The Hibs development coach included three senior players in his squad for the trip to Balmoor on Saturday
Darren McGregor heaped praise on Hibs first-team trio Murray Johnson, Kenayo Megwa and Zach Mitchell for “laying the bedrock” for the development side’s 4-0 rout of League One side Peterhead.
The Wee Hibees overpowered their opponents at Balmoor to pick up a first victory in the KDM Evolution Trophy league phase, with goals from Mitchell, Jamie McMurdo, Luke Davidson and Josh McDonald.
McGregor went into the match with several players unavailable due to international call-ups and opted to draft in the trio, who have been training regularly with David Gray’s senior team, to increase their own match sharpness.
The decision proved a masterstroke as all three starlets led by example to help McGregor’s youngster run out emphatic winners in the North East.
Speaking to Hibs TV, a beaming McGregor said: “It was an excellent performance. I’m actually almost in a wee bit of disbelief because you come up here with a 19s team, a couple of younger first-team lads that were absolutely tremendous and you beat a side that’s in League One. They won League Two the previous year and we’ve managed to beat them 4-0.
“It was convincing and I think we could’ve scored more, so it just shows the lads that there’s an opportunity to be had. We took it, looked excellent in doing it and I thought they were just tremendous from start to finish.
“The three first-team players, as I said, were absolutely tremendous. Zach Mitchell in the middle of that backline organising and the younger players, everything that came into the box, I think he won. The same goes for Kenayo and that inspires the lads who are playing around them as well.
“Murray pulled off a couple of pivotal saves. One was offside, but one before that as well when he was one-on-one. That inspires and permeates the whole team because when they see first-team lads dropping down and they’ve got the desire, the tenacity to get next to players and to win their duels, that then inspires them. So I thought they laid the bedrock for what was a tremendous performance.”
Hibs youngsters eye progression to knockout stages
Hibs still retain a strong chance of progressing in the competition heading into matchday six next month, with the top 22 sides qualifying for the knockout stages where they will be joined by Scottish Championship clubs.
McGregor’s kids currently occupy that final spot – 22nd of the 30-team table – with four points on the board so far.
Asked what it mean for the team to get through the league phase, McGregor responded: “It would just be confirmation about what we always say to the lads, that this level for you should be what you’re aspiring to next.
“Obviously, we want many of them in the first-team, but to play against top teams at the lower levels and compete with them, it gives the boys that clarification that they are good enough.
“Physically, they’re not there yet, but in terms of the technical and tactical stuff, I think we’ve matched every team, bar Spartans that we’ve played. I’ve been happy in most of the performances, to be fair.
“It’s just defending the box, I think, has been an issue against older, more experienced teams. They see that as a bit of an Achilles heel of ours, but I think today we defended the box really, really well and I’m delighted with the clean sheet that they deserve.”
Hibs XI: Johnson, Megwa, Mitchell, Calder, McSporran, McDonald, Bruce, Jimenez, (Riddell; 84), Davidson, (Buckley; 74), McMurdo, (MacDonald; 74), Cleland
