David Gray admits Hibs Conference League exit 'is going to sting'
Crestfallen boss David Gray insisted Hibernian did not get what they deserved after they suffered Conference League play-off despair for the second year running in a 3-2 home defeat by Gent.
Following a goalless first leg in Belgium last week, the Hibees looked on course to make it to the main phase for the first time after second-half goals from Jason Kerr and Felix Passlack overturned a stunning first-half opener from teenage forward Josue Vergara.
But Christian Burgess equalised in the 84th minute before Hibs midfielder Miguel Chaiwa – who was subsequently sent off for a second bookable offence – slid the ball into his own net in stoppage time, ensuring another agonising European exit after a 4-3 aggregate defeat by Legia Warsaw at the same stage a year earlier.
“It’s really hard to put it into words, in terms of the feeling in the group,” said Gray.
“It hurts, it’s going to sting. It’s hard to be critical of the players over the effort they’ve put in. I think over the two legs we deserved to go through.
“It’s tough to take because I don’t think we got what we deserved for our second-half performance.
“The second half was exactly what was required because we were behind in the tie – we had energy, belief and the desire.
“The tie was decided in two massive moments at the end of the game, we lost a goal from a set-piece then went up the other end and had the best chance of the game (for Callum Wright) to win it 3-2.
“Unfortunately we’ve been done by extremely fine margins. Across the two legs I thought we were worthy of going through.
“People don’t want to hear me talk about positives right now but I think in time we’ll see there were.
“Physically we looked good, we didn’t just sit in and defend. I think we demonstrated what we can do tonight, against a team who play in Europe regularly.
“If we were outclassed, outplayed or outfought or there was a gulf between the teams I’d say that, but I didn’t feel that was the case.”
Gray had only words of sympathy for Chaiwa after his late own goal.
“Miguel covered every blade of grass but in the last minute in his recovery he put it into his own net,” said the manager.
“It’s my job, the staff’s job to get around the players. The big thing in these moments is we stick together, the big characters need to pick the other ones up. That’s also my job and my staff’s job.”
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