Nish returns for Hibs

Posted Tuesday, September 22, 2009 by PA

Hibernian will welcome back striker Colin Nish from suspension for their second home meeting with St Johnstone in four days.

Nish missed Saturday's 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League win at Easter Road through suspension but is available for Tuesday's Co-operative Insurancethird-round tie.

Kevin McCann is finally fit after a hamstring problem but the game is expected to come too soon for the injury-plagued full-back.

Boss John Hughes has hailed the attitude of captain Chris Hogg after being axed from the team on Saturday.

The defender paid the price for his performance in the defeta at Hamilton but is responding in precisely the manner Hughes expected.

However, the 24-year-old may have to wait until after tomorrow's cup tie to regain his place.

Hughes said: "Hoggy's everything that you want at your club: the way he goes about his business, conducts himself, the way he trains; a really good professional.

"He'll come back from that and he'll respond in the right manner. He trained very well on Monday so it'll not be too long before Hoggy's back in the starting XI."

St Johnstone boss Derek McInnes is hopeful Filipe Morais will be available.

Midfielder Morais missed Saturday's 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League defeat against his former club through illness but could return for Tuesday night's Co-operative Insurance Cup third-round tie.

Defender Stuart McCaffrey is a doubt after needing stitches in a head wound on Saturday and there are another one or two players carrying knocks, while Kevin Rutkiewicz (knee), Peter MacDonald (hamstring), Graeme Smith (thigh), Kevin Moon (groin) and long-term injured Andy Jackson are all still out.

McInnes challenged his players to use their burning sense of "injustice" to fire them to victory.

Saints travel to Easter Road on the back of what appears on paper to be a 3-0 Clydesdale Bank Premier League thumping from John Hughes' men.

But Saturday's result does not tell the full story of a game in which the visitors carved out a succession of chances but were unable to match the ruthless finishing of their opponents.

Saints boss McInnes told Press Association Sport: "I'm just glad we've got a midweek game to make up for what was a disappointing result.

"You always want to get out there and rectify that, so I'm looking for a response from my team.

"And if they feel any injustice in terms of how the game went then let's hope we see that in the performance because, ultimately, Hibs got the job done: they put the ball in the net.

"We didn't didn't get the job done because we failed to put the ball in the net."