Malkowski heads for Gretna loan

Zbigniew Malkowski fell out of favour at Easter Road

Hibernian have agreed to loan Polish goalkeeper Zbigniew Malkowski to Gretna until the end of the season.

The 29-year-old is expected to put pen to paper with the Division One leaders before the weekend and is expected to make his debut against Dundee.

It follows the news that Gretna's first-choice goalkeeper, Alan Main, has signed a pre-contract agreement with promotion rivals St Johnstone.

Main has agreed a two-year deal and will move to Perth in the summer.

But Gretna manager Rowan Alexander appears to have decided there is a conflict of interest, with second-top St Johnstone nine points behind but with two games in hand.

Malkowski, who signed for Hibs in 2005 after leaving Feyenoord, made 22 appearances for the Scottish Premier League club this season.

But he has not played since 26 December, having fallen out of favour with new manager John Collins.

And he is being allowed to leave Easter Road despite Simon Brown being blamed for the two goals lost in Sunday's defeat by Rangers.

Collins now appears likely to recall 20-year-old Andrew McNeil to his starting line-up.

The manager also admitted that he is hoping to bring in a new goalkeeper in the summer.

"It's not easy to find, but we're still looking," he said.

"We all make mistakes. The goalkeeper makes mistakes and the whole world sees it.

"Andy has played very well for us. He is out injured and Simon came in and played two very good games.

"I wasn't going to drop someone who has had two very good games."