Not The Final Meeting

Last updated : 19 April 2016 By ed_ScottishFitba

C:WindowsTempphpB5DE.tmpHibs and Rangers meet tomorrow in what will be their fifth meeting of the season and a dress rehearsal for their sixth on 21 May at Hampden. Mark Oxley will be back in goal for the home side when they take on  Rangers but manager Alan Stubbs has stressed that Conrad Logan offers serious competition for the number one jersey. Logan made a perfect debut on Saturday at the national stadium, making a string of saves during regulation time and stopping two penalties in the shoot-out as Hibs beat Dundee United in the Scottish Cup semi-finals. This set a high standard that Oxley knows he will have to match when he returns from suspension against the Championship title-winners at Easter Road on Wednesday.

Stubbs said: "Conrad's come on a short-term deal and we obviously know he is working his way back to full fitness. He came in and did really well, no one can argue with that, but Mark is my number one. But what Conrad has done is certainly provide real competition for places with Otso (Virtanen) for that number one. Competition for places is huge in any team. Conrad is chomping at Mark's heels, which is great that should spur Mark on, knowing that if his performances drop, Conrad and Otso are waiting in the wings to get an opportunity."

With Rangers seeing off the challenge of Premiership champions Celtic in the other semi-final, Hibs can utilise on-loan Celtic players Liam Henderson and Anthony Stokes in the final. 

Rangers' Andy Halliday insists there will be no hard feelings if Hibs ignore calls for Rangers to be given a guard of honour on Wednesday night as they take to the Easter Road patch. Ibrox fans expect Hibs to pay tribute to the newly-crowned Championship winners by applauding them out of the tunnel. That may be a step too far Hibs, especially with their promotion hopes now hang in the balance. However,  midfielder Halliday says there will be no row if the Hibees reject the request. He said: "That's up to Hibs. I would like to think [they would] as obviously it's been part and parcel of football for a long time. But it's up to them. There will certainly be no hard feelings if they don't. It's completely up to them."