Scott: This Will Not Define Us
Grant Scott is adamant that Friday night's Edinburgh Derby defeat "will not derail" Hibs Women's strong start to the 2024/25 SWPL campaign.
The Hibees were stunned by three first-half Hearts strikes before a fourth goal settled the match in the second half - despite a Hibs fightback following half-time.
Following an impressive five-game unbeaten run to start the league season, Scott wholly accepts the heavy defeat was a real disappointment.
"It will take a while to digest properly and fully," he told HibsTV following the match. "Very, very disappointed.
"We need to reflect and look at where we got that one wrong so we can bounce back as best we can. It’s a difficult one in this moment to explain through.
"I think there were many factors. But we’ve let ourselves down tonight as a full group. We will get back on it next week and do better."
Scott opted to make a triple change at the break following a tumultuous first 45, bringing on Abbie Ferguson, Eilidh Adams and Poppy Lawson.
Adams and Ferguson both added an extra dimension to the Hibs attack - which granted themselves, Micky McAlonie and Kathleen McGovern opportunities - but chances continued to pass Hibs by.
"We got on front foot a lot earlier in the second half. We applied a lot of pressure to Hearts.
"They buckled a couple of times and we had a few opportunities that, if we are honest with ourselves, we should do better with.
"Our plan was to be on the front foot from the first kick and we failed to do that tonight. It was a good reaction at 3-0 down but you’ve already gave yourself a mountain to climb."
While it could be easy to lose one's head following such a frustrating and disheartening result, Hibs will look to immediately move on and rally.
"This is definitely not going to define us," Scott declared.
"We are a good football side, we’ve just not played well today. Some days that happens.
"You can get team selection and tactics wrong, and we will look into that, but sometimes there is no rationale. You can have an off day, we are human beings at the end of the day.
"It’s not going to derail us, that’s the most important part. We need to bounce back. It was just very disappointing tonight.
The opportunity to get back to winning ways will come next Sunday (15 September) as Hibs welcome newly-promoted Queen's Park to Meadowbank Stadium.
"We’ve got a chance to bounce back. We’ll have a couple extra days to reflect and review things.
"We’ll get back to work next week against a new opponent who are new to the league, we will just have to figure them out and find a way to win the match."