Neil Lennon: Hibs captain ‘shocked’ at absence of manager due to club suspension

Eddie May, head of the academy set-up at Hibs, and his assistant Grant Murray were in charge in the absence of the Northern Irishman and his assistant Gary Parker, who were reportedly suspended on Friday night following a meeting with chief executive Leeann Dempster.

The Easter Road club have still to clear up Lennon’s situation but the visitors looked in trouble on the pitch when striker Simeon Jackson put Saints ahead midway through the first half.

However, the Leith side came back after the break and levelled through substitute Oli Shaw before further goals from former St Mirren duo Darren McGregor and Stevie Mallan gave them their first league win in six games.

Afterwards Gray was asked about the previous couple of days and said: “The news came out on Sky and that was the first I was made aware of it.

“I think you are always shocked in that situation. I don’t think there is any other way to put it. The next day there was a meeting with the football department and we have a job to do, it is above our head and we will see what happens. Obviously the results haven’t been fantastic recently but in terms of the relationship between players and the manager it has always been the same.

“The results haven’t been good and everyone knows there was a meeting but it wasn’t out of the ordinary, it was just the way the game goes. We get paid to play football and the only thing we were concentrating on was today, trying to get three points.”

Saints manager Oran Kearney noted Kyle McAllister’s missed chance in the second half which would have put the home side 2-0 up and possibly taken them off the bottom of the table.

He said: “It is a big opportunity for Kyle and one everyone in the stadium can see. It is harder for him as he thinks someone is coming behind him and decides to shift it left.