Hibernian

Hibernian are finalising a deal to sign striker Colton Swan from Charleston Battery, with the 19-year-old set to move once the USL Championship season is over in November. Tom Bogert on X, external

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Jack Iredale praised Hibernian's character and physicality in Sunday's narrow Premier Sports Cup victory over Partick Thistle.

Owen Elding's goal sealed a 1-0 win and a place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Ross County in Dingwall.

Hibs have played five matches already this month and have four more to come, starting with a trip to Gent in Conference League qualifying on Thursday.

"Really good result considering the past week," Iredale told HibsTV.

"The boys were excellent for the most part in terms of the physicality that was needed. Now we look forward to Thursday.

"Character has already been tested this season and we've stood up to it every time."

Iredale has missed most of the start of the season after appendicitis surgery, external, but played 61 minutes against Thistle.

"It's been an odd few weeks," the Australian said. "Hopefully just get that rhythm and match fitness back quick."

Hibs fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's Premier Sports Cup victory against Partick Thistle.

Here's what some of you said:

Kev: Another result despite the performance. The football that Hibs are playing is eye-bleedingly bad. Having only 40% possession against a championship team is embarrassing.

Kenny: A performance that was far from convincing but a win is a win nevertheless. We now have a great chance to get to the semi-final although this can be a tricky place to go but I'm sure it's a game the players will look forward to. Before the transfer window closes we need to add a goal scorer. We are simply not putting away enough chances. But, well done guys.

Niall: Much better result than it looks given the tight turn around from both Macedonia and Ibrox, and credit to Thistle - they look a serious side and will be right up there for promotion. Hibs really should target a run in this competition - feels like this is a genuine chance at a Hampden trip.

Martin: They won't get much credit for the performance, but all you can ask for after an energy-sapping game on Thursday is to be in the hat for the next round. A lovely finish from Owen Elding who on another day could have had a hat-trick. On to Gent.

Alan: This style of football can't go on. Supporting this club is demanding attacking football and we're miles from that.

Owen Elding's first-half goal was enough for Hibernian to edge out Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle to reach the Premier Sports Cup quarter-finals.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

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Hibernian head coach David Gray: "It ended up a classic cup tie towards the end.

"I've just massively praised the players because of everything that went into this week. Winning at Ibrox, travelling to Macedonia and getting through that tie, the quick turnaround and getting through the cup, it was always going to be a really difficult game.

"I thought we started the game brilliantly but we missed too many gilt-edged chances and we were heavily reliant on the goalkeeper at the end to make sure it didn't go to extra time.

"We're in the next round of the cup, we're competing at every level and we want this to continue for as long as we can."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Jason Kerr believes a clean sheet away to Shkendija can provide the platform Hibernian to reach the league stage of the Conference League.

Hibs drew 0-0 in sweltering conditions in Skopje, progressing 2-1 on aggregate to reach the play-off round for the second successive season, with Belgian side Gent their seeded opponents.

"It's going to take a lot, but I'm fully confident in the players we've got in the dressing room," said Kerr. "There's a lot of quality and I think we can do it.

"Getting the clean sheet as well, first of the season, we'll take confidence from that, especially as defenders.

"It was a completely different game from the first leg. We had to ride our luck a little bit. We made a good few blocks, a lot of defensive actions.

"It was not the best game to watch, but, when you're ahead in the tie, you take that all day. Getting through is all that really matters."

Hibs had to cope with temperatures of around 30C at kick-off, but Kerr believes the incentive of moving one step closer to European league stage football for the first time helped players overcome the conditions.

"It wasn't as hot as I thought it would be, to be fair," said the 29-year-old. "It was humid and it does drain you, but the thought of getting through to the next round gives you that extra bit of motivation and determination.

"I think all the lads felt that in the last 10 minutes. Putting our bodies on the line at times, I just felt like we deserved that."

Before their European campaign resumes in Belgium next Thursday, Hibs turn their attention Sunday's Premier Sports Cup tie with Partick Thistle at Easter Road.

"We're two games away from a semi-final, potentially," added Kerr. "So it's a massive game and that's us three unbeaten now. We need to keep that run going and get through in another cup competition.

