Hibs boss looking for one of supporting cast to take centre stage

JOHN HUGHES has admitted he's looking for a hero tonight as Hibs seek to pull off one of the greatest comebacks in their 55 years of European football.

The Easter Road outfit go into the second leg of their Europa League third qualifying round trailing NK Maribor by three goals but, while agreeing his players face a mammoth task to reel in the Slovenian side, Hughes insisted Hibs are still in with a chance.

And, although everyone will be looking to strikers Anthony Stokes, Derek Riordan and Colin Nish - who scored more than 50 goals between them last season - Hughes believes the stage could be set for an unlikely hero to emerge.

Recalling how right-back Bobby Duncan set Hibs on the way to a stunning 5-0 win over Napoli in the old Inter-Cities Fairs Cup with his first goal for the club, Hughes said: "We need a hero, more than one. The night is set up for it."

However, Hughes admitted his players will have to go up through the gears if they are to stand any chance of making tomorrow's draw for the play-off stage of the competition, believing his players have played well below their capabilities not only in Maribor but in Sunday's friendly defeat by Carlisle.

He said: "We need to start playing with a bit of passion and determination, to play at a higher tempo, to get at them and see how they can handle being under a bit of pressure.

"We'll need to carry a bit of luck and perhaps fly by the seat of our pants at times but we'll also have to concentrate. I still think we can go up a gear or two but we also know we are playing against an accomplished team who will punish any mistakes.

"If we can get ourselves ahead with a clean sheet at half-time then it will be game on."