Hibs boss wants response after humiliation at Ibrox

Paul Heckingbottom admits he has been left frustrated by Hibernian’s six-day wait to rectify their Ibrox hammering.

The Easter Road boss saw his side humbled 6-1 by Steven Gerrard’s rampant Rangers last Sunday.

The former Leeds and Barnsley boss is used to the hectic Wednesday-Saturday schedule in the English Championship and confessed his anguish was made worse as his side do not return to action until today’s Betfred Cup last-16 showdown at home to Morton.

Heckingbottom put himself through the horror performance all over again as he reviewed the 90 minutes earlier this week and insists he has not changed his post-match view that individual errors were to blame for the calamitous final 16 minutes that saw Rangers run riot with four goals.

“One of the things that is difficult to get used to is how spaced out the games are,” said the Leith manager. “I’d have loved to have had another game on Wednesday and get on with it.

“I didn’t see the result or the performance coming. You know it’s going to be tough and that you’ll have to be at your best to compete, especially when Rangers play that well. They were excellent.

“But I’m not bothered about them. I just want us to give our best and compete.

“If we give our best and lose, fair enough. But that wasn’t our best.

“The good thing about football is there is always another game.

“We want to see a good response.” Rangers loanee Glenn Middleton could make his Hibs debut against David Hopkin’s Greenock side and Heckingbottom believes he has found a like-for-like replacement for injured wideman Martin Boyle.

Kilmarnock face Hamilton for the second week in succession when they meet in the last 16 of the Betfred Cup today and Rugby Park manager Angelo Alessio is confident they can turn their form around after three defeats in a row.

He said: “Focus is important now because it seems like we are being punished for every error in defence and in attack we are failing to take our chances.

“It’s important to analyse our mistakes and find a solution.

“I believe a good run in the cup creates confidence and another focus for our season. It’s also important to give the fans something to be proud of.”

Ross County co-manager Steven Ferguson insists there is no reason why history cannot repeat itself as the Staggies target another historic Hampden moment.

Jim McIntyre was in charge of the Dingwall outfit in 2016 when they stunned Hibernian in the League Cup final to lift their first ever major trophy.

But Ferguson has told his team to take care of Partick Thistle first before they start dreaming of a walk up the Hampden steps. “We take one game at a time,” he told the club’s official website.

“I don’t think it harms us to look back at the club’s success in this competition a couple of years ago, but the guys know if they do want to go on to the next round it’s in their hands.

“Having won it a few seasons ago does show that it is achievable, but we can’t get into that mindset at this stage.

“There are some brilliant teams still left in the competition and our focus is just trying to get to the next round.”