Hibs head coach Alan Stubbs insists his players have done well to be in with a shout of finishing second in the Championship considering the amount of games they have played.
Sunday’s final league clash at home to Queen of the South will be the Leith side’s 49th match of an exhausting campaign, with a potential seven more to come in the play-offs and Scottish Cup.
The race for second and a play-off semi-final place will go down to the wire with Falkirk currently in the runners-ups spot having scored three more goals.
Runs to the League Cup and Scottish Cup finals are the reason for Hibs’ enlarged fixture card.
Fellow promotion rivals Falkirk and Raith Rovers have played six games less to date, while champions Rangers have also contested 48 matches.
Stubbs said: “We’ve certainly made it harder than what it should have been but when you take into account the amount of games we’ve had, which is significantly higher than any other team, I think we’ve done really well to be in the position we’re in.
“That’s not making excuses, far from it, but the players have responded and their attitude towards it has been great.
“Now we’re looking forward to Sunday with an eye on who we’re going to get in the play-offs, and at what stage.”
Stubbs, meanwhile, was pleased to see James Keatings return to scoring form in Tuesday’s 4-0 victory over Dumbarton after the striker netted a brace and grabbed his first goals in eight matches.
Stubbs, who rested Jason Cummings against the Sons, added: “He did very well but that’s no surprise.
“He scores goals, but I thought his overall play was good.
“He linked up well and I thought he worked their defenders and made them make mistakes, and not have clear clearances.
“He linked up well with Stokesy (Anthony Stokes) at times as well.”
