Gray: ‘this was a team effort’

David Gray was smiles better when he left sun-kissed Pittodrie having Hibs secured their first three points of the season in the cinch Premiership thanks to a 2-0 victory in the Granite City.

The club’s interim manager told Hibs TV that trips to Aberdeen were always difficult for the club but he added: “The players fully deserve the win from the work rate they put in from start to finish.”

A desire to blank Aberdeen also stood out for former defender Gray who added: “We knew if we kept a clean sheet we would win the game and, to a man, they gave us absolutely everything.”

He conceded that the Easter Road men had been conceding too many goals lately but added: “We also knew that, going forward, we had quality players than would hurt people.”

It was substitutes Adam Le Fondre (pictured) and Christian Doidge who made the difference and the interim boss said: “It’s great to bring on two players of that experience and quality but, when you look at the game from start to finish, the whole team was fantastic.”

New signing, Dylan Vente, he added worked hard for 65 minutes before Le Fondre and Doidge made their impact and former Scotland international David Marshall, he added, contributed with the scoreline on 0-0 with what Gray called “an unbelievable save”.

That, said the caretaker manager, kept Hibs momentum going in a tough game and now they have two weeks to prepare for their next league fixture, a trip to Kilmarnock on Saturday, September 16 (15.00).