Ross frustrated by decision to deny penalty but so proud of his depleted side’s Ibrox display
JACK ROSS insisted his team should have been awarded a penalty at Ibrox.
However, the Hibs boss refused to let his frustration detract from his pride in the performance of an under-strength team that kept league leaders Rangers on edge for 90 minutes.
Ianis Hagi’s 33rd-minute strike settled the outcome but the result may have been different had Willie Collum spotted the Romanian’s high boot as he attempted a rash scissors-kick clearance as Joe Newell went to head the ball.
‘It is a penalty,’ said Ross. ‘It was difficult for me to see at the time so I will be honest about that. But I’ve had the benefit of watching it again and it is clear-cut. It’s very obvious that it is a penalty.
‘But we didn’t get it, so we have to move on from it.
‘We are trying to grow and foster a mentality at the club where we are not happy to lose matches.
‘We are disappointed not to take anything from the game but it is a day for tempering that with pride in large parts of our performance.’
Forced to reshuffle his team after an injury to No 1 Ofir Marciano and the suspension of striker Christian Doidge, Ross reserved praise for the displays of goalkeeper Dillon Barnes and wing-back Josh Doig.
Barnes, on loan from QPR, looked confident and assured on his first Premiership start and set the tone for his performance with an early stop from a Connor Goldson header.
‘I have a lot of trust in Dillon and I had no doubt he would play like that,’ said Ross. ‘He can be pleased with his performance.
‘Making the big save early in the game obviously helped settle him down. He may have expected to be busier but he made good saves at good times.’
Doig showed up particularly well against the in-form James Tavernier, pushing Rangers’ captain onto the back foot with several enterprising surges down the left flank.
‘People forget Josh is 18 years old,’ continued Ross. ‘He had a spell out of the team but I felt it was right to get him back in today.
‘I thought the game would suit him, in terms of his energy, and he showed the belief he has in himself at the start of the game.
‘He was up against a top player in James Tavernier, so he can be delighted with how he played.’
Despite creating several good chances Hibs could not find a finish to beat Allan McGregor, with Ross admitting his team missed the bustling presence of regular targetman Doidge, who missed out through suspension.
He added: ‘We had seven firstteam players unavailable to us and couldn’t fill the bench. That affected us in the latter stages.
‘We had a number of set-pieces but, unfortunately, we didn’t have Christian available.
‘I thought we were excellent in how hard we pushed Rangers and how hard we made them work for their victory in a stadium where they have been relentless this season.
‘We understood what we wanted to do in the game — there was a risk-reward side to it that we knew would allow Rangers to have the ball and create.
‘Not many teams come here and play two strikers at the top of the pitch but we did that. That’s why we were able to be a threat through the game.’