ANDREW Shinnie has predicted Hibernian can avoid another slip-up in their push for the Ladbrokes Championship title without their leading scorer after Jason Cummings picked up a one match suspension.

Cummings was red carded for deliberately handling the ball into the net towards the end of the 1-0 triumph over Dundee United at Tannadice on Friday night – just three minutes after he had been booked.

The 21-year-old, who took his tally for the 2016/17 campaign to 20 with his first-half strike on Tayside, will now miss the league game against Dumbarton at Easter Road on Saturday.

Neil Lennon’s side, who moved nine points clear at the head of the second tier table with their victory last week, have failed to beat Ayr United, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline and St. Mirren in the league in the last two months.

But Shinnie is confident the capital club can survive without their first choice striker for the visit of Dumbarton next week and maintain their cushion at the top of the Premiership ahead of their game against second-placed Falkirk.

“We have to cope without Jason,” he said. “We have a big squad we need someone to step up and fill the void. Martin Boyle has come in and done well and Brian Graham when he has started has scored goals.

“We have to deal with it. Jason isn’t going to be there. We’ll get on with it, but we are feeling good about ourselves just now and we look forward to the next game.”

Shinnie added: “We are top of the league and we have a good gap, but it’s not done by a long way. There’s games to be played. They are all difficult in this league and if we slip up the gap gets smaller.

“But the win over United was massive and gives us a massive boost. We will be confident going into the next game and hopefully we’ll get another three points on board. It’s up to other teams to stay with us.

“We haven’t been ourselves really in the league teams have made it difficult for us but that’s what made United a massive game. We were under a bit of pressure to bounce back and we have.

“It is always difficult going to Tannadice, but we’ve managed to get the three points, keep a clean sheet and extend our lead.”

Meanwhuile, Shinnie, the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle and Birmingham City player, has warned that Cummings, whose red carding led to United coming back into the match on Friday, will never lose his daft streak.

“Jason scored a great goal against United,” he said. “I knocked it over the top and you always fancy Jason when he is one-on-one. He smashed it into the net and got us the win.

“He is always someone we can rely on, he is a big game player and gets us goals when we need them. He could have ended up costing us in the end but we’ll let him off.

“I was at the back post when he got ordered off. I wasn’t sure if it would come to me for a tap-in, but it was clear from the noise it had slapped off his hand. He had been booked a couple of minutes earlier so everyone knew he was off.

“That made it a bit difficult for us near the end, but no-one can have a go at him he has been unbelievable for us this season, we wouldn’t be where we are without him. He’ll miss the next game which is unfortunate for him but he’s won us this one which was important.

“He apologised to all the lads. They didn’t really create any chances, but he might have cost us, might have ended up a draw or something but we move on."

Asked if Cummings will mature as he gets older Sinnie said: “Who knows? It’s just Jason. He’s a great character. He’s not your normal regular footballer, he has something about him.

“It was a bit annoying when it happened because we were comfortable in the game in control they weren’t causing us any trouble, But it gave them and their fans a bit of a lift and they just launched some balls into our box, but the lads at the back dealt with them. It didn’t cost us in the end.”

Shinnie, meanwhile, has admitted that Lennon had used the criticism which Hibs have come in for this season to gee his players up before their fourth meeting of the season with United on Friday.

“He mentioned it a bit, but used it to motivate us in a way,” he said. “He didn’t mention any names. Stuff that happens in the changing room I’m not going to talk about elsewhere.

“But there’s ways of motivating, to get yourself up for games and if people don’t respect us or give us credit we don’t care, we just get on with it. We are a team and the main thing is for us to be promoted this year.”

Hibs have six Championship games before they return to Hampden to continue their defence of the William Hill Scottish Cup with a semi-final against Aberdeen and Shinnie believes being able to focus on the league will help their top flight promotion bid.

"We haven’t been ourselves really in the league," he said. "Teams have made it difficult for us. We were under a bit of pressure to bounce back and we have."