Bruised Hibs focused on attack in return leg against Maribor

The Republic of Ireland striker was surprisingly left on the bench alongside fellow international striker Derek Riordan as manager John Hughes attempted to deploy a safety first strategy, opting for a 4-5-1 formation with Colin Nish tasked with the role of lone forward.

Those tactics unravelled, however, as a confident Maribor side carved holes in the Hibs defence on a surface made treacherous by an unrelenting downpour. Two sublime goals either side of half time from Josip Ilicic put the Slovenians firmly in control in the Stadion Ljudski, and a third goal from captain Marcos Tavares left Hughes' side staring firmly at a European exit.

With Hibs 3-0 down, and in desperate need of a lifeline, Stokes and Riordan were thrown into the fray for the final 22 minutes, but were unable to salvage an away goal.

Hughes took a calculated gamble in sacrificing arguably the two most gifted players in his squad - who between them managed 41 goals last season - in the name of defence, but it backfired, with his side's inexperience in continental competition all too evident.

"I felt I had to play a system to keep it tight, to keep it compact and trying to maybe sneak a goal," the Hibs manager reflected. "It wasn't a case of playing Nish, Stokes or Riordan, it was a case of playing a five-man midfield with good legs in there and I felt the five we played had the best legs at the club. I don't think it would have suited Derek to ask him to go up there and play on his own and it certainly would not have suited Stokes."

Asked if he had been disappointed to be left out of the starting XI as Hibs opened their inaugural Europa League campaign, Stokes said: "Yes I was. I put in a lot of work last season to get here and I want to play in the big games but that is up to the gaffer.

"We were sloppy with our passing and need to sharpen ourselves up. We need to go back to the drawing board. We were like a kids side out there at times. We gave the ball away easily, it's down to individual mistakes. We were not sharp enough so have to buck ourselves up and get ready for this next tie.

"But we are never going to give up. We did not play anywhere near our best.It is tough but we want to go out all guns blazing."

Nish, who made for Stokes in the 68th minute after a lonely shift against the well-organised Slovenians, agreed with his team-mate that Hibs had fallen way short of their best but also believes there is still everything to play for.

"It was a tough one to take," said Nish. "I thought we started all right and everything was going to plan and then a few slack passes and we gave away three goals. Those types of slips damage you at this level.

"Their boys had a few good finishes but they shouldn't really have been given the opportunities. Ian Murray slipped for the first one, which was a bit of bad luck and we gave the ball away for the second and third so they are all goals we could have prevented. However, I still believe we can progress in this competition - if we go 1-0 up at Easter Road we've got a real good chance."

Nish admitted that overturning a 3-0 deficit would take one of Hibs' greatest ever displays, but added: "We're looking forward to the next game because we still think we've got a chance. I just think we know what we can do. We didn't really attack that much and we know we can score goals. We have front players in the team who can score goals and on Thursday it will be in our heads to score them. We're confident of winning games." The former Kilmarnock goal scored the two goals against Dundee United at Tannadice on the final day of last season which ultimately clinched Hibs' place in Europe, and he said: "Last year we went through a hellish spell trying to get into Europe in the first place and we were so happy when we finally made it. Now we've come here and lost 3-0. We're determined to go back to Easter Road and show Maribor we're actually a good team."

Hibs head down to Carlisle tomorrow for another friendly, and Hughes may take the opportunity to sharpen up some of his first team squad. Midfielder Liam Miller, who came closest to scoring against Maribor with a fierce 20-yard shot which he saw saved on the stroke of time, said: "We need to improve quickly in time for the home leg. In the second half we were punished for sloppy play. We have to take this on the chin and we have another game to try and put things right."

Hibs have a proud history of stirring European comebacks, having recovered from first-leg deficits to beat 5-0 Napoli in 1967 and Sporting Libson 6-1 in 1972, and more recently they pegged back AEK Athens in the 2001-02 Uefa Cup, only to dramatically lose out in extra-time.

If they were somehow able to conjure up an escape route against Maribor next week, it would represent one of the club's finest turnarounds. Hughes will certainly throw Stokes and Riordan into action with a clear brief to shoot on sight.

"We can change our system, perhaps we will have to be a bit gung-ho," he said. "It's going to be difficult to turn it around, but you never know."