Hibernian

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David Gray said: "I think firstly, a point away from home in a clean sheet is never a bad thing, so we need to take the positives from that.

"But if I'm being honest, I think there's a wee lack of quality in the final third from us especially, or the decision-making and execution let us down a bit."

"Pressure’s always been there, I know that. I've been at the club long enough to understand that and I think it's never going to go away. I'm ready for it 100 per cent.

"I know it's always going to be there. I just have to adapt and go into the next game as much as I possibly can, [and] believe in what I'm doing.

"The group is really close together, I think you've seen that tonight, even though we weren't at our best, we managed to get a positive result. We know we need to improve.

"We know we are improving, but it's a process and we're all sticking together and working as hard as we can. I just have to concentrate on the next game."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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It’s becoming difficult to assess Hibs, as based on tonight’s performance you would be forgiven for thinking they were simply unlucky not to score.

Their xG wasn’t that high but similar to the Edinburgh derby, a more clinical and composed touch in front of goal would have them six points better off after these two games.

Kuharevich and Gayle would come away with three goals between them if they were playing in a confident side but that’s simply not the case.

They were relatively sound defensively and attacked well, often combing smartly to free attackers in promising positions but the final touch let them down too often.

Five games without a victory, winning only one of their nine away games so far this campaign, is a dismal run for any side. Moving above Hearts at the bottom will be scant consolation.

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Joe Newell, on his return from suspension, showed a bit of what Hibs had been missing.

The attacking players were a threat but the drive in the middle of the park from Newell was impressive.

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Don Cowie makes one change from the side that started their 2-1 win over Killie.

Elijah Campbell returns from suspension and is in for Josh Reid, who drops to the bench.

For Hibs, their head coach David Gray makes two alterations for the side that lined up for Sunday's Edinburgh derby.

Joe Newell, also returning from suspension, and Mykola Kuharevich are in, and dropping out are Kwon Hyeok-kyu and Dwight Gayle.

The latter is not in the side's matchday squad.

• Follow the action live.

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Ross County: Laidlaw, Leak, Lopata, Wright, Brown, Randall, Denholm, Campbell, Chilvers, White, Hale.

Substitutes: Hamilton, Allardice, Loturi, Grieves, Nisbet, Efete, Samuel, Brophy, Reid.

Hibernian: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita, Newell, Triantis, Boyle, Youan, Hoilett, Kuharevich.

Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Iredale, McKirdy, Kwon, N. Cadden, Campbell, Bushiri, Molotnikov.

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One win in nine league games. Bottom of the table. The league's lowest scorers with nine goals.

The bare facts make grim reading for Hibs fans amid a spluttering start to David Gray's tenure.

Gray needs wins - fast. And the next opportunity comes in tonight's trip to face Ross County.

Jordan Campbell, football reporter with The Athletic, told the BBC's Scottish football podcast: "It does feel like a huge, huge game for Hibs.

"Especially since Hearts seemed to get a lift since Neil Critchley came in. They've left Hibs with the unwanted position of being rooted to the bottom.

"It's looking very difficult for Gray at the moment but Hibs have got to give him time because what they've done the last three or four years is just continually churn manager after manager.

"Gray will maybe get more time with the fans just because of who he is and the belief they have in him, that he can turn it around and he has got an understanding of the club and what needs to change.

"If you don't win that game and Hearts take full points, it's looking pretty bleak already. You're three points off the relegation play-off, never mind being bottom."

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• After their 2-1 win in May last season, Ross County could enjoy back-to-back top-flight victories over Hibs for the first time since winning their first ever three such games against Hibs in 2012-13.

• Hibs have only won one of their last six league meetings with Ross County (D3 L2), a 2-0 victory in March last season.

• The side scoring first has won just one of the last five league meetings between Ross County and Hibs (D3 L1); before this, the side that went 1-0 ahead had won five times in a row in this top-flight fixture.

• Ross County have won just two of their last 14 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) games in the Scottish Premiership (D8 L4), and are winless in midweek league games in 2024 (P7 D4 L3).

• Hibs have won just one of their last 14 away league matches (D7 L6), a 3-1 victory at St Johnstone in April last season. Hibs have lost both of their last two on the road, last losing more in a row in the top flight in January 2023 (run of 6).

You have to feel a bit for David Gray.

