Hibs players affected by sight of team-mate being stretchered off in Rangers Cup loss

Amid the sound and fury of a game that veered between high drama and low farce, Hibernian’s players were undoubtedly affected by the loss of a team-mate in an awful clash. Martin Boyle being stretchered off and taken to hospital just before half-time in tonight’s Scottish Cup quarterfinal loss to Rangers at Easter Road definitely had an impact on the home squad.

Chris Cadden, speaking after what should have been a positive experience as he made his first start since the end of last season, admitted: "That's where everybody's thoughts are just now. I think they are waiting for results of the scans in hospital. That's the main priority right now, just make sure he's okay.

“It's not nice seeing your mate lying down like that, so fingers crossed. At half-time you are trying to get your head together because you have a game of football to play, but first and foremost our thoughts are with Martin, obviously.

"We were told he was away to hospital. I've worked with them, the doctor and the physio staff at Hibs are brilliant, so I know he's under the best care, so fingers crossed he's all good. We asked at half-time, and they didn't really know, they're just waiting for an update.”

Hibs boss Nick Montgomery reported that Boyle was stable in hospital about an hour after the final whistle in a 2-0 loss marred by red cards for both Jordan Obita and Nathan Moriah-Welsh.

Cadden, asked about the impact of having two men dismissed in the place of three minutes, said: "I won't say what happens in the changing room, but we stick together. There's a good group in there. Whatever happens, it's never anyone else's fault.

“We win together, we lose together, that's the sort of morale the gaffer's got. What happened in the changing room is what it is, but it's a real close-knit bunch of boys in there. We'll stick together and we've got a big end to the season.

"For me personally, it was great to get back out - it's been a long old journey, just over nine months, so personally it was great for me.

"It was my first start, and first 90 minutes, I didn't think I would go that long. The first start was the milestone, the one where I felt I'd be truly back. I'd come on a couple of times, but I'd always said that my first start is the real one for me being back.

“It didn't end the way I wanted it to, but on a personal note it is good to be back out there. I've been working really hard so hopefully it all pays off.”

Commenting on the match, Cadden admitted: "It was madness, to be honest. The first half was eaksy-peaksy, and in the second half I thought we came out really well. And then obviously the red cards change the game and it's hard to come back from there.

“The first half was a bit frustrating; we didn't show our best version of ourselves, we didn't really relax on the ball. It was a bit hectic for us, but in the second half we calmed down and played forward, and I personally got in the game a little bit more. I thought it was there for us in the second half to go and win the game.”