'I couldn't believe...': Kieron Bowie opens up on crucial Hibs moment

In a game that saw Hibs hit the net three times, it seems odd to be musing about the one that got away. When you add in Martin Boyle’s spectacular strike that came crashing back off the crossbar, plus one or two other more obvious chances, however, you can understand why David Gray might have spent Thursday, Friday and Saturday night reflecting on what a might have been.

As of this morning, of course, all thoughts are laser focused on St Mirren at Easter Road. Plenty will be expecting Hibs to fall flat through exhaustion, disappointment and just a general feeling of the world being against them after their 5-4 aggregate defeat in the sweltering heat of a Warsaw night.

As Bowie points out, though, Hibs bounced back from their only other European setback of the season, when they fell at the first Europa League hurdle in losing to Midtjylland, with a domestic win. They’ll need that same spirt again.

Bowie, reflecting on merely the last of many heart-stopping moments that could, would or should have seen Hibs progressing to the UEFA Conference League, clinching league/group phase football for the first time in club history, confessed: “Yeah, I couldn't believe he saved it. It was right on the side netting, but it was quite a weak one because Junior had just chipped it up.

“I thought I was in but I said to the goalie after, it was an incredible save and what can you do? We've thrown everything at it and just call ourselves unlucky.

‘He’s just plucked it out’

“But yeah, I thought it was in. I couldn't believe he's kept out to be honest. Nah, I wasn’t ready to celebrate or anything. I just thought I’d directed it right in the corner. I genuinely thought: ‘He’s not saving that …’ And he’s just plucked it out.

“Yeah, I mean I couldn't believe what happened in the second half, to be honest. We were behind and the message at half-time was just go out and give it everything, we've got nothing to lose. And I felt we've done that.

“Obviously we scored three goals in very quick succession, so I was like: ‘What's going on?’ But I felt there was more goals in the game for us - and unfortunately we never took chances. It was just silence in the dressing room afterwards, really. Everyone was gutted. But I feel we just need to keep our heads held high and just be confident in ourselves.

“We've shown that we can compete against top European teams and we just need to keep doing what we're doing. I feel like, obviously with the draws we've had and stuff we've been unlucky. And then in games the last five minutes we've conceded a lot of sucker punch goals. So yeah, we've definitely been unlucky. We need to just keep our heads held high and take that into the league and the cups.”

After defeat to Midtjylland, Hibs went to Dens Park and beat Dundee 2-1 in their opening game of the Scottish Premiership. The same attitude will be needed if they’re to see off St Mirren in front of a home crowd who will want to show their appreciation for the team’s European efforts.

“I mean we've obviously got beat off Midtjylland and then did well the weekend after that,” said Bowie. “So I feel like we know what to expect from league action. I feel like we can dust ourselves down and just get ourselves ready for Sunday.

Hibs set out ambition for the season

“But yeah, the experience in Europe has given me the hunger to get back to that stage. And I think everyone is the same. We just need to keep fighting and doing what we're doing - and we'll hopefully get back there next year.”

Of the many great experiences Hibs have enjoyed in six all-immersive European fixtures, they’ll surely be improved by the intensity of the occasions. Whether that was in front of 25,000 ‘Gravediggers’ in Belgrade or amid the bedlam of a Legia crowd who outdid Partizan in terms of pure decibels, these players have been through the fire.

Through it all, they’ve been accompanied by a few – a lucky few thousand, in fact – Hibs supporters determined to make themselves seen and heard. If today’s game offers the wider fan base a chance to applaud their European adventurers, it also gives Gray and his men to again show their appreciation to a passionate support base.

“To be honest I never really knew what to expect before it happened,” said Bowie, when asked how the experience of playing in Europe matched up to his expectations. “But we've shown what we can do here - and it's unbelievable.

“Some of the atmospheres you experience … you go away in front of the Partizan fans, then Warsaw, it's just unbelievable. So yeah, it's good to play in front of crowds like that. Out on the pitch? Oh yeah, the whistles (every time you touch the ball). It's mad, like your ears are ringing and you don't know what's going on. But yeah, it was mental to be honest.

“Our fans have been amazing. Obviously they've travelled a long way, the flights haven't really been easy so a lot of them have had to travel and spend a lot of their own money. So I can only just thank them for travelling out to Poland. I don't know how many there was, maybe about 2000. So yeah, it's an amazing turnout from them. Hopefully we can repeat that next year and get them back here again.”