Hibs’ Head Coach Jack Ross praised the character of his players for twice coming back from a one goal down deficit to St Johnstone to take a point which moves the team up to third place in the league, but he concedes that they have to return to their early season defensive form.
Celtic target Ali McCann opened the scoring in the 37th minute then within seconds Paul McGinn combined well with Kevin Nisbet to equalise with a calmly taken goal.
Former Hibs’ player David Wotherspoon put Saints back in the lead before McGinn grabbed his second of the night with eight minutes remaining.
After the game Ross told Hibs TV: “The positive side of it is the character they showed on the flip side of that we need to get back to being more difficult to score against as a team. It’s not just a criticism defensively just as a whole team.
“In the early part of the season we were more difficult to score against and had a real bit between our teeth in terms of not conceding and we need to return to that.
“In a creative sense and having a greater flow about our game that’s been better in the last couple of months but in the early part of the season we had that real resolve not to concede and we need to return to that because it makes it difficult when you concede two goals at home.
“You have to show character to come back which they did and I was pleased with but we have to return to have that real edge about our defensive play.”
Ross was happy with the performances of goal-scoring hero Paul McGinn and on-loan Rangers winger Jamie Murphy and added: “I think over the course of the season his (Paul McGinn’s) form has been very good. He has played in different roles at times but he is consistent.
“He’s reliable, he’ll make mistakes during the course of a game but his reaction is very good as well. He has enough quality in his game to threaten in the final third. He’s got himself into good areas this season and I think the composure he shows in both goals was terrific.
“The run of games is really helping him (Jamie Murphy). I think he is an outstanding footballer and tonight I probably got things a bit wrong in that I changed the system and played him a bit more centrally and I think we lost a bit of his threat and when we returned him to a wide area we got more of that again.
“His individual form is very good at the moment. He is in good place. He created a lot tonight and was unfortunate not to score and I am delighted that we are starting to see the best of him.”
One concern for the fans was the injury to hugely influential defender Paul Hanlon who had to leave the field in the 20th minute but Ross hopes to have him back soon.
He continued: “I don’t think it’s anything too major. Obviously it’s still very early to assess how he will be. This weekend might come too soon for him and fortunately after that we have a clear week before our next league game.”
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
