'I will actually': Pleased David Gray allows himself a drink but tells Hibs to keep improving after huge win

The capital club recorded only their second league win of the season at Fir Park thanks to goals from Junior Hoilett, Mykola Kukharevich and Josh Campbell to move on to 12 points, three clear of city rivals Hearts. The only way Hibs can return to the foot of the table by the end of the weekend is if the Jambos defeat Aberdeen by three goals or more at Tynecastle on Sunday.

Gray stated that the win and performance from Hibs showed the level that they can play at. With his own future under intense scrutiny over the past few weeks, the 36-year-old admitted that he may even allow himself a glass of wine to toast what was undoubtedly his team’s best result of the season.

“I’m delighted for the players for the effort, the level of professionalism, how strong we looked within the game and I think fully deserved the three points today,” said Gray. “I challenged the players before the game to use Tuesday night [a 3-3 draw with Aberdeen] as the turning point in the season and take the confidence from that and I think you've seen a side today that was playing with a lot of confidence and belief in themselves. I think the clean sheet as well really helps with that.

“We need to kick on from here because that doesn't fix things in terms of where we find ourselves. We know we need to progress and keep improving - but it takes us off the bottom of the table at the moment and now we chase down the team in front of us.”

Asked if it was a feeling of relief as well for him, Gray continued: “Probably, but I think there's also an element of what we have been doing and the internal belief of what we have been doing. I know I've sat and had to answer a lot of the questions quite similarly most weeks about me believing in the team, but also today we're not talking about individual errors, we're not talking about decision-making within the game or mentality.

“We're a real good side and we demonstrated that today and credit to everyone for being professional but also delivering that level of performance.

“I've said for a number of weeks now I fully believe in the squad and I fully believe I can turn this around during the difficult periods and I always understood exactly why the questions are going to be asked and still continue to be asked of me because of where we find ourselves. One result doesn't change the season - we know that - but the message to the players was clear before the game, which is we need to start getting points.

“I've been saying that for a number of weeks, but to use the momentum and it's amazing the feeling of how momentum shifts with a goal in a positive way for you at the end of the game because too many times this season we've been on the receiving end of losing late goals.

Hibs’ next match is against Celtic away on Saturday and Gray knows that the task ahead is daunting given they routed Ross County 5-0 on Saturday.

“It doesn't get any easier, we’ve got Celtic Park next week so that'll be a real difficult test in itself,” remarked Gray, “but I think just the confidence coming in on Monday morning after having been down there for so long as we have been, dealing with adversity, dealing with the negativity around it and underachieving as a squad because that's something we have done. The biggest message for me today is just to take the confidence from it, use that, build on that and trust it, trust what we're doing, keep doing, working as hard as we can.

“It's not fixed it, as I've just said there. We need to continue improving the areas we can and we've got a game to look forward to at Celtic Park, which will be a real tough test, but the players know what to expect now. They've been there already this season and it's certainly not going to be an easy game, that's for sure.”

The final question put to Gray was whether he will be able to enjoy a Saturday night for the first time in a couple of weeks. “I will actually, I think I might even have a glass of wine!” he smiled.