Hibs summer signing Callum Wright revealed that David Gray told him to ‘express himself’ before giving him his competitive debut from the bench in last night’s 2-1 UEFA Conference League Third Qualifying Round win against KF Shkëndija at Easter Road.
And Wright repaid the boss’s faith by setting up Hibs opening goal with a superb cross into the path of Owen Elding.
That lead was short-lived, however, as KF Shkëndija levelled two minutes later through fellow substitute Marko Gjorgjievski, but at the start of injury-time, Warren O’Hora poked the ball home from close range and send the home support into bedlam.
And when he spoke with Hibs TV at full-time, Wright couldn’t have been happier to have contributed on his first appearance in Green and White and said that the Hibs fans were an extra man on the night.
He said: “It was a good win.
“Obviously it’s only halfway in the tie, but it was a nice experience to play at Easter Road for the first time on a European night, which was a big part of why I came here, so it was nice to have done it and made my debut.
“I came in to Hibs a bit on the back foot, but I’m a fit lad, and I try and live right, so I like it to think that when I come back I’d be fit.
“I felt like I done well today. I felt fit, and I’m going to keep progressing.
“I was told to come on and express myself.
“I think he (David Gray) just wants me to get on the ball and try and create something, and I’m glad I was able to do that.
“I was a bit more out wide today, which I don’t mind, as long as I’m getting on the ball and enjoying myself.
“Last season I played a lot inside the pitch, but as I say, I enjoyed it, and hopefully I can bring assists and goals here.
“I think we came into tonight needing to win, and obviously once they (KF Shkëndija) scored it was a bit deflating.
“But the fans stayed right with us, and I think for me anyway, it felt like I was going into the last ten minutes like we had an extra man.
“It was really loud, and obviously it must have been a bit intimidating for them, so it was important to get that second goal, and it gives us something to defend next week.”
