Matt Macey has say on smoke bombs during Rangers game as Hibs No.1 makes 'momentum' claim

Hibs goalkeeper Matt Macey has spoken about the smoke bombs that interrupted the Scottish Premiership clash with Rangers, admitting he was keen to pick one up and throw it off the pitch just to keep the game going.

Matt Macey looks on as a smoke bomb smoulders on the Easter Road turf

Two pyrotechnics were thrown onto the turf in quick succession, a green one from the East Stand and a blue one from the away end. Play was halted to allow the canisters to burn out before they were removed.

Revealing that he hadn’t quite experienced the same level of “passion” from supporters in England, Macey added: “I am sort of newish to Scottish football but it seems a bit more common up here.

“That’s just one of the things you have to deal with. For me it’s a good thing, and I’m sure goalkeepers would say they’d rather play somewhere like this than a half empty stadium somewhere else.

“I was keen to pick one up because at the time I felt we had a lot of momentum and I was keen to keep going, but obviously the police in the corner were telling me not to do it.

"I didn’t really know what was going on. It was disappointing because I think we really looking to kick on at that point. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

The 27-year-old was, like his team-mates, bitterly disappointed not to take anything from the game. He kept out efforts from Ryan Kent and Scott Arfield before being beaten from the penalty spot by Kemar Roofe towards the end of the game.

“I thought we played really well. I didn’t think we were going to concede, they were only really having shots from distance.

“I think we were worth at least a point, definitely. We played the game a lot in their half, which shows how much we were on the front foot, how much we dominated, and how we were aggressive in our press. So yeah, disappointing.”

He continued: “I think we’ve proven we can match good teams regularly. Since I’ve been at the club I don’t feel we have had the results against them our performances have deserved.

“But that’s what we want to be as a club and a team, they know it’s a big game and a tough game when they play against us.”

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