Hibs Face Crucial Cup Test Against Ross County

David Gray faces what Scott Allan calls a “huge game” on Saturday – and it is only September.

Hibernian’s head coach takes his side to Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup with a semi-final place on the line and pressure already building after a bruising spell.

Cups carrying the weight

From Allan’s point of view, there is no sugar-coating it.

"There's no other way to look at it from a Hibs perspective," the former Easter Road favourite told the BBC Scotland Football Podcast, as his old club try to steady themselves through the domestic cups.

Recent form has done nothing to ease the strain. Hibs have slipped in the Premiership after back-to-back defeats by Hearts and St Johnstone, results that have sharpened scrutiny on Gray’s early tenure. Before that, a late collapse at home to Gent wrecked their hopes of reaching the Conference League.

Those setbacks leave the cups carrying a heavy burden.

"There's a lot riding on the cups, with Hibs having been disappointing in the last two years," said Allan, who had three separate spells at the club and knows the demands from the stands as well as anyone.

Dangerous opposition, familiar face

Ross County may be a division below, but they are anything but a soft touch.

County are unbeaten in League One and have a 38-year-old striker in prolific form – a familiar one for Hibs supporters. Brian Graham has nine goals in all competitions and is leading the line with the swagger of a player who has seen it all and still fancies more.

"It will be difficult against a team that is winning games, with a striker that is scoring goals," Allan warned. "They have a strong squad for a club in League One."

Momentum sits with County. Expect them to play like it.

Quality under question

Hibs, though, still carry a level of talent that should tell in a tie like this. That is Allan’s belief, even as he questions how much of that ability is currently being unlocked.

"I think it could be tricky, but I still believe Hibs will have enough to get through the tie," he said. "There is some real quality in the team. Whether they are getting the best out of them at the moment is another question."

That is the crux for Gray. The squad is there. The expectations are clear. Now comes a cup tie that already feels like a test of where his Hibs are really heading this season.