IAN MURRAY today insisted Hibs are going into tomorrow's Tynecastle derby in exactly the position they deserve – second top of the SPL table.
A scintillating start to the season has seen John Hughes' side take 20 points from their opening ten matches, placing them between Celtic and Rangers and a whopping 11 points ahead of their Capital rivals.
While the Easter Road outfit's turbo-char
ged start to the campaign may have caught many by surprise, Murray believes he and his team-mates have answered those who made disparaging remarks after Hibs opened their account by beating St Mirren and Falkirk.
The 28-year-old utility man said: "Back then, people were saying the opening fixtures had been kind to us and that we should wait until the first round of fixtures was completed and then see where we stood.
"Now, ten games in, I don't think we are in a false position. There haven't been too many games in which we haven't picked up points. We were well beaten by Hamilton at New Douglas Park, a game in which we were all disappointed not only in the way we played but the manner in which we approached the match.
"But, on the other hand, we felt we deserved to beat Dundee United rather than only draw so we could have been two points better off than we are and possibly three given we almost got an equaliser against Celtic."
However, equally aware other clubs could provide their own examples of points dropped that could have been won, Murray echoed boss Hughes' view that, as of yet, nothing has been achieved, going as far as to claim Hibs' primary goal of taking a top-six place has yet to be achieved.
He said: "It's all very tight, Dundee United and Motherwell are picking up points but the top six is maybe taking shape a bit now. Hearts will be trying to get in there and probably will.
"Our aim has to be to cement our top place in the top six as early as possible and then see how high we can climb."
Murray, though, signalled a change in the mindset at Easter Road. While acknowledging Rangers, a point behind, have a game in hand after their game at Tannadice was abandoned because of rain, he said: "We are no longer trying to hold onto third. We are second and going into every game saying, let's hold on to second and hope Celtic slip up.
"That's the way we are thinking, looking to catch the team above us rather than looking over our shoulders. But we are equally aware if we are to do that then we have to keep winning."
Three points from tomorrow's lunch-time start in Gorgie would fire Hibs to the top of the table alongside Celtic at least until the Hoops match at Falkirk on Sunday is settled but, despite the gulf both in terms of points and places separating the two Edinburgh clubs, he cautioned against taking anything for granted.
He said: "An Edinburgh derby is a big, big game at any time so you won't find us going into this one cocky. You only need to go back to last season when we went to Tynecastle with a very depleted side with everyone writing us off and the only talk being of us being hammered to see what can happen. So you won't hear us shouting from the rooftops before kick-off."
A Derek Riordan penalty left Hearts shocked on that occasion and Murray believes that, under Hughes, Hibs are now displaying the same gritty determination which took the points that day on a weekly basis.
He said: "We've shown we can dig in and get late goals to win matches more than once this season. We did it against St Mirren on the opening day, again when Kilmarnock came to Easter Road and once more last Saturday against Aberdeen.
"Although they were down to nine men it was a big test for us. You have to give Aberdeen a lot of credit for the way they played, they made it very tough for us and we didn't have too many chances until Colin Nish scored late on."
Murray, of course, is a veteran of derby matches but he believes those in a green-and-white shirt experiencing that heady atmosphere for the first time will rise to the occasion.
He said: "We know what it means to the fans but it's the same three points which are up for grabs as in any match. We'll have a few boys who haven't played on this stage before but it's perhaps no bad thing they are going into this game at this stage.
"We are playing with confidence and, while the danger is you can get all wrapped up in the hype which can spoil it, we'll be looking to go there and play our own game.
"The fact we are second in the League and eleven points ahead of Hearts doesn't, at least as far as I am concerned, put a different complexion on things. We'll be just as desperate to beat them as they'll be to win.
"If we can go there and win it would be great. It's a hard place for any team to go, even more so in a derby. Normally, at Tynecastle, Hearts would be the favourites but I think this one is more 50/50."
