David Gray urging Hibernian to make most of chance to leapfrog Ross County

David Gray wants Hibernian to grasp the opportunity to climb away from the bottom of a tightly-packed William Hill Premiership when they host Ross County on Saturday.

It has been a tough season for Hibs who returned to the foot of the standings last week following their 3-0 defeat at Celtic Park.

However, the Easter Road side are only three points behind eighth-placed Staggies, who have won one game in their last six and who fought out a goalless draw at home to the Leith side in October.

Hibees boss Gray said: “We are bottom of the league at this moment in time and they are currently eighth but if we win the game we go above them.

“So it shows you how tight the league is at the moment. It shows you how quickly things can change.

“But our full focus will be on the fact that there are three points ahead of us, and we can’t allow them to get any further in front of us.

“If anything, we need to be making sure we claw that back and go above them, because our goal difference will obviously be superior.

“So that’s the full focus on our mind this weekend, about the opportunity that presents itself.

“But the players are ready. They know exactly the challenge that Ross County will face. We’ve played them already fairly recently, a few weeks ago, away from home.

“It’s a different test and challenge at home for us, but it certainly will be for them as well. So we need to make sure they feel that.”

County have not won away from home this season but Gray insists that makes no different to his mindset.

The former Hibs defender said: “I think when you find yourself bottom in the league at this stage of the season, at home against Ross County, the expectation is just there.

“When you play for this club, whether Ross County had won the last three games in a row, the expectation is there.

“It doesn’t go away, and rightly so, because this is a game where for we need to get to in the season, we can’t look at anything other than we are expected to win, and the players know that.

“But actually, I feel training that they’re looking forward to the game and they challenge that they face.”