Hibernian suffered a damaging 2-1 defeat away to St Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership, with manager David Gray furious at his side's first-half display. The loss at McDiarmid Park on Tuesday night marked a second league setback in just three days for Hibs, following their 3-1 reverse against Hearts at Easter Road.
The result leaves Hibernian seventh in the Premiership table with six points from four matches, having won two and lost two. Their goal difference stands at minus one, having scored six and conceded seven so far this campaign. They now face a significant gap to the summit, sitting nine points behind leaders Celtic. The club's current injuries list includes defenders Rocky Bushiri and Jordan Obita.
What did David Gray say about the performance?
Gray did not hold back in his assessment, pinpointing a recurring issue. "The biggest thing for me is the manner in which the first half went for us, again," the Hibernian manager told the Daily Record. He bemoaned a lack of desire and labelled the goals conceded as "poor."His frustration was compounded by the need to substitute Martin Boyle at halftime after the winger conceded a penalty."Josh is showing that he can score goals at this level. I have never doubted that, and Josh himself never doubted that," Valakari said. The double takes Fowler's tally to four for the season, making him St Johnstone's top scorer. Valakari also credited goalkeeper Toby Steward for making important saves in the second half to preserve the lead.
Where does this leave Hibernian's season?
The back-to-back defeats represent a major setback after a promising start. The team's recent form reads as a concerning LWWL from their opening four fixtures. Attention now turns swiftly to cup competition, with a Premier Sports Cup quarter-final away to Ross County this Saturday. That match offers a chance for immediate redemption and a route to silverware. The next Premiership assignment is a tough one, an away trip to face fourth-placed Heart of Midlothian on December 27th. Fans can track the team's upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures page.
What is the context of Hibernian's league position?
Sitting in seventh place with six points, the early-season table is taking shape. The defeat allowed St Johnstone to leapfrog Hibs into that seventh spot. Analysing the standings shows a tight mid-table scramble is developing. Hibernian's challenge is to find consistency and tighten up defensively, having let in seven goals already. The team must regroup quickly, with the cup providing a different focus before a demanding league run-in towards the end of the year. The squad's depth will be tested, and details on all available players can be found on the official squad list. Hibernian travel to Dingwall to face Ross County in the cup on Saturday afternoon.
