David Gray hailed his players’ “professional performance” in this afternoon’s deserved 2-1 victory over Dundee at Den’s Park.
Hibs dominated the majority of the match, with goals from Martin Boyle and Callum Wright before Dundee pulled one back through Joe Westley in the closing stages.
But the three points returned to Leith and Hibs moved into the top six.
Speaking to Hibs TV after the match, Gray praised the quality of the performance and the resilience of his group.
He said: “You don’t always get what you deserve in football. I said that on Thursday night, but we certainly got what we deserved today, and I’m delighted for the players because of everything that went into that.
“More importantly, because of how low and disappointed we were, and how close we came on Thursday night, it would have been really easy to feel sorry for ourselves and start slow.
“If there was any negativity or any excuses you wanted before the game, they were certainly there for us.
“But the players maintained their standards – that was a big thing. I didn’t speak about looking for a reaction – you don’t need a reaction, you just need to maintain our standards because our levels have been really good this season.
“When we put it all together, we’re a good side, as you’ve seen again today, and I thought we totally deserved that.
“It was disappointing not to get the clean sheet at the end, but in terms of the level of performance and control in the game, I thought we were excellent and fully deserved the win.”
The result lifts Hibs to fifth in the William Hill Premiership, and was a fourth consecutive away league win on the road. Despite admitting the team should’ve been more clinical, Gray was delighted to get the result over the line and hold on for an important three points.
He continued: “That’s probably the slight frustration again because whilst it’s 2-0, the opposition are always a worldie goal away or a free-kick, as it was today, from getting back in the game.
“But I thought we saw the game out comfortably, considering the pressure that we were under, which again is testament to the character of the players.
“We lost a goal last week right at the very end of the game, so you’re human, you’re on the pitch at that time, and to make sure we got over the line today takes real character.
“As I say, I thought the players really deserved that from what they put into today because I thought they were the superior side for the whole 90 minutes.”
Gray reserved special praise for 19-year-old debutant – Jacob Devaney – who controlled the game in the middle of the pitch and seamlessly adapted to his new teammates and surroundings.
“I think he (Jacob) certainly enjoyed himself,” added Gray. “Everything I thought, and hoped, he would bring to the team he certainly did that today – with his composure on the ball and his ability to pass forward.
“He’s a young boy that plays the game very maturely. He can be really pleased with himself as an individual, but I wouldn’t single anybody out today because it would be difficult. It was a real team collective performance.
“I’m just going to reiterate again, off the back of Thursday and coming up here to a team that started the season really well and off the back of their derby win last week, probably people looking at it going, ‘I wonder what Hibs team is going to go up there?’
“I thought it was a real professional performance and just shows again the quality and the character of the players.”
