Is pressure now off Hibs after unbeaten run lost? Star striker makes 'weight off shoulders' claim

Hibs striker Kieron Bowie believes the Easter Road side can play with more freedom after losing their club record-equalling unbeaten run of 17 straight league games. Last weekend’s defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie was the first time since early December that David Gray’s team had lost a Scottish Premiership match, with results since that 3-0 loss to Celtic in Glasgow including beating the Hoops at home and clinching a famous victory at Ibrox.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s visit of Dundee United, currently three points behind Hibs in the race for third place, Bowie admitted: “I just feel like it's a bit of a weight off our shoulders. Obviously, the fans still expect us to go out and win the majority of our games.

“But yeah it's a weight off our shoulders. And hopefully we just get back to winning ways.

“I mean, I feel like it's been more intense this week after that defeat. I mean, sometimes you're winning every week, and you just sort of expect it.

“And whereas now we've had that defeat. And we sort of just need to get back to it.

“I mean, obviously, Saturday was disappointing and it's not the way we wanted it to go, but we've not felt that feeling for a long time. We just need to see a reaction from that.

“I'm sure we can all do that, and we can see that in training this week. It's been a really strong week of training and hopefully we can get back to winning ways. I don't think there's much that needs to change, to be honest.

“We had so many games at the start of the season without a win. And then it's the same group of players, the same way we're playing.

“We went out and managed to turn it around and get as many wins in a row as we've had. I feel like you can tell there's a real good group here and a strong core.

“Everyone's in a good place at the moment, even with that defeat on Saturday. We're still focused on our next game and just being as strong and hard to beat as possible.”

Dundee United a top six fixture in first season after promotion

United represent interesting opposition, to say the least, given the previous games between this season. Jim Goodwin’s newly-promoted side have looked well prepared for the top flight, certainly.

“I mean, they've done exceptionally well,” said Bowie, who scored a dramatic late goal in February’s 3-1 win at Tannadice, a big moment in his comeback from major hamstring surgery, the former Fulham striker adding: “They came up last season and then not much has been made of it, but I think they've been in the top six the whole season. So, they've obviously been up there the full season, and they do what they do well.

“They've got a lot of long throws, a lot of corners, so they get the ball in the box and I'm sure they should. They've got Sam Dalby up front who scores a lot of goals.”

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Admitting he’d taken special pleasure in his thumping finish against United on Tayside, Bowie said: “Especially Tuesday night under the lights. It's really what you play for; there's nothing beats scoring a goal.

“That was my first goal back after my injury as well. So, it was just sort of that release of what I've waited all those months for.”

Ex-Raith star fit again after four months of rehab after surgery

Bowie describes himself as being “in a really good space now” when it comes to fitness, despite missing pre-season. After spending four months of the campaign in rehab, he doesn’t want the footballing year to end.

The former Raith star said: “Now I'm fit, so that's the main thing. I'm fit and I'm able to play and go out and start games and stuff. But it's always like, as I said already, playing catch up.

“But I feel in a really good space now. It's just a shame we're coming to the end of the season, to be honest.”

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