Fears for Hibs

a keeper of the quality of Craig Gordon from the distance they were hit says it all. He was outstanding. Even his work rate, his overall game, was just exceptional.”

As was Gordon with his logicdefying block to deny Whittaker practically on the line at 1-1. Stokes, who said his numbers for field coverage show he isn’t the “lazy” player suggested to be by Republic of Ireland manager Martin O’neill, believes the Celtic keeper stopped a “100 per cent goal”.

“But he ends up getting some hand on it. Keepers go through bad spells, like strikers when you’re not scoring, but that’s the standard he’s set throughout his career.”

And for all Hibs’ efforts, with a 58-match unbeaten run, Stokes could only applaud the “unbelievable” team Rodgers has constructed since arriving at the club last year. Motherwell manager Stephen Robinson hailed the influence of Peter Hartley after the defender netted again in the 3-0 victory over Partick Thistle.

Hartley bundled home Motherwell’s early opener after Louis Moult’s free-kick had been touched on to the post for his second goal since joining the club on the final day of August.

The Blackpool centre-back signed a loan deal after Motherwell sold Ben Heneghan to Sheffield United and has looked a solid addition in the middle of Robinson’s back three alongside Cedric Kipre and Charles Dunne.

Andthe29-year-oldshowed the type of flair not normally associated with central defenders when he produced a penalty-box Cruyff turn to help set up Ryan Bowman’s 82nd-minute strike in an emphatic victory.

Former Oldham manager Robinson said: “I think that’s the first Cruyff turn Peter has done in his life.

“But working down in England you get to know a lot of the players down there, and Peter was a massive, massive signing for me.

“I have said before, the board were very good. They wouldn’t have sold Ben unless I was able to get Peter so it’s credit to the football club.”

Robinson has also been delighted with Hartley’s’

KILMARNOCK

ROSS COUNTY

Curran 34, Van der Weg 44 New Ross County manager Owen Coyle may be tempted to look to the free market to beef up his squad. He took charge at Dingwall on Thursday after the surprise departure of Jim Mcintyre and got his reign off to a dream start with a 2-0 win at Kilmarnock.

However, the former Burnley manager is keen to add to his current squad and will look to strengthen before the January window.

“Everyone has their own flavour of player, and my flavour

0 Peter Hartley celebrates scoring Motherwell’s opening goal. organisational skills at the back. Thistle never managed one shot on target throughout the game.

“That was probably the one thing we lacked,” he said. “Ben was a quiet boy, an excellent footballer, Cedric is a young boy and Charles is getting his game time up. And Peter pulls everyone about, as well as fitting into the dressing room. He is an excellent fellow.

“We have got boys who will throw their body on the line and we are organised. We are a hard team to break down. We have three big boys at the back and good options out wide.”

Alan Archibald’s side remain without a league win this season and the Thistle boss faces a job lifting his players’ confidence.

They struggled to get out of is probably different from other managers in what we like in a team,” he said.

“So if we can look to add even between now and the window, with some free agents that I think can help us, then the chairman has intimated that he will certainly try and help me do that.

“But in the meantime it’s only fair that I give this group the chance in the coming month or so to see what they’re all about.”

The current group made a fine start to Coyle’s tenure, with Craig Curran and Kenny van der Weg on the scoresheet as the Staggies recorded their first win since the opening day of the season.

The 51-year-old will now have two weeks to work with their own half in the first 20 minutes and looked a beaten team after Craig Tanner swept home Motherwell’s second goal in the 56th minute.

“That was the big disappointment,” said Archibald. “I thought with 30 minutes to go there was a bit of an acceptance there. We have not seen that since probably the first game of the season. That was a surprise.”

The Maryhill side cannot afford to feel sorry for themselves, with bottom club Kilmarnock visiting Firhill after the international break. “It’s huge,” Archibald said. “Including this game, there is a run of games that we knew there were points there to be won.

“The next one at home obviously is huge for the opponents as well.” the players as the Premiership takes a break for international fixtures, and he is looking forward to getting to know his squad. He said: “Had we won, drawn or lost it doesn’t change the programme I have got, because the international break is important to us. It’s valuable time to work with the players on a daily basis and get to know them as characters.”

Kilmarnock saw their winless start to the season continue and it ultimately proved manager Lee Mcculloch’s final act. Speaking before his departure yesterday, Mcculloch said the team needed to go back to basics. “We need to get back to doing the ugly side of the game,” he said. “I can’t remember a tackle going in.”