Hibs striker Riordan makes no secret of his obsession with maximising his tally

Or rather the suggestion that he wasn't the scorer of it.

"What, you're kidding!" is the incredulous reply to the revelation that, in some circles, his name still hasn't been put against Hibs' opening goal in their 3-0 win over Irvine Meadow in the last round of the Active Nation Scottish Cup.

The incident certainly sparked a furious debate as to the identity of the scorer with Meadow defender Zander Ryan initially credited as getting the last touch on David Wotherspoon's cross.

However, referee Euan Norris had no hesitation in answering "Hibs No.10" when later asked for his take on proceedings.

As a player who thrives on seeing the ball hit the back of the net, Riordan's sense of injustice that it should even be suggested it wasn't his goal is palpable, a genuine sense of hurt etched on his face.

"No way it was an own goal," he protests. "I tapped it in from a yard out. Their player was down on his hands, he tried to stick his leg out but the ball didn't touch him. I have to admit I thought I was offside at first but it was me who put it in and the referee gave it to me."

That goal included, Riordan's tally for the season stands at ten although, again, the 27-year-old is adamant it should be even higher although his argument that his name should also be against Hibs' first goal in their Co-operative Insurance Cup tie against Brechin has fallen on deaf ears. It is recorded instead as being an own goal by Ian Noble. In fact, Riordan has been involved in three such controversies in recent months, willing to concede way on just the one, the shot which deflected in off Brian McLean and was put down as an own goal by the Falkirk defender.

Grudgingly, he admits: "It was going wide but the other one was definitely mine. It was on target, skiffed the guy's head and didn't change direction."

In the wider scheme of things, such incidents may appear trivial with many undoubtedly arguing, with some justification, that it matters little who scores, as long as the final scoreline shows Hibs having netted once more than their opponents.

However, for a striker aiming to maintain his record of having finished top scorer in each season he's been with Hibs and currently trailing team-mate Anthony Stokes by four going into tomorrow's Cup clash with Montrose, it's personal.

He said: "I always look to score as many goals as I can. This season I've been playing a bit further back on the park. Perhaps I've also not been getting enough possession of the ball.

"I've got ten, but that should be 11 or 12, so I must be doing something right. Stokesy has only got 14 and I've set up three or four for him. How many assists does he have? No chance of that happening!"

A comment obviously made tongue in cheek, but one which also underlines the rivalry between two strikers who trudge off the pitch disappointed, whatever the result, if they haven't scored.

It's stopped short of the wager Riordan used to place with former team-mate and lifelong pal Garry O'Connor at the start of each season but there's no doubt both he and Stokes will look on tomorrow's match against the Third Division's basement outfit as an opportunity to push themselves up the goalscoring charts.

The last time the two sides met, on League Cup business seven years ago, Hibs hammered in nine, four of them in the opening 31 minutes with Stephen Dobbie claiming a hat-trick in that stunning spell.

Riordan's face lightens immediately at the mention of that night. "I scored, didn't I?" he asks, knowing full well the answer will come in the affirmative before adding: "It seems like a lifetime ago, it just shows you how time flies."

In football terms it was a lifetime ago, only Riordan and Ian Murray, both enjoying second spells at Easter Road, remaining from a team which went on to beat both Celtic and Rangers only to lose the final to Livingston.

But, while confident Hibs will make the huge gap between the two clubs' respective positions tell, Riordan stopped short of predicting a similar goals avalanche tomorrow and pointed out how the vast majority of fans had predicted a rout against the Juniors of Irvine Meadow.

He said: "As always, you are in a no-win situation in these games. We've had a few good results recently and Montrose won their first league game at the weekend which will have given them a bit of confidence.

"We have to make sure we get off to a good start, something we haven't really been doing. We've been taking ten or 15 minutes to get into a game, starting too slowly.

"We need to try to get an early goal to knock them out of their stride and take the wind out of their sails.

"But I don't think the state of the pitch has been helping us, it's the worst it has been for a while. If it was better I think we'd be scoring more goals but it doesn't really suit our style of play."

Hibs will, of course, find themselves confronted by former goalkeeper Andy McNeil and, while he finds himself sympathising with his former team-mate's dramatic drop down the divisions, Riordan insisted there will be no room for sentiment.

He said: "It shows you the state of football, one minute Andy is playing for us and then he's down in the Third Division.

"Andy will be out to stop us, he will be trying his hardest. He's a great shot-stopper, a terrific worker, a model professional but, if I get the chance to knock a goal or two past him I will."

While boss John Hughes has been busy compiling a dossier on Steven Tweed's team, Riordan revealed he also took the opportunity to cast an eye over Montrose as they defeated Edinburgh City 3-1 at Meadowbank.

He said: "I like watching football but it also gave me an idea of what we will be up against. Obviously, it would have been good to have an Edinburgh derby but Montrose won the game and earned the right to play us."

Riordan conceded that the draw, which has thrown up a Junior side followed by one rooted to the bottom of the Third Division with nine points from 20 games has been kind to Hibs so far.

Just the sort of luck, he declared, which might tempt some to feel the Edinburgh club's 108-year wait for this particular piece of silverware may just come to an end at Hampden in May.

He said: "Hibs will win the Cup one day, it's bound to happen at some point and we all know the team that eventually does so will be remembered forever.

"We have to make sure we don't slip up tomorrow but I think we have a good chance this year. We have a team which is doing very well in the league and hopefully we can continue to get favourable draws."