Hibs boss points finger at key failings as he makes 'two points dropped' admission after Hearts draw

Frustrated Hibs boss David Gray pointed the finger at players “not doing their job” as the Easter Road side threw away victory in a 1-1 home draw against city rivals Hearts. The first Edinburgh Derby of the new season ended with the teams unable to be separated despite substitute Myko Kuharevich putting the hosts in a commanding position with a real poacher’s goal after 65 minutes.

In a season of late collapses, Hibs were unable to get the win that would have taken them off the foot of the Scottish Premiership table, as a long throw-in with four minutes of the 90 remaining caused unnecessary havoc in the home box, allowing James Wilson to slide in at the back post. The manner of the concession left Gray singing from a familiar hymn sheet.

"I feel like it's two points dropped,” he said, adding: “Again. I don't think anybody could deny that we deserved to win the game on chances created.

"Unfortunately it's a similar story. Four or five chances created.

"One moment of defending a long throw at the very end, unfortunately there are people not doing their job properly."

CHECK OUT THE LATEST FITBAW TALK ON SHOTS TV

Asked to expand on the detail of what went wrong. Gray said: “It's a long throw coming into the box. Forrest runs into the box unopposed; he should be marked.

“We lose the first contact, which probably makes it tougher to take. It's not great to expect, it's not as if he's a six-foot two centre back coming up and heading the ball. So we lose the first contact, second contact - and we're sleeping at the back post.

“That's not something we work on in the training pitch. You work on everybody doing their job properly. It's not as if they don't get that information of course.

“There's a lot of work that goes into it because it's such a big part of the game and we've actually fell short in that area already this season on a few occasions; the Motherwell game for example. So it's not as if the work's not being done.

“And in that moment again, we've let ourselves down. It undoes all the hard work and effort that went into securing that clean sheet. Because up until that point, I thought we were well worthy of it.

“I don't think panicking is the right word because like I say there, up until that moment, I thought we dealt with everything that Hearts threw at us. We could make it easier for ourselves by taking the chances going the other way.

“I think that would calm the nerves and a little bit of pressure. But the longer the game goes on and people start to throw things forward, that's going to happen. When there's only one goal in the game, you always leave yourself open to teams throwing everything at it late on in the game because they've got nothing to lose - and that's what happened today.

“It can be a number of things. It can be switching off in that moment. It can be just concentration levels or a real desire and hunger to go and actually head the ball and do everything you can to defend the goal. 

“For 99% of the game today, I thought players done that, especially off the top of my head without watching the game back, Big Marvin Ekpiteta putting his body on the line, numerous big blocks. I can't remember him losing a header. 

“So there's a lot of positives to take for the game again today. We've probably played better and lost this season as well.

GET THE LATEST HIBS NEWS DIRECTLY TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX DAILY WITH OUR FREE NEWSLETTER SERVICE

“So we need to then look at the positives, which is it's a point after the last three games we've lost. We get a point in the derby, which is never a disaster. It feels like two points dropped, but we can't be sitting here feeling sorry for ourselves.

“When you don't score, when you get as many chances as we do and we don't take these chances, you need to be more resolute at the back For 99% of the game today, I thought we were excellent defensively. I thought a lot of boys putting their body on the line, a lot of big blocks, big clearances and restricted taps to very few chances. But we've dropped two points in my opinion again today.”