9am Briefing: Hibs fight back to draw with Aberdeen

Goals from Michael Paton and Steven McLean, the latter's first for the club since arriving on loan from Plymouth, had stunned Hibs in a poor first-half showing.

However, with Merouane Zemmama being introduced at half-time and Abdessalam Benjelloun and Alan Gow also being thrown into the action as the clock ticked down, the Capital side finished with five strikers on the pitch and snatched a point.

Anthony Stokes bagged his 15th goal of the season five minutes into the second period and Benjelloun made no mistake from the spot after Zander Diamond was adjudged to have handled Gow's cross under pressure from Colin Nish.

Manager John Hughes said: "It was cool, calm and collected in the dressing-room at half-time. It was just a matter of getting the shape and one or two things right. The substitution of Zemmama worked and gave us some width on the right-hand side. We'll be better for that because we cannot give anybody two goals of a start."

Jefferies awaiting first goal

HEARTS boss Jim Jefferies is still looking for his first win and first goal after three matches in charge in his second spell in Gorgie after he succeeded Csaba Laszlo.

The Jam Tarts lost 2-0 to Celtic at Parkhead last night through goals by Glenn Loovens and Marc-Antoine Fortune and Jefferies said: "I have a lot of people out at the moment but the first half was all right and we didn't do too bad in terms of possession.

"But we lost a bad goal and a minute later we were 2-0 down and that was the game over.

"It would have been a confidence-breaker if we had opened up a wee bit and they had got five or six but we got through it. We are learning all the time.

"But I wouldn't make definite judgements after two weeks in the job and three games.

"I have time before now and the end of the season and the players have to use this time to prove they have a future at the club."

Hamilton looking to kickstart campaign

JIM HAMILTON is desperate to help Scotland kick-start their RBS 6 Nations campaign now he is finally over the most frustrating injury of his career.

Hamilton, 27, has been drafted into Andy Robinson's team for Saturday's game in Wales after fellow lock Nathan Hines failed to shake off a calf strain and old ankle problem.

Edinburgh star Hamilton only returned to action at the turn of the year after seven months on the sidelines with patella tendonitis in his left knee.

He said of his injury: "Initially, I didn't think it was that serious.

"It was just a frustrating niggle that got worse and worse.

"I went away on holiday, tried to start jogging in the summer and it just didn't get any better. "It was at its worst to the point where I couldn't train or play.

"It was a frustrating injury – probably the most frustrating injury I've had – but I'm over that now, I'm looking forward, and what a great place to go and play at the weekend."