Hibs Coach David Gray Frames Derby Draw as Opportunity for Momentum

Head coach David Gray expresses ongoing frustration regarding Sunday’s derby draw against Heart of Midlothian but encourages Hibernian to maintain an optimistic outlook after halting a detrimental sequence of three defeats. Gray’s struggling squad currently occupies the lowest position in the Scottish Premiership, having accumulated merely six points from nine matches, trailing their Edinburgh rivals on goal difference. Gray commented, stating, “Sometimes you need to hit rock bottom to start building again,” and continued, “Yes, we’re still bottom of the league, but we got a point in the derby and that’s not a disaster at all. Did I want all three? Yes. But we need to quickly change that narrative and say it’s something to build on after three defeats.” He emphasized, “We need to get points on the board quickly.” Pondering the match held at Easter Road, Gray opined that both squads performed “with a fear not to lose” considering their struggles early in the season. He remarked, “It was a bit scrappy, there was a lack of quality,” adding, “But every time we did show a bit of quality, we created chances, so that’s a real positive.” He concluded by saying, “To lose the goal and drop points is a huge frustration, but there were questions asked after we got pegged back and the boys stood up to that.” Hearts achieved an equalizer in the 87th minute, and the concession of goals in the final stages of matches has emerged as a consistent issue for Hibs. Gray’s team is scheduled to play Ross County on Wednesday, recalling that they allowed late goals in a 2-1 loss and a 2-2 tie during their visits to Dingwall last season. Midfielder Nectarios Triantis commented, stating, “It seems we are always falling short at the last hurdle,” and added, “We’re trying our best to fix that.” He further expressed, “I think we created more than enough opportunities to win the game [against Hearts], but sometimes that’s how the dice rolls and we just need to keep going.” Concurrently, Gray expressed his hope that Jake Doyle-Hayes has overcome “a difficult time” following the midfielder’s return to play on Sunday, marking his first appearance in 14 months. The 25-year-old player, whose career has been hampered by multiple complications after undergoing ankle surgery, entered the game as an 83rd-minute substitute. Gray further stated, “He deserves it for how hard he’s trained,” and continued, “I had no concerns about him coming on just because of the type of player he is, his temperament and the quality he’s got.” He concluded by saying, “He’s someone that adds real strength and depth. He’s going to work as hard as he can to try and get in the team because there is a lot of competition in there as well.” Sandi Toksvig is accompanied by Gyles Brandreth, Lulu, Emmanuel Sonubi, and Alan Davies. Take the microphone to perform songs by Queen, Taylor Swift, Bon Jovi, Katy Perry, and other artists. Ben Fogle and Kate Humble return for the celebratory events at Longleat Safari Park. Covering topics ranging from microplastics present in our atmosphere, soil, and aquatic environments, to the volume of food waste generated during this period of the year. © 2024 BBC. The British Broadcasting Corporation bears no responsibility for material found on external websites. Information regarding their policy on external links is available.