Heracles Almelo 3 - 0 Hibernian: Hughes predicts tough test for Hibs in Europa League qualifier

The Hungarian side Videoton willl be familiar to Easter Road supporters who can recall Hibs' 4-0 aggregate win almost 21 years ago when Gareth Evans, now on Hughes' coaching staff, was on the scoresheet in a memorable 3-0 victory away from home.

However, it is Maribor from Slovenia who appear to be the favourites to provide Hibs' opposition, having secured a 1-1 draw in their seccond-round qualifying first leg in Hungary.

The Edinburgh side will travel for the first leg of their tie on July 29, with the hope being the new East Stand at Easter Road will be completed in time for the return match a week later, raising capacity at the ground to 20,250.

Hibs, of course, would face one more qualifying round should they successfully negotiate this first hurdle before reaching the group stage of the competition but, as Hughes admitted from the club's training base in the Dutch town of Arnhem, either Maribor or Videoton, will be difficult to overcome.

Maribor are Slovenia's most successful team, having won their league title eight times and the national cup on six occasions.

Videoton have a more modest record, although the Hungarian side only lost out on the championship on the final day of last season under veteran coach Gyorgy Mezey.

Hibs manager Hughes said: "It looks like Maribor are favourites but we'll be looking to learn as much as we can about both sides. Brian Rice (his assistant] will go to next Thursday's return leg and we'll be using all our contacts to find out all about formations, star players, how they go about their business and so on.I think being away from home first will suit us, the important thing is we keep ourselves in the tie after the first leg and get back to Easter Road with, hopefully, a full house."

Meanwhile, Hughes' players received a timely lesson on just how difficult a foray onto the continent can be when they went down 3-0 to Dutch side Heracles last night.

The Dutch outfit had themselves just missed out on joining the Edinburgh club in that competition after finishing sixth in the Eredevisie last season but left Hibs looking decidedly second-best for long spells of the opening fixture in the Scottish team's four-match tour of Holland.

Having declared himself more than happy with his players efforts in their opening pre-season matches, two 4-0 victories over Dunfermline and Queen of the South, Hughes' displeasure could be heard loud and often during the first period of play in which it took Heracles only four minutes to open the scoring, Brazilian midfielder Everton pouncing to slam the ball home after Hibs goalkeeper Graeme Smith could only push a low angled shot from Mark Looms into his path.

Slack passing and a tendency to surrender possession too easily only added to Hughes' frustration, referee Jochem Kamphuis waving away legitimate claims for a penalty from the hosts before Smith acrobatically turned away a powerful shot from Glynor Plet.

With Dutch signing Edwin De Graaf having moved into a more central position in midfield Hibs did manage to exert more influence but, on the stroke of half-time, Kwame Quanash got his head to Willie Overtoom's corner to double Heracles lead.

Overtoom and Quanash combined in exactly the same deadly fashion 69 minutes in for the latter to claim his second goal of the game.

Hibs certainly missed new father Derek Riordan and Sol Bamba, still recuperating from World Cup duty with Ivory Coast, but Hughes is aware much work needs to be done in a very short timescale if his side are to retain an interest in Europe much beyond the beginning of August."They were the better side than us, I am honest enough to say so," he said. "No excuses."

Hibernian: Smith; Hart, Hogg (Thicot 78), Hanlon (Stephens 66), Stevenson (Murray 78); De Graaf, Miller, McBride, Rankin (Currie 78), Wotherspoon (Galbraith 78); Stokes. Subs not used: Stack, Nish.