Scott Allan: Premier Sports Cup Tie is Huge for Hibs
Scott Allan believes there is no hiding place for Hibernian or head coach David Gray when they head to Ross County in the Premier Sports Cup on Saturday, describing the quarter-final as a “huge game.”
From a Hibs point of view, Allan sees it in stark terms. A semi-final place is on the line, the league form has dipped, and European hopes have already vanished.
“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 jolt their season back into life.
Cups carrying the weight of a slow start
Hibs stumble into Dingwall after a bruising spell. Back-to-back Premiership defeats to Hearts and St Johnstone have checked any early momentum, and a late collapse at home to Gent slammed the door on the Conference League.
Those setbacks have sharpened the focus on domestic cups.
“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 expectations around Leith as well as anyone.
The pressure is clear: with league points dropped and Europe gone, Gray’s side need the Premier Sports Cup to keep belief and ambition intact.
Dangerous County, familiar face
The challenge is awkward. Ross County are unbeaten in League One and arrive in form, full of confidence and goals.
Leading the charge is a name Hibs fans know well. Brian Graham, now 38 and still ruthless in the box, has already hit 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.”
County’s momentum, Graham’s finishing, and the freedom of underdogs with nothing to lose – it all adds up to a tie that feels far from routine.
Quality under scrutiny
Allan still expects Hibs to find a way.
“I think it could be tricky, but I still believe Hibs will have enough to get through the tie,” he said.
He points to the talent in Gray’s squad, players capable of far more than recent results suggest.
“There is some real quality in the team. Whether they are getting the best out of them at the moment is another question.”
That question hangs over Easter Road as they head north. The answer may define not just a cup run, but the early judgement on David Gray’s tenure.
