Of the Easter Road club's six outstanding league matches, three take place 24 hours after Dunfermline are in action. Fenlon believes the basement side, presently six points adrift, have been given an opportunity to increase the pressure on Hibs over three separate weekends by the revised fixtures list.

After capitalising on Dunfermline's futile trip to Dundee United last Saturday with a crucial victory at Inverness the day after, Hibs are again in action tomorrow, at home to Motherwell, with Dunfermline hosting Hearts this afternoon. Matches later this month, at home to Kilmarnock and away to St Mirren, also succeed Dunfermline's matches.

Fenlon, who has already voiced his displeasure at Hibs having just one Saturday game after the split, said: "It makes you wonder why we have been made to play three times after Dunfermline. It's very peculiar.

"It worked in our favour last week, but I don't think at this stage of the season any club should have that advantage, whether it's at the top or the bottom of the league. You can understand if it happens once, but three times is a bit hard to take."

Dunfermline visit Easter Road on May 7 in the penultimate game of the campaign, and Fenlon added: "Obviously, the TV people are hoping it comes down to that game, but hopefully we can disappoint them and their figures go down drastically."

First up for Hibs, however, is tomorrow's game against a Motherwell side chasing third place in the league and boosted by the news that manager Stuart McCall has won his appeal against a one-match touchline ban.

McCall was sent to the stand following a confrontation with referee Craig Thomson at half-time in the Scottish Cup defeat against Aberdeen last month. He rejected the Scottish Football Association compliance officer's offer of a ban and was successful at a hearing with a panel at Hampden yesterday.

"Craig Thomson spoke very well and told the truth," McCall said. "After that it was proven that my words were not offensive."