Hibs have their sights set on third

DAVID Gray’s Hibernian side are now in the driving seat when it comes to clinching third place in the league this season, a possibility that just four months ago seemed nigh on impossible.

The green jerseys are currently on an unbeaten league run of 14 matches and have become a formidable outfit under the stewardship of Gray and his coaching team—that’s right Hibs are formidable, a term you can’t ascribe to the Hibernian sides of any other managers in the last six years.

The unbeaten run in the league stretches back to December 7 when the Cabbage lost 3-0 away to Celtic. Since then, every team in the division—except Dundee—has tried to beat Hibs in the league and has failed to do so. The unbeaten run would be a lot longer were it not for the Hibees’ recent narrow defeat to Celtic in the Scottish Cup—an honourable 2-0 defeat at Celtic Park. Hibs were without Warren O’Hora for that encounter and lost talisman Nicky Cadden during the match to injury.

A fortnight before that cup encounter, a full-strength Hibees beat champions, Celtic, 2-1 at Easter Road in the league, thanks to a Josh Campbell brace. That victory was won with passion, skill and hard-work—hallmarks of Gray’s Hibernian side of late.

It’s little wonder that the cup-winning hero has turned out to be a good manager, after a slow-start. He played under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United for a number of years—Fergie protégés tend to make great managers, after all.

His more recent experiences as a player and as a coach at Hibs have doubtless helped Gray to excel in his new role. Alan Stubbs and Neil Lennon would’ve given David further great examples to follow, while Lennon’s successors—with the exception of Jack Ross—will surely have shown him how not to be a Hibs manager.

Hibs headed to Tannadice in midweek after beating Celtic and beat a decent Terrors side 3-1, thanks to goals by Mykola Kukharevych, Kieron Bowie and Junior Hoilett.

Sunday March 2 then brought a somewhat easy derby victory over Hearts at Easter Road. The 2-1 scoreline flattered the Jambos, who appeared sluggish and bereft of any

creativity. Hibs were by far the hungrier side and deservedly got all three points. Martin Boyle and Jack Iredale grabbed the goals—the latter’s strike being one of those derby goals that everybody will remember for a long time. Iredale has been Hibernian’s best player this season and the new tactical system used by Gray really suits his style of play.

The Hibees’ most recent result was a 1-1 draw away to Kilmarnock in the league. Hibs were superb in the first-half and led 1-0 at the interval thanks to yet another Martin Boyle goal, but the Ayrshire side battled back in the second-half and grabbed a last minute equaliser.

After the Kilmarnock match, the St Patrick’s HSC branch’s packed-out fan function in the Hibs Club saw former Hibs owner, Sir Tom Farmer, honoured with a lifetime achievement award in gratitude for all that he has done for Hibernian Football Club.