Hughes warns Falkirk to be focused from outset

Published on Monday 10 November 2008 20:37

FALKIRK manager John Hughes has urged his team to be mentally switched on from the start against a buoyant Inverness Caledonian Thistle side tomorrow night.

Before the weekend, the Highlanders had lost five games in a row, including a humiliating 5-0 defeat by Rangers at Ibrox, where they lost all five goals in a woeful opening 45 minutes. But Craig Brewster's men turned around their fortunes in some style on Saturday with a 2-1 victory over Hibernian at Easter Road.

Falkirk travel to Inverness on the back of a run of only two defeats in their last ten games, but needed a second-half comeback to earn a 1-1 draw with Hamilton at the weekend.

Hughes was frustrated by the manner his players started the match at New Douglas Park and, with last month's 1-0 victory over Inverness in the Co-operative Cup behind them, he has demanded a better display from the outset at the Caledonian Stadium.

He said: "It's always a hard place to go and I've got great respect for the job that Craig is doing there. He's got some right good players.

"They beat us at home earlier in the league and we turned them over in the cup, although we got a bit fortunate. So we need to go up there and make sure our mental mindset is ready to go.

"They've got some good players, they showed that with the result they got at a right tough venue against a good Hibs team on Saturday. It was a great victory for them on the road. They'll be buoyant so we'll need to make sure we're switched on."

Hughes was satisfied with his team's second-half display against Hamilton on Saturday but is frustrated with their tenth place in the SPL table.

And he is hopeful they can perform at the top of their game from start to finish against an Inverness team who recorded a 2-1 victory at the Falkirk Stadium at the end of August.

He added: "It would be nice if we could go about our business for a full 90 minutes.

"If we could put it together for 90 minutes I'm sure those back-to-back wins could start coming our way. But all credit to the boys, we've only been beaten twice out of the last ten games. That's not bad."

Hughes, meanwhile, is backing Michael Higdon to hit double figures this season after ending his goal drought against Hamilton. Before Saturday, Higdon had failed to find the back of the net since August, but Hughes said: "He came on and played the second-half with a purpose.

"I like him as a player. He's a handful to play against, he works hard, gets his flick-ons and holds the ball in. He will score goals for me, that's for sure. I don't think he'll be prolific, but he'll always get into double figures."