Jack Ross hails Matt Macey performance as Hibs boss reflects on derby stalemate

The Easter Road ‘keeper and opposite number Craig Gordon pulled off a number of top-drawer saves to ensure clean sheets for both clubs as they continued their unbeaten start to the season.

"I think the two goalkeepers will grab headlines and rightly so for the quality of the saves,” Ross said afterwards.

"Matt has really grown into being an established No.1 – it’s why he came to the club. His performances and the results we’ve achieved with him in the team have been outstanding, even going back to the cup games of last season.

"He played a big part in us taking something from the game today and for Craig, he’s done that countless times against other teams but particularly against Hibs.

"Some of the saves from both of them were outstanding through the course of the game.”

The Hibs boss admitted he thought Kyle Magennis had broken the deadlock 13 minutes from time when the midfielder hit a low effort towards the far post only for Gordon, at full stretch, to touch it wide of his right-hand post.

"I thought that one was in,” he said. “Especially from the angle I’m at in the technical area. I don’t think Kyle catches it really cleanly but the angle of it looked like it was going in.

"Craig’s done that throughout his career. He’s in a really good vein of form but I’m sure Robbie Neilson will point to some of the saves that Matt made as well as being particularly high quality.”

Asked if a draw was a fair result, Ross felt it could have gone either way but praised his team’s overall performance.

"I think both teams will argue their case for winning the game. There were periods when we were really good; periods where we had to really dig in and be resilient when we came under pressure, and I thought we did both aspects of the game really well,” he continued.

"We’re trying to create a culture that we’re not satisfied going anywhere and not winning; I think we’ve shown that over the last season and a bit now, but we had to stand up against a good team today in a tough environment and produced a performance that in large parts I was really pleased with. I was really proud of what the players gave.”

Hibs now haven’t been out of the top four positions in the league in 43 consecutive league games going back to the start of last season and Ross is eager to maintain that run.

“We’ve started this season, and I accept it’s still very early, but you don’t do that unless you’re a team that’s good enough to challenge up there,” he insisted.

"I think anyone watching the game today would see two teams who will be difficult to beat. That’s good for Edinburgh, but for us it’s a further indication of how we’re trying to grow as a team.

"The squad’s got considerably younger over the last season and a bit and a lot of things for us are pointing that we’re going in the right direction.”

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