Dean Gibson believes Hibs ‘didn’t deserve to lose’ Edinburgh derby

Manager Dean Gibson insists his side were good enough to come away with at least a draw as they fell to a 2-1 defeat against Hearts.

Katie Lockwood’s second half goal was not enough to overcome goals from Erin Rennie and Aimiee Anderson as the visitors lost their first derby of the season. It was Hibs fourth game in just under two weeks with the club currently amidst an injury crisis. The player availability going into the fixture certainly affected the game for Gibson’s side as he named only four players on the bench with Eilidh Adams also being turned into a makeshift midfielder.

“I’m disappointed, but not with the group they were running on fumes,” Gibson told the Edinburgh Evening News. “We have just got back from playing Celtic, Glasgow City and Rangers in a row and it was never going to be easy. For us, it was always going to be a challenge tonight with our energy going in those games to then come here tonight. You’ve got to do a bit more with the ball in these games because they are more 50/50 but it is hard when you have not got a lot of energy in your legs. The first half I was disappointed but in the second half we had a bit of a fight about us. I’m not disappointed with anyone apart from the situation we find ourselves in that we can't enjoy the top six because of the injuries we have got and what we find ourselves in.”

Despite finding themselves two goals down at the interval, Hibs came out all guns blazing in the second half. The visitors almost managed to claw a point back at the death if it wasn’t for a fantastic save from Charlotte Parker-Smith from Siobhan Hunter’s header.

Katie Lockwood got a goal back for Hibs in the second half. Credit: Malcolm Mackenzie

“The second half we put in a great shift,” he added. “I don’t think we deserved to lose the game. We flung everything at it in the second half to get back in it. It shows the character of that group that even though we are running on fumes, they tried their best to get back in it. I’m disappointed but at the same time I’m proud of their efforts in the second half and what they are giving the club at the moment.”