Stubbs claims Hibs are back on track despite late slip-up

HIBS boss Alan Stubbs last night claimed the Easter Road side are back on track — despite losing a late goal to draw their home Scottish Cup quarter-final with holders Inverness Caley Thistle. The Edinburgh side’s Championship bid has crumbled in recent weeks, with three consecutive losses seeing Falkirk leapfrog them into second place. A second-half goal from James Keatings yesterday looked to have the League Cup finalists

on the road to a fifth Premiership scalp of the season. But Inverness substitute Andrea Mbuyi-Mutombo scored with 12 minutes remaining to secure a replay in the Highlands on March 16 for the right to face Dundee United in the semi-final next month. Despite that setback, Stubbs was happy with his side’s performance before they jet out to Spain today on a warm-weather training camp to prepare for Sunday’s League Cup Final against Ross County at Hampden. ‘We’re back on track,’ insisted Stubbs. ‘It’s as simple as that. A week is a long time in football. ‘I have heard criticism and it’s nice my players have responded. ‘We’ve had a bad week but, when you’ve got quality, you don’t have lots of bad weeks. ‘We are still unbeaten against Premiership opposition and we have another opportunity (in the replay). ‘I think we did enough to win the game but probably not much more than that. It was a close game but, apart from the goal, my keeper Mark Oxley has not really had a save to make. ‘I have to give (John) Yogi Hughes and his Inverness team credit. ‘They’re a good team and a big, strong team. ‘I didn’t think there was an awful lot between us but, if anything, we just shaded it.’ Stubbs admitted that Dylan McGeouch is an injury doubt for the League Cup Final after the

former Celtic midfielder suffered a new groin strain. ‘It’s frustrating because Dylan is an important player for us,’ said Stubbs. ‘In the past, he has felt problems on one side of his groin but now it’s the other. ‘We cleared up the left problem and then he felt the right. ‘So we will need to see how it is over the next day or so and try to get him back as soon as possible. ‘But he will still be going to Spain with us.’ Stubbs believed Hibs should have had a first-half penalty yesterday when Caley Thistle’s Liam Polworth fouled Liam Henderson near the edge of the box. ‘I haven’t seen a replay but I thought it was just on the line,’ he said. ‘I have seen them given.’