"It'll be a tough game. I know Partick Thistle have done well the past couple of years, so we won't be taking them lightly. But I think that's one we can get past as well."

Hibs fans, we asked for your views after Thursday night's goalless draw against Shkendija in North Macedonia booked a spot in the Conference League play-off.

Here's what some of you said:

Calum: Job done. Not pretty but a clean sheet away in Europe is nothing to be sniffed at.

John: Well done Hibs, not the best of games to watch but who cares. Getting to the play-offs is all that counted. I feel the team were never in any danger, Shkendija played better at Easter Road.

Kenny: A great result following on from the win against Rangers at the weekend. David Gray now needs to have more faith that we can beat teams around us without resorting to the defensive tactics that we seem to deploy in the Premiership. The fans will get behind the manager and the team if we can play off the the front foot and stop losing goals when we give the ball away just outside the 18-yard box. The players are there, no good being too negative.

A Graham: Gray says Shkendija were a really good side, they were awful and we played at their level over the tie with poor passing. We were lacklustre up front and our record signing can't get a game. Hopefully some more signings to come as I'm struggling to see improvements in the ones we have so far. Hopefully we'll click into gear as the Rangers game seems the exception to the norm right now.

Neil: Well done Hibs, not pretty but a professional job. Let's hope we can get over this last hurdle and into the next stage for the first time.

Eddie: Really poor football. Nearly every second ball is brought away by the opposition. Almost every long ball from goal, and nearly every throw in gives possession away. Random headers into the sky give possession away. Nobody in green and white seems to be able to control a ball when it arrives to feet. Only consolation, the other team were worse.

Hibernian progressed to the Conference League play-offs with a gritty goalless draw against Shkendija in sweltering Skopje.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

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Hibernian head coach David Gray: "I'm delighted for the players. A brilliant time to get our first clean sheet of the season.

"Don't underestimate how big an achievement that is against a really good side.

"It wasn't a brilliant game, but bodies on the line and our players stepped up. A really positive win, especially off the back of Sunday.

"We found a way to get through and I'm delighted for the players - they thoroughly deserve it.

"First half there wasn't much in it, it was a flat game. Our shape was good and we restricted them to very little.

"Over the course of the two legs, I don't think anyone could say we don't deserve to go through.

"The players have earned the right to have another go at the play-offs.

"You see the strength of the squad with the players coming off the bench. We've had a brilliant start to the season.

"The important thing now is to recover the players, cool them down, and they can be proud of what they've achieved."

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Hibernian will demand a fee in excess of £4m before agreeing to sell Miguel Chaiwa and are in no rush to part with the Zimbabwe midfielder. The Herald, external

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Scotland in North Macedonia

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Jamie McGrath says Hibernian are determined to make history by becoming the first Easter Road side to reach the league phase of a major European competition.

Hibs lead Shkendija 2-1 before Thursday's Conference League third qualifying round second leg, with a play-off round to follow for the winners of the tie - the last round before the league phase.

"No Hibs team's got European group-stage football yet so that's obviously a burning ambition," McGrath, 29, told BBC Scotland.

"I think it'll be a bit of a different game. Hopefully, we can come out with the same result and get into that next round, one step away from where we want to be.

"The longer that we have these experiences as a group, we'll definitely be stronger."

McGrath missed the first leg but featured as a substitute in Sunday's 2-1 Scottish Premiership win at Rangers.

"I'm ready to go, raring to go probably a bit ahead of schedule," he explained.

"I'm delighted to be back for the European games and hopefully there's many more to come. We want to have more trips like this and we want to reward those fans coming over here.

"We don't want this to be the end of the journey, we want it to be only the start of it.

"Hopefully, it'll cool down a bit. It will be similar for both sides. They're used to playing here in the heat and conditions like that so we'll have to factor it in. Hopefully, it won't be too much of a distraction for us."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Scotland in North Macedonia

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Hibernian head coach David Gray has spoken to BBC Scotland before Thursday's Conference League third qualifying round second leg against hosts Shkendija in North Macedonia.