Knowing confidence is low, he sets out with a gameplan to frustrate Hearts and allow the opposition possession but also being aware his Hibs team have had problems creating chances.

Then, when a goal up, not for the first time this season the defence is caught napping late on and what seemed a certain victory ends up in a draw.

Hibs have now lost a staggering 11 points in the final 15 minutes of league matches this season. Had they held on for a draw or a win in these games, the Easter Road side could be fourth in the table rather than sitting bottom.

Gray himself said it after the derby. It's the same players making the same mistakes week after week. The fans who turned out again in huge numbers at the weekend are being short-changed by those on the pitch.

The next three matches before the international break are huge. First up is tonight's trip to Dingwall to face a Ross County side who will be buoyed by their win over Kilmarnock.

Then it's back-to-back home games against Dundee United, one of the surprise packages of the season, and St Mirren, who have already beaten Hibs 3-0 this season.

We are now approaching the most perilous time for managers. A full set of fixtures against every opponent in the league will be completed shortly and then a true picture forms of what can be expected.

As things stand it doesn't look good for Hibs, but it's amazing what a few wins can do for both confidence and league position.

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Eli Campbell returns from suspension for Ross County but Charlie Telfer is still banned. Will Nightingale (knee), George Harmon (ankle) and Max Sheaf (thigh) remain out.

Hibernian welcome back captain Joe Newell after suspension and Nicky Cadden is set to return from injury.

Chris Cadden (thigh) is likely to miss out again along with long-term absentee Kieron Bowie (hamstring).

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Nectarios Triantis admits Hibs have "fallen short" at the start of the Scottish Premiership season but is hopeful of picking up three points against Ross County.

The Edinburgh club have let victory slip from their grasp in the closing few minutes of four of their last seven league games, most recently against Hearts.

"We know that there are many positives to take from the games," the midfielder said.

"But at the end of the day, football is about results and it's always that last hurdle it seems that we're falling short

"We're trying our best to fix that and hopefully that can be corrected against Ross County.

"At the moment, every game is just as big as the next. We can't look past the Ross County game and we're looking for a good, strong win.

"We’ve just got to keep going and keep looking for those three points."

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

It was derby deja vu for Hibs as yet again we failed to win from a winning position, this time conceding a late goal to gift Hearts a point at Easter Road.

The game should have been beyond Hearts by that stage with Hibs guilty of passing up some gilt-edged chances to put the result beyond doubt. It felt almost inevitable that something would give as the game entered the final stages.

Hibs have made a habit of conceding late goals - that's now eight against and none for in the last 15 minutes of matches this season.

David Gray desperately needs one or two of his players to be brave enough to take the ball up the pitch and play in the attacking half to close games out, rather than trying and failing with the backs-to-the-wall defensive approach that has characterised the last few games.

Gray will argue Hibs deserved more from the derby, and he's probably right, but until he fixes the fatal flaws at both ends of the pitch, he's going to find it difficult to lift his side from the foot of the table.

Hibs have all the attributes of a relegation-haunted team - a lack of goals from open play and an aversion to clean sheets is a recipe for disaster.

Gray and his side need to address this immediately and will be looking for a positive result in Dingwall on Wednesday to build on the weekend draw.

Matty Fairnie can be found at Longbangers Podcast, external

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Jake Doyle-Hayes is ready to fight for a starting spot at Hibs after a difficult spell with injuries.

The 25-year-old made his first appearance in over a year on Sunday, coming off the bench in the 1-1 draw with Hearts.

Doyle-Hayes has been plagued by injuries and set-backs over the last 14 months but is finally back in contention for the Easter Road club.

Hibs manager David Gray insists he had no fears about the midfielder making his return in such a high-pressure game.

"It's been a difficult time for him," the manager said

"Frustration with injuries and challenges that we've had, but he's worked hard to get back in there.

"It's good to see him back on the pitch, obviously, and then the magnitude of the game and everything else just shows you that I had no concerns about him coming on.

"With the quality he's got, how well he's trained and his attitude every single day, I think he's someone that – as well as the players we've already got in the middle of the pitch – adds real strength and depth and quality and competition for places.

"He's going to work as hard as he can to try and get in the team because there is a lot of competition in there as well."

We asked for your views on Hibs' 1-1 draw against Hearts.

