Hibernian earned a 2-1 away win against Dundee in the Scottish Premiership, a result that left Dens Park manager Steven Pressley admitting his team was surprised. The victory at Dens Park on Saturday gave David Gray's side six points from their opening three league matches this season.
According to a report in the Edinburgh News, goals from Martin Boyle and Callum Wright secured the three points for Hibs, with Joe Westley netting a consolation for the home side. The match came less than 72 hours after Hibernian's exit from the Conference League play-offs against Gent, making the positive league response significant.
What surprised Steven Pressley about Hibs?
Dundee manager Steven Pressley was candid in his post-match assessment, stating that Hibernian's approach had caught his team unprepared. He acknowledged that his side failed to find adequate answers during the game. "Over the course, there's no doubt Hibernian deserved to win," Pressley said. "We looked a little bit disjointed."
Pressley expanded on the specific areas where his team fell short. He pointed to a lack of control in midfield battles and an inability to maintain possession. The Dundee boss said his players did not win enough second balls and turned the ball over frequently without building sustained pressure. This prevented Dundee from gaining any momentum until the latter stages of the contest.
How does this result fit Hibs' early season form?
The win moves Hibernian to fifth in the Premiership table with six points from three games, recording two wins and one loss. Their recent form reads WWL. The team has scored five goals and conceded four, giving them a positive goal difference of one. They currently sit three points behind league leaders Celtic.
Head coach David Gray will be pleased with the response following European disappointment. Securing an away victory with a quick turnaround demonstrates squad resilience. The team's current standing offers a solid platform before the next fixture, a home match against high-flying St Mirren on December 30th. You can track the team's progress on our standings page.
What did Dundee's manager say about his team's performance?
Steven Pressley did not shy away from criticising his own team's display while giving credit to Hibernian. He stated that Dundee failed to meet their own standards throughout much of the match. "We didn't manage to reach the standards we expect of ourselves, and Hibs were very good," Pressley admitted. "They caused us a lot of problems and we just couldn't quite come to grips with them until the latter part of the game."
He identified ball retention and defensive organisation as key failings. Pressley said his team was not effective enough in possession and never truly established control of the game's tempo. The manager concluded that his squad must "take the medicine" from this result and focus on improvement ahead of their next match.
What comes next for Hibernian?
The immediate focus shifts to preparing for the visit of St Mirren, who are second in the table. That match on December 30th presents another tough test. Hibernian will hope to maintain their positive domestic form and continue climbing the league standings.
One absentee for that match will be defender Rocky Bushiri, who is currently sidelined. The team's injury status can be monitored on our injuries page. With five goals scored in three games, the attacking contributions from Boyle and Wright will be encouraging for Gray as he plans for the upcoming fixtures listed on our fixtures schedule. The win at Dundee provides a tangible boost as the season develops.
