Hibs need to “believe” if they are to get through injury crisis

As Hibs players continue to drop like flies, striker Katie Lockwood insists that the team need to believe that they can continue to pick up results.

The Edinburgh side has been in a terrible injury crisis throughout 2023 with new injuries occurring on a weekly basis. Eight outfield players were unavailable for the Edinburgh derby on Wednesday night with Dean Gibson only able to name four players on the bench. Leah Eddie and Michaela McAlonie were deemed fit enough to make the 15-player squad after their recent knocks but did not start while Lucy Parry and Poppy Lawson made the first-11 despite not being 100%.

A lot of this can be put down to the hectic schedule Hibs have had to endure over the past month. The Edinburgh club are going into the fifth game within a two-week period this Sunday as they attempt to end their season on a positive note. Striker Katie Lockwood has been one of the players who have come through this period relatively unscathed as she insists the team need to believe they can get something.

“Everyone knows the injury situation,” she told the Edinburgh Evening News. “It’s not been easy playing four games in 10 days with very low numbers. We have got 12 or 13 outfield players at the moment. That’s when we have to come together as a group and show our character. The last few games we have done that; I know results haven’t gone our way but if we keep building on that I’m sure we will get the results in the future.

Katie Lockwood signed for Hibs in the January transfer window. Credit: Malcolm Mackenzie

“It's been tough because we have had to change formations every week and change personnel but we all know what each other can do. The biggest thing is belief, we’ve got to believe in the game plan and execute what Dean [Gibson] and Stewart [Ross] are telling us to do. They’ve got it right over the past few weeks and it’s done to individual mistakes and mistakes that we shouldn’t be doing have cost us a goal.”

Hibs lost their first Edinburgh derby on Wednesday night as they were defeated 2-1 at the Oiram. Despite being two goals down at half-time, Lockwood’s team came out all guns blazing in the second half with the 25-year-old bagging a quick goal. However, despite the team producing some good chances, they were unable to get an equaliser.

“We made a tactical change at half-time to change the formation and that helped us,” she added. “Everyone came together in the second half and believed in what we could do and try and get a result out of the game. I just try and be in the right places at the right time and if they go in they go in. I will take today’s goal, it was a little scrappy, not very good from the goalkeeper but I will take them all.

“It’s disappointing really, we didn’t show up in the first half and it has cost us ultimately. Two goals came from things that we have spoken about not doing. The second half was a lot better and we can build on it for Sunday and hopefully put on a better performance for Celtic.”