Hughes warns players over pitch

Hibs' own players have criticised the club's playing surface in recent weeks, with forward Abdessalam Benjelloun branding it "horrendous".But Hughes has warned he will not tolerate its condition being used to justify a cup exit at the hands of lower-league opposition.Leaping to the defence of the Easter Road groundstaff, Hughes said: "The pitch has got nothing to do with it."There's been a lot made of our pitch - I know the work that goes in."I know guys who have been in there at seven-o'clock in the morning, still there at 10-o'clock at night."That's real character."My players maybe come in here from nine-o'clock in the morning until two-o'clock in the afternoon, then they go home to their bed."The real heroes are the ones who try to give us a surface."Hibs could not have enjoyed a kinder Scottish Cup draw, playing the lowest-ranked sides in the competition in rounds four and five before drawing lower-league opponents once more in the quarter-finals.Hughes hopes it proves an omen but warned his players they will be masters of their own destiny against First Division outfit Ross County - for good or for ill."If we go out there and be blase in any shape or form then we'll get turned over," he said."I don't think there's much difference between the top three or four teams in the First Division and most of the teams in the SPL."On any given day - especially cup day - they're more than capable of coming to Easter Road and beating us."

Source: Team_Talk