Here are the key points.

• Neither Grant Hanley nor Nicky Cadden are with the squad in North Macedonia. Martin Boyle has travelled and trained on the pitch after missing the weekend win over Rangers.

• Gray remains confident his players can cope with the intense heat and the opposition as they aim to make the play-off round of the Conference League.

• The head coach hopes the team take confidence from the weekend win at Ibrox and their away performances last season in Europe, saying the players "should be feeling good about themselves".

• Gray insists Shkendija showed in last week's first leg at Easter Road they can be dangerous and are not to be taken lightly. He expects the hosts to be "a bit more aggressive".

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Shkendija will aim to make a fast start in intense heat on Thursday, says head coach Artim Pollozhani, as the North Macedonian side look to wipe out Hibernian's first-leg advantage.

David Gray's men take a narrow 2-1 Conference League qualifying lead with them to Skopje and travel buoyed by a late victory at Rangers on Sunday.

"Hibs start the game with an advantage so we want to score early," says the Shkendija boss. "One goal and we will equalise and then try to close the game in 90 minutes.

"The psychological part will be very important. We want to be in the next round, we want to repeat the success of last season in Europe."

Shkendija qualified for the Conference League last term and made it through the league phase before being dumped out by Turkish side Samsunspor in the first knockout round.

Despite that, Pollozhani believes it is difficult to compare his side with Hibs because he considers the Scottish Premiership to be a stronger league than North Macedonia's top flight.

"The Scottish league is a high level, we can't compare it to ours," he said. "What we saw in the Hibs game against Rangers, they used different players in attack.

"The championship is a marathon but European games are about elimination. Maybe the coach believed in the players who played that game or maybe he wanted to save the ones on the bench for this game?

"What you saw is they have a lot of quality. They are very well prepared physically and tactically. So if we don't fight in every part of the pitch we won't achieve our aim."

Matty Fairnie
Fan writer

David Gray took a massive risk at Ibrox with a team selection that hinted heavily at prioritising our Conference League fixture on Thursday over one of the most difficult away games in the league.

He brought in several players from the cold, notably Ante Suto, Thibault Klidje, Josh Campbell and Kanyo Megwa, raising more than a few eyebrows among the Hibs support.

But the gaffer's brave choice was vindicated with a battling performance from a Hibs side that won away to Rangers for the third successive season for the first time in our history.

Gray has made a habit of breaking unwanted records - Sunday was also the first time Rangers manager Derek McInnes had lost a home game to Hibs.

We looked every bit the well-coached, motivated team Gray's critics have suggested we are not.

To a man the players stood up to be counted for Gray - this was the performance Hibs fans have been waiting for. We weren't swashbuckling or dominant with possession, but we fought for everything and when chances came, we were clinical.

I've long said Gray needs more time. He can point to the availability of Jamie McGrath and Suto as a sign his squad is getting closer to its best. With Nicky Cadden still to return, things are looking much rosier for Gray in the wake of this win.

A final mention for young Owen Elding. Brought on with just minutes remaining, he showed composure beyond his years to bring a calmness to proceedings and set Hibs on our way to the crucial attack that won the match.

The 20-year-old forward is one to watch this season and Gray should be looking to build his team around him.

You can find Matty Fairnie at Longbangers podcast, external

Watch the Sportscene panel discuss Callum Wright's late goal, and Owen Elding's part in making it happen, which helped Hibs secure a 2-1 victory against Rangers at Ibrox.

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Hibernian's Conference League opponents FK Shkendija were 2-0 winners away to Vardar in the North Macedonian top flight at the weekend.

The victory means Shkendija are second in the league on goal difference after two league games.

Hibs beat Shkendija 2-1 at Easter Road on Thursday in the first leg of their third qualifying round tie as they prepare to travel for the return leg this week.

Should Hibs progress to the Conference League play-off, they will face either IFK Goteborg or Gent.

The former defeated Kalmar 3-2 in their domestic league to move up to 10th in the Allsvenskan after 16 games. Gent also won at the weekend beating Mechelen 2-0 in the opening game of the Belgian Pro League season.