Hibs’ goalkeeper Mark Oxley will miss the William Hill Scottish Cup semi-final against Dundee United at Hampden Park on April 16th after being booked in controversial circumstances at the Tulloch Caledonian Stadium last night during the 2-1 Scottish Cup replay win over Inverness.
Oxley received his second yellow card of the tournament for time wasting whilst he was looking for a lost contact lens.
The 25-year-old who has been an ever present this season was subsequently taken off to be replaced by Finnish debutant Otso Virtanen.
After the game, Head Coach Alan Stubbs told BBC Scotland.”He lost his contact lens and asked the ref to try to find it but he will probably hide behind the fact that Ox didn’t say that, but it was obvious to everyone in the stands that he had a problem with his eye, and there was a problem with communication.”
Stubbs was clearly stung by criticism of his players following Sunday’s League Cup final defeat to Ross County but he insisted that he has never doubted them and praised their character in bouncing back to secure a return visit to the national stadium.
He added: “I couldn’t care less what people say about our team. The most important thing is what we say in the dressing room.
“When you do well, there are always people ready to criticise, but that is part of the game.
“I will never doubt my players. I believed in them even on the back of this horrendous run we have had, and the lads showed great character tonight.
“We have got to a final, and now another semi-final, and we still have a chance of promotion. Sometimes people write you off after one result, but they can keep going as far as I’m concerned. All it does is make us stronger.
“The strikers deserve a special mention. They looked back in form, considering they were out of form. Stokesy scored two and Jason could have scored again. We have come to a Premiership team and had a lot of chances. The lads at the back have had to stand up to a real onslaught of balls into the box too.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
