Hibs 'fell to pieces' against Dundee says Josh Doig as he admits players 'have to take a look at themselves'

Josh Doig has admitted Hibs ‘fell to pieces’ in their 3-1 defeat by Dundee on Tuesday night.

Niall McGinn’s third-minute strike was cancelled out by James Scott’s first goal for Hibs but Josh Mulligan restored the hosts’ lead and substitute Charlie Adam made the points safe with a fantastic strike late on, prompting a stern response from interim boss David Gray after the match.

The young defender said the performance ‘wasn’t good enough’, adding: “We competed in the first half but once we conceded the second goal we fell to pieces.

“We can’t be seen to have gone on our holidays early but we took our foot off the pedal.

“We are a young squad but you still have to take responsibility. It’s a game of football and you have to want to win.

"We have a game on Sunday now and we have to bring the respect back. It’s got to hurt us and we have to use it to put in a better performance.

“It’s football, there are always ups and downs but we are all professionals and you can’t hide behind excuses.

“We all have to take responsibility for what happened and take a look at ourselves.”

Josh Doig admitted Hibs 'fell to pieces' against Dundee

The Scotland Under-21 internationalist believes Hibs were trying too hard to find the net and that had a negative impact on the rest of their performance.

“We got caught wanting to score too much, being too desperate and we were not solid as a unit.

“I count myself in that. This is where you have to regroup and get tight and narrow as a unit.

“That’s how you make sure more goals don’t go in but we didn’t do that."

Hibs are still without a permanent manager but Doig insists the players have to start focusing on next season regardless.

“Irrespective of the manager, we have to look at ourselves because the next season is only a few months away,” he continued.

“We have to prepare ourselves for that now, it’s going to be a long road but we have to do it.

“This season has been a rollercoaster, that’s what football is like.

“I experienced it last season, getting to the final and stuff but this year has showed it’s a tough game. It has been too up and down.”

Hibs host St Johnstone on Sunday in the final game of the season and Doig is hopeful that the Capital club can bounce back and end the campaign on a relative high. He might still be just 19, but he spoke with the wisdom of a more experienced player as he questioned the side’s effort and consistency in the last few weeks.

“You have to build yourself back up after disappointment. It’s a hard thing to do but you have to show the character to do it,” he added.

“All season, irrespective of what manager has been here, it hasn’t been good enough.

“We need to show more consistency as a group. In training we have to come in every single day and work hard. I feel we have shown a lack of that in the last few weeks.

“It’s time now we have to start focusing through the summer on the new season, because this one just hasn’t been good enough.”