HIBS keeper Ben Williams admits dignity must be restored at Celtic this weekend after their pride was battered by Queen of the South
.....Reports The Daily Record
The former Manchester United starlet revealed boss Pat Fenlon gave his side a verbal mauling after their League Cup exit.
Hibs might be riding high in the SPL after spending last season battling against the drop but Williams concedes they are not so good they can ever take anything for granted.
Now he has called on his team-mates to get back to basics on Saturday after their 2-0 defeat at Palmerston or face certain defeat against champions Celtic.
Williams said: “We performed badly to a man against Queens and did not put in the hard work required. We didn’t even get the basics right. We were beaten by the better side and it should never have happened.
“We’ve had three decent results recently and although it shows we’re an improved side, we can’t just turn up and expect a performance. We have to work hard to take anything from any game.
“Complacency will lead to off nights. No one can hold their hands up after our defeat and say they did everything right and were fully focused.
“I hope this acts as the kick up the backside we need. The manager tore a strip off us in the dressing room.
“Hopefully, the kick in the behind will see us turn up at Celtic to play what is a massive game.
“We can’t dwell on the Cup defeat but over the next few days we’ll be working on where we went wrong.”
Fenlon railed against claims he had treated Allan Johnston’s side with anything other than respect, even though he left skipper James McPake out and put regulars such as Alan Maybury, David Wotherspoon and Eoin Doyle on the bench.
It was an assessment shared by Williams, who was left exposed by his dodgy defence at the two goals.
He added: “The goals were sloppy and avoidable. If you stop crosses and shots they won’t score goals.
“We’ve done the basics well in recent games and built a platform for victory. That was the most frustrating aspect of this defeat.”