Gray relief as calamity averted & Hibs jeers turn to cheers

David Gray's Hibs will face Shkendija in the Conference League third qualifying round after hitting back to beat Malisheva

David Gray has gone from being slated to serenaded by Hibernian fans in the space of seven days.

Make no mistake, the head coach was under pressure after his side's torrid display in Kosovo last week.

Supporters who had travelled to eastern Europe made it abundantly clear what they thought of their team's 2-0 first-leg defeat by Malisheva with their Conference League hopes on the brink.

The head coach stressed the result - and the manner of it - were unacceptable, but the only way to answer doubters is on the park.

In the second half at Easter Road on Thursday, with Hibs four goals to the good on the night and on their way to an aggregate victory, Gray's name was sung to the rafters.

His iconic status is untouchable. That's what a winning goal in a Scottish Cup final win does, but these chants were not for his Hampden heroics as a player, rather for the way his team had responded to adversity.

They flew out of the blocks, led by the evergreen Martin Boyle, and had wiped out the two-goal deficit within 15 minutes.

Yes, there was a drop-off in the last 20 minutes and Malisheva got a goal back, but Gray wanted to focus on the positives post-match.

"We spoke about the intensity we want to play at, the intent from the start to play forward, run forward and get the crowd behind us," he said.

"I saw it in training and they fully deserved to win tonight. We should have been out of sight, we hit the woodwork a couple of times and missed three or four big chances.

"That goal at the end made it a little bit edgy but at the same time, the players deserved what they got tonight. Delighted for them."

Gray was asked if there was a sense of relief after last week and he admitted the enjoyment he takes from winning is only fleeting.

"It's different for a coach winning games to being a player," he said. "Relief kicks in and then it's the next game.

"You enjoy it for two minutes and then on to the next one."

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Hibs were without the creative threat of Jamie McGrath, Nicky Cadden and summer signing Callum Wright, but the front three of Boyle, Owen Elding and Nathan Lowe dovetailed superbly and all got on the scoresheet.

Elding and Lowe should have probably scored more than one each, but they were getting in the right positions and Lowe's physicality will be a challenge for Premiership centre-backs this season.

"We've got real good options [up front]," Gray said. "I've always spoken about being flexible. Nathan Lowe brings a focal point and the front three were all very good tonight."

It must be noted Malisheva are a team Hibs should be beating. They have never won away from Kosovo in their three seasons in Europe. Vikingur put eight goals past them in Iceland last season.

It is one thing for Hibs to play on the front foot against European lightweights when their backs were against the wall, it is another doing it against Motherwell in the Premiership on Sunday.

New Zealand winger Elijah Just and manager Jens Berthel Askou might have both left Fir Park this summer, but the Steelmen have also progressed in Conference League qualifying after two slick displays under new boss Alfred Johansson.

Despite that, Hibs supporters will expect the same intensity and the same forward-thinking when they are back at Easter Road in three days' time.

"We're in the next round and can take that momentum into Motherwell," Gray said.

"We're ready for Thursday-Sunday-Thursday - that's what everything in pre-season has been geared up for."

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