'Deal with it' message hammered home to Hibs players after Dundee draw as Luke McCowan future addressed

David Gray has stressed that players have to “deal” with the pressure of playing for Hibs after the Easter Road side conceded a late goal to Dundee when on the verge of their first league win of the season.

The Hibs manager has made nine new signings. Six were in the team that started against Dundee, including new Celtic loanee Hyeokkyo Kwon. Kieron Bowie also came off the bench in the second half and put his side ahead with a well-taken goal with 18 minutes left.

But Dundee, who had taken the lead after nine minutes through Scott Tiffoney, equalised after 88 minutes through former Hibs forward Simon Murray. 

Martin Boyle had earlier equalised for Hibs on the stroke of half-time with a well-taken free kick.

Discontent had begun to rise in the home stands before this timely goal. Hibs fans seemed particularly perturbed about the distribution from the back, particularly when goalkeeper Josef Bursik had the ball. “I think that’s just part of being a football player,” said Gray. “You have to deal with it, the expectation of playing for a club of this size. You need to be big enough to deal with it, as a team and individually.

Dundee's Luke McCowan - a transfer target for Hibs - is tackled by Lewis Miller during the 2-2 draw at Easter Road. (Photo by Simon Wootton / SNS Group) | SNS Group

“It’s all part of it,” he added. “I’ve been here when it’s been really, really good, so I know how good it can be, and you need to remember that. But it’s about looking at ourselves and where we can improve. We all know the areas we need to do that.

“One thing we can’t keep doing is having to score three, four, five goals to win a game of football. I’m not shying from that at all. It’s a collective responsibility, it’s not an individual. It’s something we all need to be better at.”

Dundee manager Tony Docherty said he had “mixed emotions” afterwards, having felt his side could have taken all three points. 

Asked whether he was confident of keeping key player Luke McCowan, who has been the subject of two recent transfer bids from Hibs, he was non-committal.

“We’ll see,” he said. “Like all players in my team, when there’s a good level of performance you are going to attract suitors. We will see what happens in the next week.”