Rival misses Hibs scouting mission amid 'nightmare' parking as David Gray's team in for 'absolute cracker'

A Hibs rival admits he didn’t get a live look at David Gray’s side against Celtic - due to parking issues.

Jamie McGrath’s red card was damaging for the Easter Road hosts as they lost 2-1 against the defending Premiership champions. It was extra costly for Hibs, as while Motherwell one place above them in fourth lost, it was Falkirk who defeated them. That means the Hibees remain six points away from the Steelmen, who occupy this year’s final European qualifier spot through the league, with nine left to play for.

Fifth could become a European spot if Celtic win the Scottish Cup but that is now under severe threat after the sixth-placed Bairns moved within two points of the team above them. Hibs travel to Grangemouth this Saturday for the third time, having drawn 2-2 and lost 4-1 there this term, and the hosts will have a chance to go above them. Boss John McGlynn wasn’t there though on Sunday as the ex-Hearts boss gave it a miss amid parking issues. The PFA Scotland Manager of the Year-nominated gaffer does expect fireworks when the pair come to blows.

Why did John McGlynn not watch Hibs 1-2 Celtic live?

Asked if he’d get a look at Hibs live in their game against Celtic, McGlynn said: “Nah, I find the parking at Hibs a bit of a problem. You've got to walk miles from the car and I’m not flavour of the month for some of the Hibs fans. I'm going to give that one a miss. If I could get parked closer to it I might have gone but it's an absolute nightmare. I don't like that.

“We have had good games against Hibs. We were 2-0 down here in the first game before half-time and got the goal back. We score in the second half and felt we maybe should have won the game. At Easter Road they did very well and then we’ve done so well here to win 4-1. I don’t think they’ll enjoy coming here and we’ve got to make it that way. You continuously move challenges and the challenge was can we get above Hibs.

“At the moment it’s on for next week to be an absolute cracker. I think we had the better chances. Barney (Stewart) on another day could have scored three or four himself. So we’re delighted to win. We’ve got the greatest respect for Motherwell. They’re a cracking team, play amazing football and you need to be on your toes.

Jens Berthel Askou on Falkirk 1-0 Motherwell

“I thought the first half was like basketball. It was just like, we attack, they attack, we attack, they attack. How it was 0-0 at half-time was quite disappointing, actually. It was kind of like heart attack material. To be fair, I thought it was great intensity in the game.”

Jens Berthel Askou’s Motherwell have widely impressed this term but they have lost three of their four games against Falkirk this term. The one they didn’t was a 0-0 midweek draw at the Falkirk Stadium.

Boss Askou added: “Very, very difficult first half. At times for both teams, extremely open, transition on transition, because none of the teams were really good enough at taking advantage of all the space they got going forward. Losing the ball, then it’s the other way, then it’s back and forward. We really tried to lift our game for the second half. I think in many ways we did that, but we weren’t able to use all the space that was actually there and that’s the most disappointing thing for me.”

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