At last, Hibs' David Gray has some breathing space after being put through mill yet again

In fact, they are now eighth, this 3-1 win over Ross County elevating them four places up the table. These are lofty heights given where Hibs have dwelled for much of the campaign. They demote Hearts back to the foot ahead of their meeting with 11th-placed Kilmarnock on Sunday. The Staggies and St Johnstone have been leapfrogged too, albeit only two points separate five teams. Wafer-thin margins.

Had Hibs not won here in the proverbial six-pointer against a County team that melts whenever it leaves Dingwall, then Gray would have been in hot water himself. County's top-flight travel woes now go back to September 2023, when they defeated Kilmarnock. Cowie must find a way to replicate their relative strength at home to stave off relegation fears. Twenty-five league games have elapsed since that win at Rugby Park.

At one point, it looked like they might just change the tune in Edinburgh. Eli Campbell put them into a third-minute lead and with Hibs pretty wretched for almost all of the first half, they had chances to double their advantage. The concession of a goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time to Dwight Gayle allowed Hibs to regroup at the break and push on, netting through an Elie Youan penalty and Josh Campbell's late strike. They were even permitted a penalty miss at 1-1 through Nicky Cadden.

Hibs just needed to win, though. It didn't matter how it was achieved. Only two on the board up until this match, this is the type of fixture Gray is expected to find a victory in. The start to the match will have filled him with dread, but once again his players showed character. Fragility has been a big problem for Hibs this season, but they dug deep in adversity.

Matches against Aberdeen and Hearts come next amid a frantic festive period when Kilmarnock, St Johnstone and Rangers are also taken on. Hibs will take confidence from recording only their second home triumph of the campaign.

Ross County started well and very nearly took the lead when Noah Chilvers' one-on-one effort on three minutes was expertly saved by Jordan Smith. However, from the resultant corner, Scott Allardice's header cracked off the post and with Smith grounded, Campbell forced the ball over the line.

Hibs struggled to get a foothold in the game, making too many elementary passing errors, and were indebted to Smith when he saved well from a Josh Nisbet piledriver.

With Easter Road becoming increasingly fractious, the throats were no doubt being cleared by the home fans for a loud rendition of boos but in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, Junior Hoilett clipped in a tantalising cross and Gayle nipped in ahead of goalkeeper Jack Hamilton to glance home the leveller. Given referee Lloyd Wilson had signalled only for an additional five minutes and had the whistle on his lips just before Hibs' broke forward, Cowie was rightly aggrieved as he queried the official for his timekeeping.

The goal no doubt changed Gray's half-time team talk. With a bit of momentum, they returned to the pitch far livelier than before and missed two great chances on 50 minutes when first Youan and then Joe Newell passed up seriously presentable opportunities in front of goal.

Hibs were given another gilt-edged opportunity on 70 minutes when George Harmon pulled down Gayle and Wilson pointed to the spot. Nicky Cadden - who scored his last penalty against St Mirren - went right and Hamilton saved with his legs.

The visitors were unable to harness any sort of momentum from that, though, as three minutes later they conceded another penalty when Ryan Leak tugged Campbell to the floor. This time Youan stepped up and with the aid of the left-hand post, netted his first goal of the season.

County pressed for a leveller. Substitute Ronan Hale and Akil Wright both had decent efforts deflected inches away from goal by desperate Hibs challenges. Given the hosts' propensity for conceding late goals, the stadium became a bag of nerves.

Their cause wasn't helped by an injury to main centre-half Warren O'Hora, nor eight minutes of injury time. County shelled the Hibs box, ball after ball careering across Smith's goal. But on this occasion, Hibs scored the late one. On the break, Youan slid the ball across to Campbell to net.

At last, Gray and Hibs have some breathing space.