Calderwood says Hibs didn't do themselves justice as Celtic end unbeaten run

Goals from former Easter Road striker Anthony Stokes and Gary Hooper had Calderwood's side two down within 19 minutes, and when Hooper added a third before half-time, Calderwood admitted Celtic's 9-0 destruction of Aberdeen earlier in the season flooded through his mind.

However, while the Glasgow side created, but failed to take a number of further openings, a Liam Miller penalty gave the final scoreline a more respectable appearance. But while crediting his players for having not capitulated as the Dons had in November, Calderwood was adamant they had fallen well short of what he expected.

He said: "They are better than they played in the first half, that's the thing that's grating everybody. We did not start the game particularly brightly, defensively we could not cope with the pace and movement of their front two and then the midfield that joined in after that.

"I'd no complaints about the half-time score, they certainly could have scored more in the first half. We did not cope at all well and too early in the game we were behind. You have to defend at a higher level than you do most weeks against the movement and pace that they used. It was the perfect evening for them and they were able to coast the second half."

Calderwood, though, was adamant his side - five of whom, including three-quarters of his defence, were aged 20 or under - will have learned from the experience if they are willing to admit their shortcomings. Well aware it's only human nature to deny one's mistakes, Calderwood said: "There's not too many times people are going to stick their hands up and say 'I was second best, I was rubbish, I was way off'.

"I don't want excuses but honesty. It's our job as staff to analyse, debrief and make sure when they come in to these moments again that they deal with them better. It's a public examination every week, you have to be at it every week."

Meanwhile, Calderwood revealed it's unlikely he'll know the full extent of striker Derek Riordan's thigh injury until tomorrow. Top scorer Riordan limped off five minutes into the second half to be replaced by Akpo Sodje and is rated a doubt for Saturday's trip to Aberdeen as Hibs attempt to at least end the season in seventh place.

The Hibs boss said: "Derek was feeling his thigh but we'll have to let it settle down before we know whether it's a knock or a strain."