Hanlon speaks on VAR waits and leapfrogging Hearts

Was your heart in your mouth at the end with that late penalty check?

"It was a little bit. I’ve not seen it again, but something hits my face... I think the ball hits my face and after it hits a bit of my hand but I'm not sure where my hand was so it’s hard to tell if it was a penalty but it wasn’t given at the end of the day so we can call it a good offside trap!"

It was another long wait for VAR, how does that feel for players?

"It is obviously a bit frustrating because you want to know, but at the end of the day if the decision is right then you’re pleased that they took the time to make sure it’s right. You would want it to be a bit quicker but, at the end of the day, it was the right decision and we were able to get on with the game."

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It must be a nerve-wracking wait, though?

"Of course it's nerve-racking, especially at that time in the game. It was nervy for all of us but you just have to hope and pray that the decision goes your way. We weren’t too sure what had happened but the referee took the two captains aside and explained that he was looking at a handball and an offside and he had to go over to the screen to check them. I was delighted he came away with the offside in the end."

Earlier in the season you might have conceded the lead late on but you held on this time...

"I think so we have had our fair share of bad luck with VAR as well so maybe we deserved that one."

That's four wins out of five - what’s the key to that?

"It's a mixture of things: sticking to our principles and believing in what we’re doing. It was tough conditions on Saturday and while we try to do it as much as possible, playing out from the back, there are times when you've just got to clear the ball. It's about doing the right things at the right time and our decision-making was good. We were picking and choosing when it was on and we were trying to find players in the attacking areas. The gaffer has a style of play that we all want to play and it’s just about everyone trusting it and everyone staying on the same page. Obviously we hit a bump against Celtic which could have dented the confidence, but I don't think you saw any evidence of that against Livingston.  So now it’s about sticking together and working towards what we are all trying to do."

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There were big celebrations from several players at full time, was it that much of a relief?

"I was one of them! It's a hard place to come and it's really difficult to get points here. Livingston make it really hard for you and get balls into your box and have some really big lads in their team as well so we knew we would need to defend well and a clean is just as good as a goal for me and that full-time whistle was great."

Is it character-building, winning a game like that in those conditions?

"We are trying to play an exciting brand of football, playing out from the back, and getting the ball to our front four who are exciting to watch. Teams aren't always going to let you do that and sometimes against Livingston we did that and sometimes we didn't. When it's not working as well you have to trust the defence and the midfield in front of us to do their job defensively. We did that to a man and the spirit and the feel-good factor was there, especially in that final 10 minutes when we were getting the ball clear and everyone was cheering and encouraging each other. It's a nice place to be."

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You're above Hearts in the table now, that must be pleasing?

"Yeah, we're looking towards the break now in terms of how many games we’ve got left and we want to put ourselves in as good a position as we can ahead of that break. This one will definitely help."

You've been at Hibs here long enough to know that being above Hearts matters...

Yeah, it is a bit of a feel-good factor for the club and for the fans but as I said, we will probably assess it more when we get to the break and see where we are. We all know how tight this league is so things could change on a weekly basis.  We will enjoy this win and then try to pick up as many points as we can as we head to the break."

You picked up the man-of-match-whisky as well...

"I did! I’m not much of a whisky drinker but I might try it, or I might see what my dad’s needing for Christmas!

You've been in and out of the team, how are you coping with that?

"It has been difficult. I have been fortunate over the last however many years that I have been a mainstay of the team. I have had to do a bit of fighting and wait my time, coming in and out, and coming on for maybe just 20 minutes, maybe coming into difficult situations when we are protecting a one or two-goal lead and you're under the cosh a bit. So I have been learning. It’s not something I have been used to; even in terms of how my week pans out now, including my diet and things like that because that all changes when you’re not building up to that big hit at the weekend.

"I have tried to manage it as well as possible in the hope that I would be ready for whenever I was selected. That’s what happened on Saturday and I felt I did well enough in that game so hopefully that's enough to keep me in the team. If not, then it’s back to the drawing board and I will keep working hard to be ready. Listen, nobody has a divine right to play so you have to be able to take your chance when it comes. That's the way football is. Hopefully, I took my chance against Livingston and if I didn’t do enough then I just need to keep working hard and then we’ll see where we are."