Oliver: We learned from Easter Road reverse
Goalscorer Gary Oliver put Saturday’s impressive 1-1 draw with Hibs down to a lesson learned after showing the same opponents too much respect at Easter Road back in August.
Andrew Shinnie, Grant Holt, Jason Cummings, and Brian Graham all netted as Neil Lennon’s side ran out comfortable 4-0 victors in Edinburgh at the beginning of the campaign.
And Oliver revealed that the Ton took a different approach to Saturday’s live television clash at Cappielow – a gameplan he believes worked as they picked up a valuable point against the table toppers.
Speaking to gmfc.net, the 21-year-old said: “Before the game you’d take a draw against the league leaders. They’re a good side, big and strong with good players.
“But I thought we were the better team in the first half, pressed them very well, put them under pressure and I don’t think they’ve been under pressure a lot this season, so it rocked them a wee bit. We saw the chance to pounce and did it.
“At the start of the season we gave them far too much respect: we sat off them and they scored four goals. So the gaffer and the players decided to go and press them and it’s worked, as we saw today. We’d have taken a 1-1 draw before the game.
“Against Dundee United a few weeks back it was a 0-0 draw. We were actually gutted and that just shows how much confidence we have in ourselves and the team.”
It was Oliver who opened the scoring when he followed up to score after Ross Forbes and Jamie McDonagh had both hit the woodwork, and the frontman revealed he has been working to hone his striking instincts.
He explained: “I saw Forbesy hit it and I thought it was going over. It just dipped at the last minute and then Jamie’s hit it, and I just seen it come and reacted to it.
“I’ve been trying to learn to be more instinctive about the box. To be a striker, you need to be lively and I’ve just taken a wee gamble to get into the box and luckily enough it’s bounced to me.
“I went three or four games there without scoring a goal but that’s six goals I’ve scored this season so hopefully there’s more to come.
“The gaffer has given me the chance where I want to play [through the middle] and I’ve proven I can score goals and feel I’m doing well.”
Images: David Bell
