Hibs head coach David Gray urges team to reset and rally ahead of Livingston clash

Hibs head coach David Gray believes the club can start picking up wins to match performances and has urged the team to put their derby defeat behind them.

The Easter Road side signed off for the international break with a 1-0 defeat at the home of rivals Hearts, stretching their run to eight games without victory.

Though five of those eight games were draws, the team sit seventh in the table and after cup and European exits, the derby defeat was the latest disappointment.

Gray wants his side to get back to winning ways at home to Livingston on Saturday and look forward with confidence.

“We need to make sure that we’re hitting the ground running,” he said. “No feeling sorry for ourselves and making sure we move on quickly and see it as a little bit of a reset.

“It’s difficult because we have so many players that were away on international duty so you’re left with eight or nine players that are still here.

“The training pitch has been good, the atmosphere has been positive but we need to start picking up more points and moving on now. We’ve got an opportunity tomorrow, a difficult game at home, and hopefully we can kick on from here.”

The head coach has liked a lot of what he has seen from his side at times over the season so far but feels they need to sharpen up to get the rewards they want.

“I’ve said for a while now that I would be a lot more concerned had we not been playing particularly well,” he said. “I don’t think the last two performances have been our best, I don’t think the games have been great, especially the derby game which speaks for itself.

“But we can’t come too far away from what the group is doing, the opportunities we are creating. We need to be better in both boxes, in key areas at key times, but we are doing a lot right and if we keep getting ourselves into these positions then I do believe it will turn quickly.”