Hibs star Hart winning fitness fight

Hibs star Michael Hart is winning his fitness fight as boss John Hughes looks for his Easter Road squad to get back on track with the visit of Inverness Caledonian Thistle on Saturday.

The right-back was forced to limp out of the action in only his second SPL match for the Edinburgh club having suffered a hamstring injury during the defeat by Rangers and was forced to sit out a further setback as Hibs went down to St Mirren.

But while admitting it will be "touch and go" as to whether the former Aberdeen, Livingston and Preston North End player will be ready for this weekend, Hughes admitted he was optmistic.

He said: "Michael was out running on Friday and provided there are no problems he'll be in with a chance this weekend, fingers crossed he'll make it."

Hughes also hopes keeper Graham Stack, who has missed Hibs' last two matches with a recurrence of the back problem which plagued him last season, will return to training this week although it would appear certain Mark Brown will keep his place for the visit of one of his old clubs.

As his players returned to training today following the weekend off, Hughes was in the process of arranging a bounce match to help his three latest signings, Darryl Duffy, Francis Dickoh and Johnathan Grounds settle into their new surroundings.

The trio spent the weekend attending to personal business following their transfer deadline day moves to Easter Road, their arrivals adding to the competition for places this weekend as will the availability of midfield star Kevin McBride who missed the trip to Paisley as he served a one-match ban following his controversial red card against Rangers. However, Hughes will have to wait for the return of a clutch of players from international duty before getting down to detailed planning for this weekend, Paul Hanlon and David Wotherspoon part of the Scotland Under-21 squad which will be hoping to clinch a place in the European finals in Denmark next summer when they face Austria at Pittodrie tomorrow. A win for the young Scots will guarantee that achievement following a 1-1 draw away to Belarus while another Easter Road youngster, 18-year-old defender David Stephens, will be hoping to join them having played in Wales 1-0 triumph away to Hungary.

Sol Bamba was the furthest travelled, having flown to West Africa for the Ivory Coast's 2-0 win over Rwanda as they opened their 2012 African Cup campaign. Hughes said: "Hopefully they'll all return fit and healthy ready to add to the competition for places on Saturday."