'Gutted' Darren McGregor gives thoughts on Hibs' performance at Livingston and Spanish training camp

Darren McGregor was irked by Hibs' performance at Livingston. Pic: SNS

Darren McGregor believes Hibs’ Spanish training camp can set the Easter Road side up for the second half of the season after defeat in their final game of 2019 left Jack Ross’ players “absolutely gutted”.

After enjoying a derby win over Capital rivals Hearts at Tynecastle, Hibs were brought crashing back to earth by two goals credited to Livingston defender Jon Guthrie – although television pictures suggested the first went in off Paul Hanlon.

Veteran defender McGregor admitted he and his team-mates simply hadn’t turned up at the Tony Macaroni Arena and were guilty of turning in a “meek” display against a Livingston side which leapfrogged them into fifth place in the Premiership table.

The 34-year-old said: “We were absolutely gutted. After such a fine performance the other day to come to a place like Livingston, no disrespect, but I think we should be winning but we retired with a meek performance.

“It was very disheartening. I didn’t feel we were in the game, they bossed it and it hurt to go away with that result.”

McGregor insisted Ross’ players had no excuses, admitting they’d played into Livingston’s hands. He said: “We know their strengths, they played to them. I think we probably tried to match them a bit too much.

“We never got into the groove, played the wrong game, lost two sloppy goals and ended the year on a bit of a low, which is frustrating.

“History will tell you we were coming into a difficult fixture. We just never turned up, no-one turned up. It was disappointing, which is easy for me to say now, but we should have done it out on the park.”

Head coach Ross has given his players a few days off, but they fly out to the south of Spain on Monday morning, McGregor telling Hibs TV: “We’ll put in a lot of hard work and build up to push on for the second half of the season which, I think, is needed.”