Hibs boss warns players against feeling sorry for themselves

While Hibs were rocked by a 5-1 hammering by St Johnstone, the Fir Park outfit have embarked on a six-match unbeaten run which has lifted them into fifth place in the table.

The trip to Lanarkshire completes a tough schedule of three away games in the space of just six days and following successive defeats by Rangers and Saints, boss Hughes admitted he'll be demanding much more from his players than he saw at McDiarmid Park.

Calling on them to show the durability they've displayed throughout the season when hit by adversity and hinting he may make changes tomorrow, he said: "There can be no excuses for my players.

"It's to the credit of the players they've shown they can bounce back from these things. We have a squad that we can change about and manipulate, it's all about picking the right team."

Although he conceded following the disappointment in Perth he may have been guilty of not doing that, Hughes said today: "I still think I picked the team and system to ask questions of St Johnstone, but what can you do when you are two down after ten minutes?"

Despite having taken just one point from their last three matches, Hibs still enjoy a slender lead over Dundee United in the race for third place but Hughes, who will be without the suspended Colin Nish following his red card in midweek tomorrow, agrees Motherwell represent a tough proposition under former Scotland coach Craig Brown.

He said: "I have seen Motherwell recently and we are in for another really tough time. Everyone has to be ready for it, to have the bit between their teeth right from the start."