Hibs boss awaits scan result on McBride ankle

Published on Monday 23 November 2009 08:39

HIBS star Kevin McBride will be sent for a scan today on the ankle injury which forced him to limp out of the action against St Mirren after just 17 minutes.

The midfielder, who had been nursing an ankle problem over the past few weeks, was caught by a challenge just outside his own penalty area and, although he bravely tried to carry on, he had to admit defeat as he was replaced by John Rankin.

Today, Easter Road boss John Hughes said: "Kevin was caught on the same ankle but in a different place.

"He's a tough cookie so it must have been sore for him to come off.

"We'll have him scanned today, get the treatment started and hopefully he'll be back training towards the end of the week."

Saturday's 1-1 draw in Paisley extended Hibs' unbeaten SPL run to eight matches although Hughes' players have now been joined in third place by Dundee United following their 2-1 win over Celtic yesterday.

Pointing out that run includes visits to Ibrox, Tynecastle and now St Mirren Park, Hughes said: "Three of our last four games have been away from home so it is credit to the players that they have managed to remain unbeaten.

"Sometimes you can be a bit too hard on yourself but clocking up such a run in the SPL is difficult to do, particularly considering some of the places we have been to but obviously we want to keep this record going as long as we can so there will be no resting on our laurels."

Although satisfied with the progress his new-look team has made since he and assistant Brian Rice took control of the side five months ago, Hughes believes there is still much more to come from his players, both individually and collectively.

He said: "I need to know what I am getting from them every time they go out on the park. They don't have to be the best in the world but the one thing I need to know from the boys is what I am going to get.

"Take Liam Miller, for example, I know what I am going to get from him and I need that from every single one of them.

"We need to keep improving them individually and collectively in every aspect, what it takes to be a professional, the toughness, the self-belief, all of that stuff, the list goes on and on.

"Good, bad or indifferent, you should never be found wanting, you need that belief in yourself, the trust in your team-mates."

Having said that, Hughes was delighted with the way his players "rolled up their sleeves and got stuck in" against the Buddies in what were dreadful conditions in Paisley with a gale-force wind and torrential rain.

Meanwhile, Hibs' SFA Youth Cup fourth round tie against Falkirk will take place at Easter Road on Sunday, 6 December, at 1.00 pm.