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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Robbie Copeland

Jack Ross in defiant Hibs vow as he warns Hearts lightning won't strike twice in Scottish Cup semis

Hibs manager Jack Ross has said his players will channel their energy into putting things right when they face Hearts in the Scottish Cup next month, after suffering a damaging defeat to their rivals on Tuesday night.

It was tipped to be a finely poised derby at Easter Road, with Hibs the favourites to pick up a result against the division's bottom side.

But after a tightly-contested first half, things went awry for Ross' team.

Hearts turned in a clinical second half, as a Sean Clare penalty and strikes from Oliver Bozanic and Conor Washington inflicted defeat on the Hibees, who pulled one back through Melker Hallberg.

"It was pretty scrappy. I think the penalty's the turning point because it puts them ahead and we lose a bit of composure and discipline," Ross told BT Sport of the game.

"Not discipline in terms of tackles etcetera, but in terms of our decision-making and clarity of thought.

"We get caught up in trying to chase the game very early, so in that period we lost our way which made the game very difficult.

"The second half we weren't at it, we should have been better in our response to going behind."

(SNS Group)

The two sides will face again in the Scottish Cup semi-finals next month - a tie Ross thinks is well-placed to help his side put this one behind them.

"When you're manager you understand very quickly how much it means to the supporters of the club. So far, we've had a real positive taste of that but we've had a sore one tonight," he went on.

"It is painful for the people who have that affection and passion for the club, but we have opportunities to put that right in the league games coming up and the big cup game next month.

"It's painful at the moment and the rawness of that doesn't disappear quickly. But we can't let that affect us, and when the next one comes around we'll be ready for it.

"But we'll need to be better than we were tonight."

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