'It’s been a big change': Marvin Ekpiteta enjoying life at Hibs after tough start

Marvin Ekpiteta feels he is now settling into life at Hibernian after an unforgiving welcome to Scottish football.

The 29-year-old defender was criticised after some unconvincing displays earlier in the season, notably against St Mirren and Celtic.

However, Hibs have tightened up at the back in recent matches – conceding two goals in their last three – and Ekpiteta, who joined from Blackpool in the summer, has started to look more assured at centre-back.

“It’s been a big change,” said the Englishman of his move north. “I didn’t think it would be as big of a change, and I’ve had to adapt quite a bit, but I feel like I’ve grown into it after the first couple of games. I’m really enjoying it now.”

Hibs faced Celtic in back-to-back games in August, losing 2-0 in the league and 3-1 in the Premier Sports Cup, and Ekpiteta believes that early exposure to the top team in the country has helped sharpen him up.

Asked what he found the toughest aspect of adapting to life in Scotland’s top flight, he said: “I’d say the work rate. A lot of the teams don’t give you any time at all. They’re just on it for the whole game. I’d say that’s the biggest change from last season.

“And obviously playing against Celtic, they’re just a different level. I didn’t realise how good they actually were until I played against them. That was a big wake-up call for me.

“I think it was actually good playing them so early to get that out of the way, and then you can build on playing against other teams.”

Since their Celtic double-header, Hibs have shown a slight upturn in form with two draws against Kilmarnock and Dundee, a victory over St Johnstone and narrow 1-0 defeat away to Rangers in their last four games. They are intent on making it back-to-back home wins when Motherwell visit on Saturday.

“Even against Rangers, we played really well,” said Ekpiteta. “I feel like we should have definitely got something from the game so it would be nice to build off that and obviously having beaten St Johnstone before that.

“It would be nice to back up a good performance last week to get something tomorrow.”

Hibs are still without Australia winger Martin Boyle, who is recovering after an operation on a wrist injury, but Joe Newell is back in contention for the Motherwell match after missing the last two matches through injury.

Manager David Gray must decide whether to throw captain Newell straight back into the team after Nectar Triantis and Hyeok-kyu Kwon, who earned his first South Korea call-up this week, formed a strong midfield partnership in the Englishman’s absence.

“Not just with Joe coming back, I think even when you look at the other players who didn’t play at the weekend, players would be disappointed not to be playing,” said Gray.

“Even players I was able to bring on at the weekend like Dylan Levitt, Nathan Moriah-Welsh, we’ve got competition everywhere. It’s a headache that I want to have. I think it’s really healthy for the squad.”