Hughes upbeat after bad week for Hibs

Despite defeats by Rangers, St Johnstone and Motherwell in the space of just six days, the Easter Road outfit remain third in the SPL table although their lead over Dundee United has been cut to a solitary point.

Nevertheless, Hughes was adamant his side enjoy their lofty position on merit while urging his players not to throw away all the hard work by allowing their season to end in disappointment.

He said: "There's no getting away from it, the past week was a real bad one for us but we know what is as stake and I'm looking for players to take responsibility and show plenty of character.

"I'd rather be where we are rather than playing catch-up. Wee things have gone against us which have knocked us a little bit but we need to regroup and get going again, if we keep battling away we will turn it around.

"I don't want any of us sitting around on our holidays reflecting on a season which was ultimately disappointing, let's make sure we are there looking forward to returning and playing in Europe.

"There's plenty of motivation out there for us to go and do the job, so I am saying to the players one game at a time, go out and win your football matches, do whatever it takes to win."

Hibs will look to get back on track when St Johnstone visit Easter Road on Saturday, fresh from that 5-1 hammering of Hughes' side last midweek and also buoyed by the recollection of knocking the Edinburgh club out of the Co-operative Insurance Cup earlier in the season in the Capital.

Hughes will be without influential midfielder Liam Miller following his red card at Fir Park but striker Colin Nish, sent off at McDiarmid Park, will be available before sitting out another two matches.

And Kevin McBride, who lasted just minutes as a late substitute at Ibrox, took a step towards proving his fitness as he played 70 minutes of a bounce match against Partick Thistle yesterday.