'It's not a penalty' - O'Hora disappointed after Hibs drop points in 1-1 Ross County draw

Hibs defender Warren O’Hora says Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Ross County in Dingwall was a match they should have won and gave his take on the penalty decision that resulted in the host’s late equaliser.

The game survived a 9:45am pitch inspection but the pitch had clearly taken a battering in the weather and the visiting players struggled at times to deal with the conditions. O’Hora was pleased that they managed to leave with a point but the main emotion was one of disappointment at not taking all three.

Speaking after the match, the Irish defender said: “I thought we looked comfortable, especially on a pitch that was tough to play on. I thought the lads were brilliant in that aspect of dealing with the tough situation. Ultimately we feel like we dropped points there.

“You have to play to the conditions. We had some spells where we moved the ball and we got out the other side in a couple of switches but there were also some times where we just had to turn it, where it was just too tight or too bobbly or something. But look, that's football.

“You've got to come to pitches and sometimes you've got to be above a lot of weather. Sometimes you can't do anything about it. Just to have the game on was something that we really wanted, especially travelling up here and spending the night so I wouldn't say it definitely hampered the way we want to play, but I thought the boys were brilliant in terms of adapting to it.”

Hibs were the better team for most of the match but, after Dylan Levitt’s opener, couldn’t find an all important second goal to kill the game off. In the end, they were made to pay for that but O’Hora was far from pleased with the decision that saw County awarded their second penalty of the match from which Ronan Hale scored the equaliser.

HE said: “In my opinion, the decision on the penalty is where it is. It's not a penalty in my eyes. I'm sure you'll hear enough about the referee. I don't want to shy away from the performance and how the boys really, really dug deep today.

“It's a tough place to come. Let's not forget, we didn't lose the game, I know that's not the attitude coming in here, we always wanted to win, but we're still in a good place. We're still striving to where we want to be. A little disheartening coming back on the bus with how we conceded that goal. But look, we have to move on quickly.

“I haven't seen it back from where I was on the pitch. It happened so quickly. Look, VAR is there for a reason, from what I've heard, it could be a bit of a controversial one and I don't really want to comment too much on it. But look, in my eyes, it wasn't a penalty where I was on the pitch. That's all I'm going to comment on it. In my opinion, it wasn't a penalty.”

There were positives to take from the draw though including a first half penalty save from Jordan Smith in front of the travelling supporters. The draw also made it nine games unbeaten for the Hibees.

“He (Smith) pulls one off,” said O’Hora. “Take nothing away from Smudge. I thought he was brilliant today again, saving the penalty. The way he is as a person, his distribution, his experience in the game, the way he speaks to people, the way he leads us from behind. He's been brilliant since he's come in.

“He just goes about his business in his own way, in which we need those type of leaders and that bit of experience in the group. I thought he was brilliant today again. There are definitely positives to take out of it. We didn't lose the game. You take a point when we go back down the road. I'm not 100% happy because we felt we should have all three but we're in a good spot, we're in a good run. That's in the past now though and we have to go again on Saturday.”