Derek Riordan earns two-game ban after seeing red in derby

The 27-year-old automatically misses this evening's meeting with Rangers after being dismissed for a high challenge on Hearts midfielder Rudi Skacel two minutes from time in the Easter Road side's 2-0 defeat to their city rivals.

However, the 12 points added to his record for what referee Willie Collum deemed "serious foul play" takes the Scotland cap through the SFA's 18-point disciplinary barrier and has earned him an extra game on the sidelines.

The former Celtic striker, who has been disciplined by his club but could still be handed the captain's armband in future by manager Colin Calderwood, will also sit out the home encounter with St Johnstone on 27 November.

A spokesperson for the SFA's disciplinary department said: "Derek Riordan has gone over the 18-point threshold and will serve another one-match suspension from 21 November."

Meanwhile, Hibs midfielder John Rankin admits the enormity of their plight is hitting home as they continue to seek their first point under Colin Calderwood.

Calderwood takes charge of his fourth Hibernian match when he and his team travel to Ibrox tonight to face Clydesdale Bank Premier League leaders Rangers.

Hibs were full of hope the last time they visited Govan, on Valentine's Day, retaining an ambition of splitting the Old Firm as they sought to close the gap on Tony Mowbray's Celtic to four points. But a 3-0 defeat prompted a spectacular fall from grace which shows no signs of abating. Hibs have won just five matches in a 32-game run stretching back to February.

Hibs are 11th in the SPL, level on points with bottom club St Mirren, and Rankin knows they have a fight on their hands. "Eight points from 11 games is nowhere near good enough," he said. "We have won two games and one of them was the first game of the season, so we have only won one in 10. A year ago it looked as if we were unbeatable. It just shows how quickly things have turned around."