David Gray Faces Pressure in Huge Cup Tie Against Ross County

David Gray faces what Scott Allan calls a “huge game” on Saturday as Hibernian head to Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup, with the pressure cranking up on the Easter Road head coach.

From Allan’s point of view, there’s no dressing it up.

“There’s no other way to look at it from a Hibs perspective,” the former playmaker told the BBC Scotland Football Podcast, as his old club chase a place in the semi-finals.

Hibs stumble into this tie rather than stride into it. Back-to-back Premiership defeats to Hearts and St Johnstone have checked their league momentum, while a late collapse against Gent at Easter Road slammed the door on their Conference League hopes. The margins have hurt, and the fallout has left the cups carrying extra weight.

“There’s a lot riding on the cups, with Hibs having been disappointing in the last two years,” said Allan, who knows the club as well as most after three separate spells in Leith.

The assignment is awkward. Ross County are unbeaten in League One and brimming with confidence. Leading the line is a familiar face: 38-year-old former Hibs striker Brian Graham, who has already racked up nine goals in all competitions.

“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.”

That combination – form, belief, a seasoned goalscorer – turns this into a tie Hibs cannot take lightly. Slip, and the scrutiny on Gray intensifies. Survive, and the route to Hampden opens up again.

Allan still leans towards his old side finding a way.

“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.”

Saturday in Dingwall will start to answer it.