Hibernian manager John Hughes called for his players to stick together after their 3-1 Co-operative Insurance Cup defeat at Kilmarnock was followed by a heated dressing-room inquest.
Hughes admitted there had been "one or two raised voices but no fisticuffs" following reports of a punch-up at the end of the third-round loss.
Hughes said: "What you have to do is show the strength of character to come back and say 'let's stick together'."
Some of the travelling fans vented their frustration at the former Hibs skipper as their disappointing run continued - the team have won just four matches out of 26.
But Hughes believes their luck will turn after being satisfied with the commitment and some of their passing, but not their finishing or defending.
Hughes said: "Give credit where it's due, I thought it was a right good game of football, (involving) two good football teams.
"Did we do enough to win the match? We certainly did. If we took our chances at the right time we could be in the hat for the next round.
"It was bad defending (for their second goal), I think we gave the ball away in midfield and they broke on us. The boys said that, 'we are beating ourselves'. But in terms of spirit, there are boys in that dressing room that are hurting in there and caring and that's a good sign."
Hughes claimed the abuse from a small section of fans was not hurting him.
"I can understand it," he said. "It is probably about results at the end of the day but the boys are putting the effort in and it will turn. In football one minute you are up there and the next minute you're down."
Source: PA
