'Lack of desire' key to Hibs loss says Gray as Hanley injury update provided and Boyle substitution explained
Defeat in Perth puts pressure on David Gray’s men in League Cup quarter-final
David Gray criticised his Hibs team for showing a “lack of desire” at a crucial moment as the Easter Road side slipped to a 2-1 defeat against St Johnstone in Perth. And the gaffer insists players and coaching staff have to “take ownership” of recent failings if they’re to secure a Hampden return by beating Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup next weekend.
Hibs fell behind after 16 minutes, Adam Mayor failing to close down a cross as Josh Fowler bagged the first of his double. And, despite Nathan Lowe dragging the visitors back onto level terms on the half-hour mark, a rash tackle by Martin Boyle on Enes Alic saw referee Steven McLean award a penalty – which was converted by Fowler.
Another poor first half in echoes of derby loss
Gray was infuriated by the goals his team conceded in another sluggish first-half performance. Coming off the back of a similar underwhelming start in Thursday night’s home derby loss to Hearts, the Hibs boss couldn’t contain his frustration.
“Listen, I think it would be easy to say, ah, we pushed and we kept going,” he insisted: “I think the biggest thing for me is the manner in which the first half went for us -again.
“Especially off the back of the disappointment on Thursday night and everything we spoke about, hoping for that reaction. I thought the first half was summed up in the manner in which the two goals we conceded.
“So a lack of desire to stop somebody advancing past you, gambling in the box, guessing in the box. I know there is a bit of a deflection on the cross, but one person's really proactive and the other one's gambling, trying to read it, rather than just staying goal-side.
“So really poor goals and then a needless penalty that we give away. To find ourselves losing the two goals, I think it summed up our first half performance.
“Second half, again, the players went right to the very end. We did create a few chances, probably summed up by some of the biggest chances we've had hitting our own player. We've had moments like that.
“I think we gave up a few chances on the break as well, as you would naturally, as the boys were pushing for everything to try and go forward.
“But I certainly can't sit here and say we deserve to win the game. And I'm not going to sit here and make excuses about that either.
“That's tough to take because it's back-to-back defeats. And rightly so, criticism will be there, and understandably so as well.”
‘Tactical’ half-time sub
Gray, who lost Grant Hanley to a painful-looking hip injury on the hour mark, explained his decision to replace Boyle with Ante Suto at half-time by revealing: “Not an injury, more of a tactical one. Just the way the first half went, I thought we needed to change something.
“I thought we were coming inside the pitch too many times. But probably similar to the other night, there were probably a few things that could have changed.
“The biggest thing, again, was being a bit more aggressive and getting up the pitch. I thought the distances between the units were far too big in the first half.
“Far too passive, far too reactive. The second half was much better.
“One thing we can't do is wait until half-time to try and change things again.
“It's certainly my responsibility, 100 per cent. I've just said to the players there that we also need to take responsibility on the pitch as well, individually. And collectively. To make sure that we turn this around as quick as we can.
“Because this is the time now when you really find out about people. And that starts tomorrow, straight away.
“You probably asked me the exact same question on Thursday night after the derby. How important is the reaction? And it's always important. And that's what we'll be looking to do.
“Of course, the carrot’s there, which is the opportunity to get to the semi-final. Something we've not done for a while.
“But I'm certainly not looking past tomorrow. If I'm being honest, it's very much get back in, let's see what we can do. Look at the game, analyse the game.
“Take responsibility, take ownership. To make sure that we don't just hope that I get a reaction on Saturday. We do everything in our power, collectively, to make sure that happens.”
Providing an update on Scotland centre-half Hanley, who had to be helped off the pitch, Gray said: “I think it's a hip injury. We're not too sure on the extent of that.
“We're hoping it's just a contact and a bit of the way they came together. But we won't know.
“It's far too early to say. Obviously he was unable to continue. It pretty much stopped him immediately.
“And we're hoping it's just a contact, but there's no way. We'll assess that further once we get a bit more information.”