Hibs star issues post-Hampden rallying cry after loss v Aberdeen

There can be no emotional hangover as league business resumes

No hiding place - skipper vows to bounce back

Hibs captain Joe Newell insists his team have the emotional strength to bounce straight back from their Hampden heartache – even though it will take a day or two for the hurt to fade. Nick Montgomery’s men travel to Paisley to take on St Mirren on league business on Wednesday night.

Left distraught by the manner of their Viaplay Cup semi-final loss to Aberdeen at the national stadium on Saturday night, there’s a risk of the Hibees suffering a psychological hangover. But Newell, on-field skipper in the absence of club captain Paul Hanlon, declared: “Of course we’ve got the character to bounce back. You’ve got no choice, anyway. That’s football.

“It’s good that it’s Wednesday rather than Tuesday, because that would’ve been a quick turnaround; we still would’ve been hurting. But there’s no excuses on Wednesday, it’s done. It’ll be put to bed - and we’ll be fully prepared. There will not be one excuse if we don’t get a result on Wednesday.

“It’ll take a day or two. The game is Wednesday night, so there’ll be no excuses physically or mentally, no chance. We’ll be right and fully prepared for St Mirren, 100 per cent. We need to bounce back. It’s done now.

“The full focus is now on two massive games coming up before the break, St Mirren and Kilmarnock. We know we need to get as many points as possible, because the full focus goes back on the league now.”