'We’re getting pelters': Joe Newell apologises to Hibs fans after 'embarrassing' Andorran defeat

Joe Newell's goal in stoppage time gives Hibs hope going into the second leg against Inter Club d'Escaldes.

Playing their first competitive match of the season, in the Europa Conference League qualifiers, the Easter Road side went 2-0 down to their hosts before a Newell free-kick ate into that lead in stoppage time. That strike gives the Leith side a better chance of being able to secure the aggregate win in Leith next week but Newell said that did not excuse the performance in the first leg of the tie.

“It’s unacceptable,” said Newell. “We’ve had really good preparation coming into this first competitive game. We had a really good pre-season and have been looking forward to this. The club has built up this European venture we want to go on. But from the very start it wasn’t good enough. We didn’t set out the standard we want, never started with the intensity or style of play we want to play.

“From the get go it wasn’t good enough. We’re getting pelters walking off the pitch from the fans and rightly so. I imagine they’ve spent a good sum of money to come over here, so obviously we need to come out and say sorry to them. We know it’s absolutely not good enough.”

After a very poor first half display, manager Lee Johnson made changes in the second half, sending on Newell and Christian Doidge for the restart. They offered the side greater impetus but the team still could not prevent defeat.

“It’s a bad loss,” acknowledged the midfielder. “You can’t beat around the bush. It’s bad. It’s an embarrassing night for us. But when the dust has settled and we analyse it, we had a few good chances in the second half and the goal has helped us to be in a positive mindset.

“It gives us a right chance at home, on a bigger pitch, to play the way we expect ourselves to play. I’ll be very surprised if we start the game in the same manner.”