David Gray admitted it felt like two points dropped after Hibs were held to a 2-2 draw with Falkirk at The Falkirk Stadium last night despite taking a 2-0 lead.
First-half strikes from Martin Boyle and Jamie McGrath put Hibs in the ascendancy, but Ross MacIver’s goal on the stroke of half-time shifted the momentum and Liam Henderson found an equaliser in the second half.
Speaking to Hibs TV at full-time, Gray shared his overall assessment of what was very much a game of two halves.
“I think Falkirk started the better team and I thought we took 5-10 minutes to get up to the speed of the game and the speed of the pitch, but then once we did that, I thought we played some really good stuff in the first.
“We created a lot of chances, found ourselves 2-0 up in the game, and I think we should have been three or four up with the chances we actually had. It comes down to big moments in the game, which is something I’ve spoken about a lot recently, we are creating a lot of chances; we had 16 shots, but we’re not being clinical enough to put the game to bed.
“Unfortunately, I’m going to repeat myself again, and I’m definitely not going to shy away from it, but we lost a goal at a really poor time just before half-time when we’re in complete control of the game – as a result of that, the momentum shifted.
“I spoke to the players at half time and reminded them of the fact that we’re still winning in the game, we can’t do anything about the fact that we have conceded at that moment but to expect a reaction and I reminded the players of why we’re getting success in the first half; by keeping the ball and switching the play.
“We didn’t do that well enough in the second half, Falkirk then had a bit more momentum, we lose an inexcusable goal from a set-piece, and at 2-2 there wasn’t real chances after that but if there was a team that were going to go and win the game it probably felt more like Falkirk – just because of the noise in the stadium and the momentum shift.
“All in all, it’s a point away from home, from a game where I felt it should have been done by half time, unfortunately it wasn’t, and I’m going to have to repeat myself by saying that we’ve dropped two points from a situation where we have let ourselves down.”
Gray was extremely frustrated, in particular with the manner of the goals Hibs conceded, as well as the timing.
“The desire to defend the goal before half time – we don’t stop the cross and then we don’t defend the middle of the box well enough, it’s a really soft goal.
“We conceded a goal at Ibrox at the weekend from a set-piece by not being tight enough and it’s a different player tonight that’s not tight enough and allows a free header in a box.
“There needs to be more of a desire to stop the ball going in the net and it’s something that we’ve spoken a lot about. We’re certainly not going to shy away from it. It’s my responsibility to fix it and we’re going to keep working hard to make sure we do.”
