Kev adamant Hibs can go the distance

A dismal 4-1 defeat by Rangers, which ended a run of 12 SPL matches without defeat had the Edinburgh club's detractors rushing to predict that John Hughes' side would find themselves on the slide. Further question marks were raised as Hearts kid Gordon Smith fired the Gorgie outfit into the lead in the latest Capital derby encounter but, again, Hughes' players rose to the challenge, coming from behind for the fifth time this season to deny their opponents victory.

And it is that fighting spirit which, midfield star McBride claims, has not only helped Hibs into third place in the SPL table but which can help ensure that's exactly where they stay.

Although Sunday's stalemate at Easter Road prevented Hibs closing the gap on the Old Firm who had also played out a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park earlier in the day, it did help ease them slightly further ahead of Euro rivals Dundee United, who had suffered their fifth match without a win in going down to Aberdeen the previous day.

McBride said: "We were all a bit disappointed to be going in at the interval a goal down as we were possibly the better side throughout the first half without creating too many chances.

"But, once again, we have shown we can come back from that situation. We've done it a few times this season, on the opening day against St Mirren, the following week at Falkirk and in other games.

"Having gone 1-0 down, we showed great character, spirit and fight, which I am sure the fans appreciated even if we didn't quite manage to go on to win the game although, at the end of the day, a draw was probably about right."

McBride believes he and his team-mates hammered out an important message to those who were only too eager to foretell doom and gloom descending upon Easter Road.

He said: "I think everyone would admit we weren't at our best against Rangers and we all knew a lot of people were waiting to see how we reacted. One defeat in 13 matches, however, isn't a bad record for any team and now we can hopefully get another run of unbeaten games going."

McBride, of course, has been forced to watch the latest developments from the sidelines having sustained an ankle injury which ended his record of being the only Hibs player to have started in every game this season.

He made a surprise return, however, as a substitute against Hearts following five matches out, naturally delighted to be back involved once again.

The former Celtic, Motherwell and Falkirk player said: "It had been a long time. I actually didn't train until the day before the match and even then I didn't think I would be involved.

"I've got a couple of bits of bone floating around in my ankle. We'd tried a few things and I'd tried to train but kept breaking down. A specialist suggested an insole to lift the arch of my foot and help ease the pressure and it seems to have worked."

McBride admitted the insole, designed and fitted by the club's podiatrist Bill Kerr, had felt "a bit strange" at first but believes the move will preclude the need for surgery.

He said: "It took me a day or two to get used to it but I'm getting back to normal and, although it is still slightly sore, I'm on the road to recovery.

"There's a couple of bits of bone floating about but it's in an area they don't really need to touch so I don't think there will be any need for an operation.

"They say it should not bother me and, though it will take me a wee while to get right back up to match fitness, it was great to play the final 25 minutes of the derby.

"It's hard coming on in any game but particularly a derby when the pace is frenetic but it was good to be out there playing again."

Although he admits to finding spells on the sidelines difficult, McBride insisted the pain had been eased by watching his team-mates keeping their grip on third place even if it meant his absence being prolonged.

He said: "It's always frustrating when you are injured but it was great to see the boys continue to do so well in staying right up there. It's not about me but what is the best for Hibernian Football Club.

"If I am not in the team I still want the boys to be winning every week, that's the sort of person I have always been.

"You know there will always come a stage when you'll be back involved and I'm delighted to have got that chance again." McBride's return coincided with the arrival of new goalkeeper Graeme Smith, right, his former team-mate at Fir Park handed a surprise debut as gloves rivals Graham Stack and Yves Ma–Kalambay both fell victim to injury again, the former's back problem resurfacing while the towering Belgian aggravated the tweaked hamstring which had been troubling him after slipping on ice outside his home. Smith was also a team-mate of Hibs midfielder John Rankin during a spell on loan from Rangers to Ross Country earlier in his career and McBride believes the 26-year-old can only heighten the competition for the No.1 spot after his New Year's Day move from Brighton.

He said: "The gaffer asked both John and I about Graeme, what sort of guy he was and we gave our opinions. I think he'll not only provide great competition for the other goalkeepers but prove to be a great guy to have about the place. He's a good goalkeeper, otherwise the gaffer wouldn't have brought him here in the first place but he's the sort of guy who wouldn't have been fazed to have been thrown straight into a derby match.

"He's that sort of character, a confident boy and while he didn't have much chance with Hearts' goal I thought he did well in the game for us."