manager knows he will be a key player for them as they look to make their way up the Premiership table and continue their four-game unbeaten run when they host Dundee on Saturday.

Montgomery said: “He is one the best players in the competition, I don’t think anyone can doubt that. He’ll tell you himself he wasn’t at his best in the first half, but in the second he was unplayable at times.

“Rotating across the front four he can cause teams all sorts of problems, and you saw from the goals that he scored he is very dangerous every time he is on the ball.

“But we have to remember he was out for a long-time and he’s only just came back and started getting a run of games, so of course we have to protect him as well.

“He wants to train at full speed and play at full speed every day so it’s just about making sure we have fit and ready for every game. And that’s how we will have to manage it.”

Hibs return to league action this weekend as they host Tony Docherty’s side at Easter Road and Montgomery, who has two wins and a draw from his first three games, is expecting another tough match.

He said: “I expect a tough game, I expect them to come with a game plan, but for me it’s about us. Obviously we respect the opposition but most of all it’s about us and the way we play.

“I think you’ve seen in the matches I’ve been charge that the boys are really adapting to a different style of play than what they were used to.

“We have been creating a lot of chances, but there is still a lot of improvements to be made as well , such as stop conceding sloppy goals.

“But as long as we learn from our mistakes and improve on them we will become a better team.”