Riordan faces hard graft

DEREK RIORDAN will swap the raucous homecoming he enjoyed as Hibs swept to victory over Dundee United for the loneliness of reserve team football tomorrow.

The 25-year-old striker, battling for full match fitness as he recovers from a niggling groin injury, will be dispatched to play for Mixu Paatelainen's second string at Inverness. Riordan revealed it was a 50/50 decision as to whether he would even take a place on the bench for the visit of United having undergone a course of acupuncture in a bid to make a second-time-around debut.

But within a minute of him taking to the field he'd played his part in creating what proved to be the winner as Steven Fletcher claimed his second goal of the game, boss Paatelainen claiming the mere presence of Riordan had inspired everyone.

He said: "The atmosphere was lifted and that possibly played a part. Derek, though, isn't sharp enough to start matches at the moment so he'll go with the reserves tomorrow."

Riordan will be joined on the journey north by Steven Thicot who made the bench on Saturday having shaken off a thigh problem and possibly even Kevin McCann who has resumed full training after having an injection to cure the tendonitis in his right knee.