Here's what some of you said:

Cameron: Soft at the back to lose a late goal yet again! Every Hibs fan can see it, week in and week out, that our defence has shocking lapses in concentration. This is the worst the team has been since the Pat Fenlon era.

John: At least we managed the nervous nineties without losing a goal. We were not composed enough in midfield to impose ourselves against a very average Hearts team but the clear cut chances should have been put away.

Rhona: A positive result as not many Hibs fans could say we were looking forward to this game with Hearts winning their last two. The only negative to take is the goalkeeper has made too many mistakes now and cost us three points when he flapped at a through pass which lead to Hearts' equaliser.

Jim: Just not good enough. The defensive stats speak for themselves, I hope that they are plastered all over the home changing room, they just don't make good reading.

Scott: David Gray must have been watching a different match. We were poor all round, again Lewis Miller was struggling in defence, not able to keep the ball and not take chances. We are bottom of the league for a reason that Gray cannot see or resolve. He talked this squad up time and time again, why? They are poor all round.

Brian: Really poor football. So many aimless long balls, the keeper is not good enough, and they don't look well coached, I'm sad to say.

Andy: I'd rather play the youth team back line than the charlatans we currently have taking up a jersey. We are bottom of the league because our defence is terrible and we don't take our chances up front. That's been the case for the last five years, wake up Hibs!

Watch highlights as Hibs draw 1-1 against Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

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• Hearts have scored three goals via substitutes in the Premiership this season, only Hibernian (four) and Aberdeen (five) have scored more.

• Hibernian have attempted 12 shots in this game, with six (50%) from set pieces.

• Craig Gordon has made 5 saves, the first time he has made at least 5 saves in a match in the Premiership since facing Dundee on 11th May 2024 (5 saves).

• Mykola Kuharevich has scored two goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), no Hibernian player has more.

Teenager James Wilson secured a dramatic late point for Hearts at Easter Road to keep Hibernian rooted to the bottom of the Scottish Premiership.

Mykola Kuharevich's close-range strike with his first touch following Marvin Ekpiteta's header off the crossbar put Hibs in front in the second half.

Were you at Easter Road or following along from elsewhere? Let us know your thoughts on the game., external

Hibs manager David Gray: "If we keep feeling sorry for ourselves, nothing is going to change.

"We lose a goal late on, so I understand why the feeling is subdued and deflated because I firmly believe we deserve to win the game.

"Hearts had more possession but in areas we were comfortable with. We created more chances, the keeper made four or five big saves and for 99% of the game, we defended our box really well.

"I'm going to have to say the same thing again, which I've said numerous times this season, we've let ourselves down in the final moment with people not doing their jobs."

Jack Herrall
BBC Sport Scotland

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The feeling of elation amongst the fans following their opener most likely gave way to apprehension and unease.

Having once again conceded a late sucker punch, they have now lost 9 points from a winning position in the top flight this season, more than any other team.

They've also conceded eight times in the final 15 minutes of games, again, a greater number than any other side.

Questions surrounding supposed defensive fragility have plagued the club for some time now and it appears to be an ongoing issue despite managerial and squad overhaul.

Their attacking options are experienced and proven options, Hoilett and Gayle both showing signs of real quality today.

It won't be for the want of trying, but the lack of similar players amongst their defensive ranks is an issue that needs to be addressed if they are to hold onto leads.

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Junior Hoilett showed his class at times, particularly with his set-piece deliveries.

Involving him, and Dwight Gayle, more going forward in the right positions will likely be key for Hibs if they are to return to winning ways.

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Hibernian: Bursik, Miller, Ekpiteta, O'Hora, Obita, Kwon, Triantis, Boyle, Youan, Hoilett, Gayle.

Substitutes: Smith, Levitt, Doyle-Hayes, Iredale, McKirdy, Moriah-Welsh, Bushiri, Molotnikov, Kuharevich.

Heart of Midlothian: Gordon, Oyegoke, Kent, Rowles, Penrice, Spittal, Devlin, Boateng, Dhanda, Vargas, Shankland.

Substitutes: Clark, Kingsley, Halkett, Grant, McKay, Forrest, Wilson, Boyce, Forrester.

Under-pressure Hibernian head coach David Gray accepts that his legendary status at the club as their Scottish Cup-winning captain will not be enough keep him in a job if he does not turn their fortunes around. (Sunday Mail), external

Read Sunday's Scottish Gossip in full.