Hibs scorers prove there is life after Kieron Bowie - Gray hails 'dream scenario' after St Mirren win

Hibs boss David Gray revelled in the “dream scenario” of seeing two January signings hit the net, as the Easter Road side prove that there is life after Kieron Bowie. Owen Elding marked his first start for Hibs with the opener in today’s 2-0 win over St Mirren, before super sub Ante Suto came off the bench to bag his second for the club.

Gray, who saw Bowie move to Hellas Verona in a £7 million deal late in the mid-season window, is thrilled to see his new boys hitting the ground running, saying: “That's the dream scenario, isn't it? As a coach, you want them to come in and try and affect the game.

“They'll only get better from that experience, the confidence they're going to get from that. But it's also the players that are already here that help them, that allow them to settle quickly.

“It's bringing the right type of people into the club. It's something we spoke about through the whole of January. It's not just about bringing players in. Can you bring in the right type of people that you're not going to add to your group?

“We've obviously brought in a couple of younger ones as well that are really hungry to improve all the time. So I think there is a lot to come.”

Hibs bounced back from their midweek loss to Hearts with a solid and professional performance ahead of next weekend’s daunting trip to Celtic Park. From the moment Elding opened the scoring with a superb glancing header just before half-time, the home side were in control.

Gray said: “I’m obviously delighted for Owen on his first start. He's had to be patient because, just through circumstances, he's not got on in the last couple of games as well.

“I thought he affected the game in a positive way against Rangers when he came on. And everything we hoped to see from him today we definitely did, which was bringing that energy, that youthful exuberance to the game that I think was required today off the back of the disappointment of last week.

“And then on a personal note for Ante coming on as a sub, he'll be disappointed he's not started at times, but that's exactly all you can do as a sub. The team that starts is never the team that finishes it, and can you come on and affect the game? And he's certainly done that.

“So, all in all, delighted with the performance, but the most important thing today was all about the three points, especially off the back of that real disappointment last week. You don't always get what you deserve in football, but I think we certainly got what we deserved today, which is the pleasing thing, and something then to build on.”

More to come from 19-year-old ace

Insisting Elding’s goal was a sign of what Hibs fans should expect from the 19-year-old former Sligo Rovers forward, Gray said: “Very much so. Movement, anticipating where the ball's going to go, getting across people. He'll come on from that as well.

“He's someone I've got high hopes for, but at the same time still a young boy, still learning. But he'll get a lot of confidence from that today.

“And he can be happy with his day's work, and I think, in general, since he's come over, he's been very effective in training. He's just got a lot of good attributes that I think will be very successful in Scotland.

“As a collective, I thought the level of performance was really good. I could name a few.”

Victory closed the gap on Motherwell, who host Aberdeen tomorrow, to just two points in the battle for fourth place, Gray noting: All we can do is take care of ourselves. I've been very consistent with that. That's not going to change between now and the end of the season.

“We've moved three points closer to Motherwell. I know they play tomorrow. I know they've got another game in hand.

“All we can do is take care of ourselves and look at our own level of performance and results. And at this stage of the season, it is all about results.

“So, delighted with that. We do move three points closer and we close that gap.”