Source: Team_Talk
Saints resolve impresses McInnes
It looked like another long 90 minutes for McInnes' men at Easter Road when Anthony Stokes netted his third goal in four days against them after just 42 seconds.
But Saints soon levelled through the recalled Gavin Swankie before goalkeeper Alan Main saved a dubious Derek Riordan penalty.
The visitors deservedly sealed a quarter-final place late on thanks to goals from substitute Chris Millar and a superb strike from Jody Morris.
McInnes said: "I thought it was no more than we deserved. You're looking for a reaction and we certainly got that tonight.
"I thought, individually, we won what we needed to win, and I thought as a team we won the battle as well and that's pleasing for any manager.
"On the back of it, I thought we played some decent stuff and cut open a decent Hibs team."
McInnes' men have yet to taste victory in the SPL following their promotion last season but have now won three League Cup ties in a row.
The Saints boss said: "I've sat here many times this season and we've had draws when they should have been wins and they got what they deserved tonight, so I'm delighted."
McInnes insisted "justice" was done when Main saved Riordan's hotly-contested spot-kick when the score was still 1-1.
He also played down his own substitutions, which proved inspired tonight, with Millar scoring just two minutes after coming on.
"You can never forecast what's going to transpire with injuries or whatever in a game but you would always try to have impact players," McInnes said.
Opposite number Hughes was disappointed at what will be regarded as an upset but refused to be too critical of his players.
"I felt St Johnstone deserved to win the football match," he said.
"Scoring the goal early, I would have liked to have held onto that for a lot longer. To concede four or five minutes after scoring the goal was disappointing.
"Obviously, the goals that we've lost, I felt were disappointing. I felt they tried awfully hard but I've seen us better.
"I'm asking my boys in there after the game, 'Do you think you deserved to win the football match?'
"And I think they're an honest bunch and said they didn't do enough.
"It could have gone our way with the penalty and I think at 1-1 Stokesy had a wee chance.
"But it wasn't to be."
