John Hughes blames strikers as Hibs blow four-goal lead to draw 6-6

HIBERNIAN manager John Hughes last night blamed his strikers for his team's astonishing capitulation at Fir Park where they drew 6-6 with Motherwell in the highest scoring game in the SPL's 12-year history after leading 6-2 with 26 minutes remaining.

• Lukas Jutkiewicz thumps Motherwell level at 6-6 in injury time. Picture: SNS

Lukas Jutkiewicz netted the dramatic equaliser for Craig Brown's side, who had also trailed 4-1 in the first half, in the third minute of stoppage time to deny Hibs the victory which would have taken them back into fourth place in the SPL and pole position for guaranteed Europa League football next season.

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But Hibs folded under Motherwell's incredible fightback in the highest scoring SPL match since they lost 6-5 to Aberdeen at Fir Park back in 1999.

Defensive frailty was clear for all to see as Hibs collapsed, yet Hughes focused on the contribution of his forwards in his post-match analysis. Despite Colin Nish, who scored a hat-trick, Anthony Stokes and Derek Riordan all being on target, they were the subject of Hughes' unhappiness.

"I felt at 6-2 up my strikers stopped working," said Hughes. "That's where you start defending, from the front. We then started sitting too deep and inviting Motherwell onto us."

Hughes agreed it was "criminal" for his team to have failed to collect all three points from such a strong position but remained defiantly upbeat ahead of their final match of the season against Dundee United at Tannadice on Sunday.

Still trailing Motherwell by a point, Hibs must better the performance of the Lanarkshire men who take on Rangers at Ibrox. Fifth place in the SPL will also be enough to qualify for the Europa League if Dundee United defeat Ross County in the Scottish Cup final next week.

"To be 6-2 up with half an hour to go, yes it is (criminal)," added Hughes. "It is self- explanatory. I didn't talk too much about the game to them afterwards. I just spoke to them about character and how to get strength of character. We need to dig deep. If we had done that, we would have seen out the game. I've got mixed emotions, I'm all over the place at the moment.

"But we can go to Tannadice and win it on Sunday. Let's give credit where it is due, we are still in there fighting for a European place. The players have been great for me this season and I like to think they have got the character to do it.

"At 6-2 up, we shouldn't have lost the football match, so I am going to question them. Let's see if they come back with a positive answer."

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Motherwell manager Brown has seen most things in his long career, but the 69-year-old conceded he struggles to recall anything to match the events of last night as his players displayed admirable character.

"It was pretty much the most amazing game I've been involved in as a manager," said Brown. "They tell me there was a game here before between Motherwell and Aberdeen that finished 6-5 and the goalkeepers were Jim Leighton and Andy Goram. So it's not uncommon here. But I can't recall anything like it.

"When I was coach of the (Scotland] Under-21s we were 4-1 down against Germany and won 5-4 in a quarter-final but I can't recall a game quite like this one.

"I can't comment too favourably on the defending. Our goalkeeper didn't have a save to make and couldn't be faulted for any of the Hibs goals. The defenders in front of him could be.

"At 6-2, I thought it was gone for us. I did tell the players at half-time, though, that a losing lead is dangerous psychologically. If you start losing a big lead in any sport, anything can happen. I have to commend the character of my team. I'm very proud of them. Many teams would have chucked it at 6-2 down.

"If there had been another five minutes to play, I think we would have won the game. Hibs were out on their feet. I had told our players that Hibs tend to lose goals late in matches.

"We now have to match or better what Hibs do on Sunday. Both of us have difficult away fixtures but we have the advantage. Rangers have only lost three times in the league this season, but we have shown we are capable of competing with them. We are capable of going to Ibrox and getting something from the match."